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Step into deep woods where cleverness matters, magical gifts change lives, and kindness faces the test.
In Polish Fairy Tales, A. J. Gliński gathers stories from Poland’s oral tradition. Kings and peasants, clever youths and cruel stepmothers share a Slavic world of forests, villages and castles. Enchanted creatures and magical gifts bring wonder, while bold deeds put character to the test.
These separate tales explore courage, cleverness and the memory of a people. Gliński preserves stories from a Poland without independence, where folk tales carry a country’s voice. Within them, kindness, bravery and patience earn rewards, while pride, greed and cruelty bring trouble. Simple rhythms and repeated patterns invite you to read aloud.
What you’ll discover
- A people’s living memory Discover folk stories that preserve Poland’s voice through familiar wonders and tests of character.
- From cottages to castles Explore humble homes, royal courts and deep woods where ordinary lives meet enchantment.
- Courage meets cleverness Meet brave and resourceful figures whose choices reveal the value of kindness and patience.
- Patterns to listen for Enjoy three tasks, three brothers or three journeys, with rhythms that reward reading aloud.
- The promise of justice Find the fairy-tale pleasure of goodness rewarded and cruelty brought to account.
Who will love it
Readers who love folk tales, enchanted animals, clever helpers, rhymed spells and brave quests will enjoy this collection. It also suits anyone who likes reading aloud to children or friends.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A humble bride proves her worth
- Love cannot safely force a change
- Miranda keeps hope through her siege
- Kindness reaches where armies cannot
- A sister follows her faithful grief
- An unplanned kindness brings an ally
- Generosity gathers help against royal threats
- A lost bride leads beyond home
- Small acts reveal a moral world
Who’s who
- The Frog PrincessA frog on a prince's arrow who is secretly the daughter of the Queen of Light and wishes to be free of her disguise.
- Prince HeroA prince with a golden helmet and an enchanted ring who rides a magic horse to free Princess Miranda from a sorcerer.
- KoscieyThe wicked king of the Underground realm, who puts a whole island to sleep and wants Princess Miranda for his queen.
- Prince DobrotekA brave prince who seeks his stolen bride with the help of a talking horse, a magic sword and an act of mercy.
- Princess LadnaA quick-witted princess carried off by a whirlwind who fights back with an invisible cap and her own cleverness.
- The Good FerrymanA poor ferryman who carries the needy without payment and receives a gift, a nymph as his wife and difficult tasks from royalty.
- The Old Man's DaughterA kind stepdaughter driven into the forest, who works hard and feeds a hungry mouse in the hut of a bear.
- The BearA courteous bear in a forest hut who sets tests of work and courage for each girl who comes to him.
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Polish Fairy Tales
A frog sits on a prince's lost arrow and offers a bargain that will decide who inherits the crown.
Easy readUnder 2 hours to read20 languages
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“A good deed is never without its reward”
In short
What would you do if a frog offered to hand you back your arrow, but only if you made her your wife? That small bargain at the edge of a lake opens Polish Fairy Tales, a collection of seven wonder stories retold by A. J. Gliński, a Polish writer who died in 1866.
Polish Fairy Tales at a glance
- Reading time
- About 1 h 20 min1 h fast, 1 h 30 min slow
- Length
- 18,500 words
- Library level
- Easy short sentences, plain words
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A frog's bargain begins a royal contest
A very old king wants to retire. He tells his three sons to marry, and promises the crown to the one who chooses the best wife. The princes shoot arrows from a high tower, and each will seek a bride where his arrow lands.
The elder brothers find easy matches in a senator's daughter and a rich gentleman's daughter. The youngest prince's arrow drops into a lake, where a frog sits on it. She says she will give it back if he takes her as his wife. He takes the arrow and brings the frog home as his wife.
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Details
- Language
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- Level
- Easy read
Cite this edition
Gliński, A. J. Polish Fairy Tales. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/polish-fairy-tales.
Gliński, A. J. (2026). Polish fairy tales. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/polish-fairy-tales
Gliński, A. J. Polish Fairy Tales. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/polish-fairy-tales.
@book{glinski2026polish,
author = {Gliński, A. J.},
title = {Polish Fairy Tales},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/polish-fairy-tales}
}
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What is Polish Fairy Tales about?
It is a collection of seven folk tales from Poland. Princes, princesses, sorcerers, talking horses and helpful old men meet in stories of enchantment, quests and rewards for kindness. Each tale stands alone, from The Frog Princess to The Bear in the Forest Hut.
Who is Kosciey in Polish fairy tales?
Kosciey is the wicked king of the Underground realm who appears in the tale of Princess Miranda and Prince Hero. His name means Boney. His life is hidden inside an egg, which is the secret the hero must find.
Who is Jandza in the stories?
Jandza, pronounced Yen-jar, is an old woman who lives in a little house on crooked legs in the forest. She appears in both The Frog Princess and the tale of Miranda and Hero and gives the heroes advice and directions.
The author
A. J. Gliński
Polish folklorist
A. J. Gliński was Antoni Józef Gliński, a Polish collector of folk tales who lived from 1817 to 1866. He lived in Vilnius, now in Lithuania. His collection Bajarz polski was published there in 1853. Tales from this collection later appeared in English under the title Polish Fairy Tales.
“A good deed is never without its reward”
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