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The most enchanting stories from Mediterranean folklore
Featured story
A tiny boy no bigger than a thumb outwits a greedy ogre using his cleverness and quick thinking, proving that even the smallest heroes can do great things.
A cheerful young man who has never felt fear goes on silly adventures, outwitting ghosts and goblins who try their best to scare him.
Two baby twins are found by a kind she-wolf beside the river. She keeps them safe until a shepherd takes them home. When they grow up, the brothers discover a beautiful hill and dream of building a city where everyone can belong—and so the story of Rome begins.
Italian tales teach that intelligence and cleverness are more powerful than brute force, raising resourceful and creative children.
Each story reflects a different region of Italy, from Venetian elegance to Tuscan mischief, broadening children's cultural horizons.
Unlike other European tales, Italian folklore stands out for optimistic endings where kindness and wit always triumph.
Italo Calvino (1923-1985), one of Italy's greatest writers, spent years collecting and adapting folktales from every region of Italy. His masterwork "Fiabe italiane" (Italian Folktales, 1956) gathers 200 stories from Italian oral tradition, from Venice to Sicily. At Cuentautor, we offer a selection of the most fascinating tales from this collection, with professional audio narration, original illustrations, and available in 17 languages. Each story preserves the Mediterranean wit, playful humour, and folk wisdom that defines Italian folklore.
Italian folktales stand out for their wit, humour, and hopeful endings. Unlike other European tales, Italian folklore celebrates cleverness over strength, generosity over greed, and determination over fate. These stories, born in regions as diverse as Venice, Tuscany, and Rome, teach children that intelligence and kindness are the most powerful tools. They also offer a unique window into Mediterranean culture, its traditions, and its optimistic outlook on life.
Italo Calvino (1923-1985) was a world-renowned Italian writer. In 1956 he published "Fiabe italiane" (Italian Folktales), a collection of 200 folk stories from every region of Italy, considered Italy's answer to the Brothers Grimm.
Italian folktales are known for their Mediterranean wit, playful humour, and optimistic endings. Heroes triumph through cleverness rather than force, and the stories reflect the rich cultural diversity of Italy's regions.
Our selection includes versions adapted for different ages: from 3-5 years with simplified versions, to 9-11 years with fuller versions that preserve the original narrative richness.
The collection includes tales such as The Frog Prince (Calvino's version, with its differences from the Grimms'), Body Without Soul (Corpo senza l'anima), The Crab Prince, Fearless Giovanni, The Canary Prince, and other gems from Italian folklore collected by Italo Calvino.
Italo Calvino collected 200 tales from all 20 regions of Italy between 1954 and 1956.
'Fiabe italiane' is considered Italy's answer to the Brothers Grimm fairy tales.
Many Italian tales feature heroes who win through wit rather than strength.
Each region of Italy has its own storytelling style: Venice favours enchanted princes, Tuscany prefers clever tricksters.
Calvino said 'Folktales are true' because they reflect universal human experience.
Discover magical stories that will enchant the whole family
