Free classic fairy tales for kids
Peabody has 35 free classic fairy tales for kids, retold short at a reading level, from The Little Red Hen at level 0 to The Happy Prince at level 8. Each shows its lesson in one line, and each opens at once with no sign-up. Free through the end of 2026.
| Fairy tale | Level | Told by | The lesson |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Little Red Hen | Level 0 | Mary Mapes Dodge | If you want to share the bread, share the work. |
| The Enormous Turnip | Level 0 | Alexander Afanasyev | Pulling together gets big jobs done. |
| The Three Little Pigs | Level 1 | Joseph Jacobs | Taking the time to build well keeps you safe. |
| The Gingerbread Man | Level 1 | St. Nicholas Magazine | Be careful of a sly fox's friendly words. |
| Henny Penny | Level 1 | Joseph Jacobs | Look before you shout and run. |
| Goldilocks and the Three Bears | Level 1 | Robert Southey | Don't go into a house that isn't yours. |
| Little Red Riding Hood | Level 2 | The Brothers Grimm | Listen to good advice, and stay on the path. |
| The Three Billy Goats Gruff | Level 2 | Asbjørnsen and Moe | Working together with a plan beats a bully. |
| The Princess and the Pea | Level 2 | Hans Christian Andersen | You can't tell who someone is from how they look. |
| Stone Soup | Level 3 | People in France and Portugal | When everyone shares a little, there is plenty for all. |
| Tom Thumb | Level 3 | The Brothers Grimm | Being small does not stop a clever, brave child, and home is where you are loved. |
| The Bremen Town Musicians | Level 3 | The Brothers Grimm | Friends working together can do great things, at any age. |
| The Ugly Duckling | Level 3 | Hans Christian Andersen | Who you are matters more than how others see you. |
| The Elves and the Shoemaker | Level 3 | The Brothers Grimm | When someone is kind to you, be kind back. |
| The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats | Level 3 | The Brothers Grimm | A sweet voice can hide a trick, so listen to a grown-up's warning. |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | Level 3 | Joseph Jacobs | Being brave and quick can turn bad luck into good luck. |
| Rumpelstiltskin | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | A silly boast can cause a lot of trouble. |
| Cinderella | Level 4 | Charles Perrault | A kind heart matters more than a fine gown. |
| The Frog Prince | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Keep your promises, even when they are hard to keep. |
| Puss in Boots | Level 4 | Charles Perrault | Being clever can be worth more than riches. |
| Hansel and Gretel | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Staying together and thinking clearly can beat a big danger. |
| The Brave Little Tailor | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Quick wits and a brave heart can beat brute strength. |
| Snow White | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Jealousy makes a person miserable, and it can drive away everything she had. |
| Snow White and Rose Red | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Kindness shown to someone who looks frightening can change a life. |
| The Steadfast Tin Soldier | Level 4 | Hans Christian Andersen | Staying brave and true through hard times can carry you home. |
| The Emperor's New Clothes | Level 4 | Hans Christian Andersen | It takes courage to say what is true. |
| The Fisherman and His Wife | Level 4 | The Brothers Grimm | Be glad for what you have, or wanting more and more can leave you with nothing. |
| The Twelve Dancing Princesses | Level 5 | The Brothers Grimm | Staying alert and taking good advice can solve a mystery. |
| Rapunzel | Level 5 | The Brothers Grimm | Love and kindness can heal what was hurt. |
| Sleeping Beauty | Level 5 | Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm | Leaving someone out can cause big trouble. |
| The Nutcracker | Level 5 | E. T. A. Hoffmann | Loyalty and love for a friend, however odd he looks, can break a spell. |
| Beauty and the Beast | Level 5 | Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont | A good heart matters more than good looks. |
| The Selfish Giant | Level 6 | Oscar Wilde | What you keep all to yourself can lose what made it beautiful. |
| The Wild Swans | Level 6 | Hans Christian Andersen | Love and patience can carry you through hard things. |
| The Happy Prince | Level 8 | Oscar Wilde | Love and giving to others are what is truly precious. |
Who told these tales
Fairy tales were told by many people long before anyone wrote them down. The writers named here collected or wrote the versions Peabody retells: The Brothers Grimm (14), Hans Christian Andersen (5), Joseph Jacobs (3), Charles Perrault (2) and Oscar Wilde (2). Each story's page says who first told it and when.
Retold short, and told gently
These are retold from the old tellings, never from films, in short pages and plain words at a reading level, so they are quicker to read than the books. The younger tellings are gentle. A story with more of a scare in it carries the spooky mark: Hansel and Gretel and The Nutcracker.
Where to start
The shortest tales are at levels 0 to 2: The Little Red Hen, The Enormous Turnip, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man, Henny Penny and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The pages get longer from level 3 up, and the last tale, The Happy Prince, is at level 8.
More free stories
- The whole library: free stories by reading level, no account needed.
- Classic stories retold short: fables, fairy tales, myths and legends.
- Free Aesop's fables for kids, with the lesson of each
- Free moral stories for kids
- Free folk tales, tall tales and legends for kids
- Free Greek myths for kids
- By level: Level 1 · Level 2 · Level 3 · Level 4 · Level 5 · Level 6 · Level 8
Questions parents ask
Are these the original fairy tales?
They are retold from the old tellings in short, plain words, so they are shorter than the books, and the younger ones are told gently. Peabody does not retell from films or use any studio's characters. Each story's page names the writer or people who first told it.
Which fairy tales are easiest to start with?
The Little Red Hen, The Enormous Turnip, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man, Henny Penny and Goldilocks and the Three Bears are at levels 0 and 1, with the fewest words on a page.
Do the fairy tales cost anything?
No. Every story on this page is free to read through the end of 2026, with no account and no card.
Checked against how Peabody works on 19 October 2026. Written with help from AI, from Peabody's own code and library. Peabody is a learning app, not an assessment: if you're worried about your child's learning, talk to their teacher.