Folklore from USA
RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES
The Legend of Big Foot - by Alexis
He's tall, hairy, and you don't want to see him at night. There have been sightings of the hairy creature for hundreds of years. This hairy creature is known as Big Foot, The Sasquatch, the Abdominal Snowman, and the Yeti. It's known as the Yeti or Abdominal snowman in asia, Big Foot in North America, and the Sasquatch in Canada. There have been recored sightings of seeing the creature all over the world. This creature is nocturnal, half-man/half-ape, with long, brown fur all over it's body. An Abdominal Snowman or yeti has said to be seen with long, white fur all over it's body. There have been several Big-Foot inspired movie characters in Hollywood like Sully from "Monsters Inc." and the Abdominal Snowman from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer".
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Pecos Bill - by Mikey
Pecos Bill could ride any bronco. He only got thrown off a bronco once. Once he went up to Kansas he decided to ride a tornado. Bill wanted to ride the biggest tornado not any little one. One day the skies turned green and black and a big tornado came. Pecos pushed the tornado to the ground and got on its back and rode all the way down to Texas. Then the tornado went to California then to the Grand Canyon then he fell off and sank below sea level and made Death Valley. Thats how rodeo got here but most people don't ride tornados.
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Jim Thorpe - by Liam G.
"Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world." These were the words of King Gustav V. He played pro football and baseball, and even competed in the Olympics! The iconic Glenn "Pop" Warner coached Thorpe in football. He had competed in the Olympics and won many gold medals, but they were soon taken away. People found out that he had played pro baseball, therefore was not allowed to be an Olympian. His medals were taken away, but Jim soon joined the Cincinnati Reds for a baseball career. After lots of games with them, he got traded to the San Francisco Giants until the end of the season. He also played lots of pro football. He later died of a heat attack.
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John Henry's Story - by Anthony and Troy
When John Henry was born, all of the forest animals came to see his birth. After his birth, he grew to huge proportions and nearly destroyed his house. When John howled with laughter, the sun itself would be frightened. When he was an adult, John faced his first enemy: Ferret-Faced Freddy. John decided that he and Freddy should face off in a race. John won and Freddy had to be nice for a year. After the race against Freddy, John, armed with 22lbs (pound) sledgehammers, his strength and his speed, he went out in the world to make something of himself. One day, he and one man were drilling holes in a tunnel and he decided that he would race a steam hammer. A steam hammer was a machine that would bore holes through mountains. He raced it and won and the outcome was him becoming a famous folk tale hero.
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Paul Bunyan by chris a.
Paul Bunyan was a giant man who cuts down trees. Within weeks he could fit his fathers clothes. When he scream frogs had to wear earmuffs so they don't go deaf. He was bigger than most of the trees he cut down. He was the best lumberjack in his time. One day a person who makes machines challenged him to a contest with the machine the person made. The Machine was fast but so was Paul but in the end he lost by a few logs.
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John Henry's Story: - by Anthony H.
When John Henry was born, all of the forest animals came to see his birth. After his birth, he grew to huge proportions and nearly destroyed his house. When John howled with laughter, the sun itself would be frightened. When he was an adult, John faced his first enemy: Ferret-Faced Freddy. John decided that he and Freddy should face off in a race. John won and Freddy had to be nice for a year. After the race against Freddy, John, armed with 22lbs (pound) sledgehammers, his strength and his speed, he went out in the world to make something of himself. One day, he and one man were drilling holes in a tunnel and he decided that he would race a steam hammer. A steam hammer was a machine that would bore holes through mountains. He raced it and won and the outcome was him becoming a famous folk tale hero.
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Johnny Appleseed - by Clayton
Johnny Appleseed was born in Leominster, Massachusetts. When he was 20 he left and went across the country spreading appleseeds with a pot on his head. He is legendary for going around the u.s. and spreading appleseeds and they all grew and that is said to be why we have so many apple trees.
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RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES
By Pike’s Will
Once upon a time there lived a fool Emelya . Emelya only liked to lie on the oven and did not like to work.
It was winter. His sisters-in-law asked him to bring water from the river. He took 2 pails and went to river. Emelya wanted to take water when he saw a pike. He took her for fish soup but she spoke in human voice: "“Please, let me go! I will do what you want. When you want something, say: “By pike's will, do what I want"
Emelya was happy. He told: "By pike's will, pails, go home!" Pails began to walk.
Later his brothers' wives asked him to bring wood. Emelya went to the street, sat in sledge without horse and said: "By pike's will, sledge, go to the forest without horse!" Sledge began to ride and all people were surprised. In the forest Emelya told: "By pike's will, axe, cut wood. Wood, jump in sledge"
After some time the tzar heard about Emelya from and invited him to his palace. Emelya did not want to go and leave his oven and told: "By pike's will, oven, go to the palace!" In the palace, Emelya saw tzarevna Marya in the window. He liked her very much and told: "“By pike's will, tzarevna, fall in love with me!"
Tzarevna fell in love with him. Tzar, her father, did not want her to marry a fool. But Marya refused to eat and he agreed. Before wedding Emelya told: " By pike's will, let me become a handsome clever man". He became a handsome man. They lived long and happily.
Tzar is a ruler of the country.
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Tzarevna the Frog
Old tsar had 3 sons. He told them: "Shoot arrows. Where they will fall, so your wives will be from".
Two older sons found wives, rich and beautiful women. Ivan Tzarevish arrow fell into swamp and frog caught it. He was sad. Frog told him: "Do not be sad, take me. I will be good wife."
Ivan took the frog. All people laughed at wedding party.
One day the tsar asked his sons that their wives cook bread. Ivan was very sad. How can frog cook bread? But she told him: "Do not worry and go to bed. Then she put off her frog skin and became a very beautiful woman! She cooked the best bread in the shape of palace."
One day the tsar asked to make a carpet. Ivan was very sad. How can frog make carpet?
But again the frog made the best carpet.
Once the tsar had a big party. He invited many people. Ivan was very sad to take frog with him, but frog told him: "Go without me and do not worry. I will come later."
Ivan went without his wife. In some time his wife arrived but it was not frog. It was a beautiful woman! She was the most beautiful at the party. All people were very surprised.
Ivan ran home and threw the frog skin into the fire. When his wife came home she was very sad. She told: "Oh, Ivan! Why did you do it! Why you did not wait for 3 more days? Kashey Deathless put magic on me to be frog for 3 years. My term would finish in 3 days. But now I must go to Kashey for ever!"
And she disappeared.
Ivan was very sad and went to save his wife. He was going through forests, swamps, climbed mountains but could not find his wife. One day he met the old man who explained him the way. The man told: "You can not kill Kashey Deathless. Only one way to destroy him. Go to deep forest and see a high oak. There is a box on the top of the oak. The hare is in the box. The bird is in the hare. The egg is in the bird. Keshey's death is in this egg if you break it."
Ivan told thank you and started to go.
He was very hungry and wanted to eat the bear. But bear told him in human voice: "Ivan, do not kill me! I will be very useful for you."
Then Ivan wanted to eat the hare but hare told him in human voice: "Ivan, do not kill me! I will be very useful for you."
Ivan wanted to shoot the bird. But bird told him in human voice: "Ivan, do not kill me! I will be very useful for you."
Ivan was very and very hungry. He saw a pike on sea shore and wanted to eat it. But pike told him in human voice: "Ivan, do not eat me! I will be very useful for you. Please, put me into water. " Ivan felt sorry for the pike and put her into the sea.
Finally, Ivan found the oak tree with box. It was high to the sky! Ivan was sad but what he saw? The bear appeared and dropped the tree. The tree feel and the box broke. Hare ran out of it and started to run. Suddenly another hare who was not eaten by Ivan ran after and stopped box hare. Bird flew out from the hare and wanted to fly away but another bird stopped her. Egg fell from bird into the sea! Ivan was very unhappy. He sat near the sea and began to cry. But his pike swam and gave him the egg. Ivan broke the egg and suddenly his beautiful wife appeared. She told: "I am free now."
They came home and lived together for a long time very happily.
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Kenya Folktales
- Illustrated by students in USA
- Pandora's Box
- The Good Samaritan
- The Three Sisters
- The Witch in the Bottle
- The Good Samaritan
- The Ghost Hound Of Lyme Regis
PANDORA'S BOX - by Riva K.
In ancient Greece, two brothers named Epimetheus and Prometheus upset Zeus, the most powerful of all Gods! Zeus decided that humans had to be punished once and for all. He created a beautiful woman, Pandora, and sent her as a gift to Epimetheus who married her.
Zeus gave Pandora a beautiful box as a wedding present, but made her promise not to open the box. Pandora tried to resist
opening the box for a long time but finally curiosity got the better of her and she opened it. She thought she would find gold, jewellery and stunning dresses, but instead she released diseases, poverty, sadness, misery and death into the world. Epimetheus heard her crying and went to see what was
happening. He saw Pandora covered in spots and also heard a sound coming from the box. When they opened the box again, they released hope into the world and Pandora's spots faded away.
This is how pain and suffering came to be in this world, but people still have hope that everything will be alright.
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Good Samaritan - by vallerie m.
One day there was a man, who was a Jew; he was on a long journey. He walked many miles then, one day he was walking through the desert there were many big rocks, where thieves could hide easily behind the rocks.
When he was walking on the rocky road, all of a sudden thieves jumped out from where they were hiding, and beat up the Jew. They took his belongings and they took the clothes that he was wearing.
The man was left there on the road bleeding badly. A priest passed the road, saw the man but he was too scared to help him he feared his own life. The second person was a local guy and he was also very scared so he just passed on, the third guy was a Samaritan.
The Samaritan took the wounded man washed him and took him to an inn gave the manger two silver coins and told the manager to take care of the injured man.
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THE THREE SISTERS by alwiya k.
In a far away land there lived three sisters with their father,they were very little. Next to that village was a very dangerous animal called Bunyip.Bunyip was a very
dangerous animal because he used to kill people.
So once the sisters started to grow until they became adults.So once their father was going on a trip.While their dad reached down,Bunyip arrived on the mounty stony places where the three girls dad was going on that trip.But there dad saved them just the time that Bunyip was attaking them, his dad saved them by pointing a torch up and they turned into mountains! 
Bunyip ran away but their father was wishing for them to come back.The mountains stayed there and they never turned back as how they were
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The Witch in the bottle - Sunidhi S.
Once there was a witch who wasn't liked by anybody so one day they fired her. She started to frig
hten people so to sort this issue they called a palmer. The Palmer also got disturbed so he made a magical portion. The magical portion attracted the witch and the witch got locked.the buried the bottle so that she couldn't escape. Everybody was happy.
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Good Samaritain - by Delilah T.
One day there was a man, who was a Jew; he was on a long journey. He walked many miles then, one day he was walking through the desert there were many big rocks, where thieves could hide easily behind the rocks.
When he was walking on the rocky road, all of a sudden thieves jumped out from where they were hiding, and beat up the Jew. They took his belongings and they took the clothes that he was wearing.
The man was left there on the road bleeding badly. A priest passed the road, saw the man but he was too scared to help him he feared his own life. The second person was a local guy and he was also very scared so he just passed on, the third guy was a Samaritan.
The Samaritan took the wounded man washed him and took him to an inn gave the manger two silver coins and told the manager to take care of the injured man.
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The Ghost Hound Of Lyme Regis - Summary Of story - iman v
Near the town of Lyme Regis, there was a farm house. The farm house is what's left of an old mansion; most of it was destroyed in the English civil war. Back in the 17th century a lonely man had lived in this mansion. His only friend was a black hound dog. One night before the old man went to bed some thieves barged into his mansion. The thieves dragged the old man into a room and demanded him to tell them where he kept his valuables. But the man refused to speak, and the thieves got angry and killed the man. His hound dog also died from starvation. Later in the 18th century a man had bought the house. The man was sitting on a chair beside the fire place and suddenly the black hound dog of Lyme Regis magically appeared right in front of him! The man got terrified. Every day the dog appeared in the same spot. This went on for several of months and the man got used to it. Everyone in the village was protesting about killing the dog. One day the man got frustrated and decided to kill the dog. He took a poker and tried to hit the dog but, the dog jumped right on time. The dog climbed up the stairs to the attic and the man followed. All of a sudden the dog faded into the ceiling. So the man took the poker and hit the ceiling and out came out a chest filled with money and gold! This was the old man in the 17th century's valuables that he would not give the thieves. The man decided to leave this mansion and buy a new one with the money and gold. But, people still think that the dog haunts the mansion.
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MORE RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES
Geese – swans
Once upon a time there lived a man and a woman. They had a daughter and a little son. One day parents went to the town to the market and told daughter: "Take care of your brother!".
But the girl forgot about it and ran to play with her friends. Suddenly geese – swans flew and took the boy with them.
When sister came she only saw geese – swans far away. She ran after them.
She saw oven on her way and asked about geese – swans. Oven told: "Eat my pie and I will tell you."
But the girl told: "I do not want to!"
Then she saw the milk river and asked it about geese – swans. Milk river asked her:
" Drink my milk and I will tell you."
But the girl told: "I do not want to drink!"
She saw the apple tree and asked about geese – swans. The tree told her:
" Eat my forest apple and I will tell you."
But the girl told: "I do not want to!"
Finally, girls saw the house. Baba Jaga (angry woman) lived there. Her little brother was sitting and playing.
The girl knew that Baba Jaga will eat them both. She took her brother and ran away. Baba Yaga sent geese – swans to catch children.
Children saw apple tree and asked to hide them. The tree told: " Eat my forest apple and I will hide you."
They ate forest apple and the tree hid them. Geese – swans flew by and did not see children.
Then they saw milk river that told: "Drink my milk and I will hide you."
Children drank milk and the milk river hid them. Geese – swans did not see children again.
Then they saw the oven and ate its pies. The oven hid children. Geese – swans did not find them and flew away.
Children returned home and were very happy.
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Sister Alenushka and brother Ivanushka
Once upon a time there lived father, mother and their children Alenushka and Ivanushka. Parents died.
One day sister went to work and took little brother with her. It was very hot and Ivanushka wanted to drink. They saw cow hoof with water. Brother asked: "Can I drink from hoof?"
But sister told: "No, my dear. You will become a calf after drinking"
Ivanushka was a good boy. He did not drink because his sister told that. But it was hotter and hotter and hotter. Soon they saw a horse hoof.
Sister told: "Do not drink from horse hoof, you will turn into foal"
Brother listened and did not drink.
Then they saw goat's hoof with water. Ivanushka was very thirsty. Sister told not to drink but he did not listen. He drank and turned into little goat. Alenushka was very unhappy and began to cry. A man came to her and ask: "Why are you crying?"
Alenushka explained her problem. The man fell in love and they married. Little goat, her brother, lived with them and they loved him very much. All were happy. But suddenly angry witch came to village. She took Alenushka, put her in the river and put stone on her breast. Then, witch turned into Alenushka and became to live with the man. Little goat was sad. He went to the river every day and spoke with his sister. Alenushka could not get up because of stone on breast. Witch did not like it. She decided to kill little goat.
He heard this and ran to river: " My sister, my sister, swim up. Witch wants to kill me"
But Alenushka told: "My poor little brother. Why you did not listen me? Why did you drink from hoof and become a goat? I can not get up. Big stone on my breast"
Man's servant heard this conversation. He ran and told his master. The man took people. They went and removed stone from Alenushka. She swam up.
After that people sent angry witch from village.
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