There was once a man called Frederick: he had a wife whose name was Catherine, and they had not long been married.
Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage, entered into partnership and set up house together.
Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest, and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said: ‘Brother wolf, what bird is it that sings so well?’ ‘That is the King of birds,’ said the wolf, ‘before whom we must bow down.’ In reality the bird was the willow-wren.
There were two brothers who were both soldiers; the one was rich and the other poor.
A farmer had a faithful and diligent servant, who had worked hard for him three years, without having been paid any wages.
A shepherd had a faithful dog, called Sultan, who was grown very old, and had lost all his teeth.
There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy.
There was once upon a time a queen to whom God had given no children.
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his two children.
One summer’s morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window; he was in good spirits, and sewed with all his might.