Stories of Hope and Spirit: Folktales from Eastern Europe

For a long, long time, Eastern Europe has been a place where many different peoples, languages, and traditions meet. Sometimes there were disagreements, and sometimes there was great cooperation—but through it all, people told stories. These folktales show just how diverse the region is, and each one shares a challenge that can be faced with clever thinking, bravery, and hope.

In this collection, kids will meet:

• Three brothers from Moldavia who go searching for treasure in “The Three Brothers and the Pot of Gold”—and discover something even more valuable than gold.
• A clever traveler in Croatia who makes “Nail Soup” and shows how a tiny gift from each neighbor can come together to create something wonderful.
• A mistreated girl in Slovakia who finds unexpected help from the seasons themselves in “Strawberries in Winter,” a magical twist on the Cinderella story.

These tales come from Slavic cultures stretching from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Balkans in the south. Even though they were first told long ago, their messages still shine today. In a world that can sometimes feel uncertain, these stories remind us that courage, kindness, and community can help us through even the toughest times.