This educational cartoon series tells a classic, well known fairy tale and then compares it to two similar lesser known fairy tales from different parts of the world.
DirectorDavid Alexovich
WriterDouglas L. Lieberman
Beauty and the Beast/The Chinese Parrot/Sedna
Dec 31, 1990
A Tale from China, Greenland and France. Beauty and the Beast (France): The beast is massive, powerful, and ugly to behold, yet only the love of a young girl can save him. The Chinese Parrot (China): A magical parrot must save the love between a scholar and the servingmaid of an evil sorcerer. Sedna (Canada): A mighty bird spirit disguises itself as a young hunter to win the heart of a lovely Inuk girl.
Sleeping Beauty/The Petrified Palace/The Sun, the Moon, and Talia
Jan 7, 1991
A tale from France, Bangladesh and Italy.
Cinderella/Maria Cinderella/The Maiden, the Frog, and the Chief's Son
Jan 14, 1992
Tales from France, Chile and Nigeria. Cinderella (France): Her stepsisters will never make fun of Cinderella again, thanks to help from a fairy godmother. Maria Cinderella (Chile): Maria gets a magic wand and more from a kind lady in the woods - a gold star for her forehead. The Maiden, the Frog, and the Chief's Son (Nigeria): When a mistreated girl feeds the frogs in the river, the "King of the Frogs" decide to reward her.
Rumpelstiltskin/St. Olaf and the Troll/King David and the Giant
Jan 20, 1993
Tales from Germany, Norway and Israel. Rumpelstiltskin (Germany): St. Olaf and the Troll (Norway): King David and the Giant (Israel):
Hansel and Gretel/The Woodcutter's Wealthy Sister/Pedro and the Monster
Jan 25, 1993
Tales from Germany, Syria and The Philippines. Hansel and Gretel (Germany): The Woodcutter's Wealthy Sister (Syria): A poor and mean-spirited woodcutter encounters a mysterious and wealthy woman claiming to be his sister. She lures him and his wife and ten children to her palace, only for his wife to discover that the "sister" is a demonic monster planning to eat the woodcutter's entire family. But the woodcutter refuses to believe her. Pedro and the Monster (Philippines):
Rapunzel/Fenchelchen/The Princess in the Tower
Jan 26, 1993
Three tales from Germany, Malta and Israel. Rapunzel (Germany): The only way into the tower is up Rapunzel's long, long hair. A prince climbs up to meet her. Fenchelchen (Malta): A young girl learns a witch's magical power and uses it to make an unforgettable escape. The Princess in the Tower (Israel): King Solomon locks his daughter in a tower to prevent her from marrying a poor man.
Hansel and Gretel/Tangled Up
Jan 27, 2012
Two Tales from Germany.
