Product Details

• Actors: Storybook International
• Directors: Various
• Format: Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 10
• Rated: G (General Audience)
• Studio: Starmaker II
• DVD Release Date: March 25, 2006
• Run Time: 1560 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000F1INZS
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,413 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Storybook International Collection 10 Disc Set" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

122 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Series, March 29, 2006

By 

Heidi Anne Heiner (SurLaLune Fairy Tales.com) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Storybook International Collection 10 Disc Set (DVD)

Having never viewed this series when it originally aired, I had the privilege of viewing it while the DVDs were in preproduction. The large variety of tales from all over the world is impressive. I also didn't expect the episodes to be so entertaining or well-produced considering native speakers and actors were used to film each tale in the land it came from. This is the most comprehensive and collection of folktales on film for family viewing to date. It is also highly recommended for public libraries and similar collections. With 65 episodes, it is also reasonably priced. In the end, this series is entertaining and educational.

Episode Guide

1. Clever Manka (Czechoslovakia)

In this popular tale, Manka is a clever young woman and a hard worker. When she takes her uncle before the judge to receive payment for work she has done, the judge is impressed by her beauty and intelligence. He proposes marriage to her if she promises to not contradict his judgments. Manka accepts his offer, but trouble inevitably follows when someone asks for her help.

2. Moses and the Lime-Kiln (Middle East)

Moses offers help to the Caliph of a great city who hungers for more knowledge and they become close friends. Moses' life is put in jeopardy when one of the Caliph's jealous courtiers plots to have him killed.

3. Cap O' Rushes (England)

In a tale that influenced Shakespeare's King Lear, a father asks his three daughters to describe their love for him. The youngest daughter's answer angers the father so much that he banishes her from his home. Later, he comes to appreciate the depth of her love when the meaning of her answer becomes clear.

4. The Soldier Who Didn't Wash (Russia)

A poor, lonely soldier makes a deal with the Devil. In exchange for great wealth, the soldier agrees not to wash for fifteen years. The soldier becomes a social outcast but ultimately comes to the aid of a money-strapped king on the condition that one of the princesses becomes his wife. This tale is often known as Bearskin in its American variants.

5. The Widow's Lazy Daughter (Ireland)

In this tale reminiscent of Rumpelstiltskin, lazy Bridget must accomplish three difficult tasks to placate her future mother-in-law. Three strange old women arrive and offer their assistance, asking only to be invited to the wedding. Will Bridget's secret be discovered?

6. The Grief of Pi-Kari (Maori)

In this moving tale about death and grief, a Chief longs to live with his 'spirit' wife, abandoning his responsibilities to his daughter and village. Eventually he comes to understand that he is needed by the living and returns to his home.

7. The Pedlar's Dream (England)

A poor pedlar dreams of a fortune to be found at a faraway market. When he arrives at the market, he learns that the fortune really lies outside his own house.

8. The Priest Know-All (Norway)

John, a mischievous peasant lad, is mistaken by chance for a priest and is appointed chaplain to the King as a reward for having found the Queen's stolen jewels. Asked to predict the sex of her unborn child, he is in a quandary.

9. The Foolish Brother (Turkey)

Abdul and Sulyman are two brothers, who happen to find a sack of gold while out chopping trees. The local storekeeper wants his share, so they leave their village. Attacked by brigands, Adbul's stupidity saves them and the gold.

10. The Emperor and the Abbot (Austria)

A spiteful Emperor decides that his Abbot has too enjoyable a life and sets him three impossible riddles to solve. A shepherd comes to the Abbot's rescue.

11. The Forbidden Door (Arabia)

Hakim, a young sheikh, finds great wealth and happiness behind a door which is forbidden to him. However, when he enters another forbidden door, his greed and curiosity lose him everything that he loves.

12. Sorrow (Hungary)

One brother becomes poor, the other is very rich and will not help. One day the poor brother is burdened by Sorrow, who leads him first to drink, but eventually shows him a way to become rich.

13. The Straw Hat (Germany)

Franz, a peasant farmer, is tricked by three town lads when selling his cow. When he discovers their trick, he retaliates with a clever plan involving a straw hat. They have underestimated the wily peasant.

14. The Well of the World's End (Scotland)

Rosemary is sent by her wicked stepmother to fetch water from the well in a sieve. A toad helps her and in return demands to be fed and to sleep in their house.

15. Riches or Happiness (India)

A young man, Yash, offers himself in meditation to a Goddess. She in return for his devotion offers him the choice between riches or happiness.

16. Hinemoa (Maori)

Hinemoa and Tutenakai are in love, but her father wishes her to marry a future chief. Tutenakai leaves the village and she is forbidden to see him, but she devises a plan to rejoin him.

17. The Five Loaves (Rumania)

Two friends share their food with a stranger who gives them five pennies for their kindness. They can not agree on dividing the money and take their case to a Judge. He resolves the case in a strictly mathematical and very enlightening way.

18. The Island of the Drums (Samoa)

Nama goes to the Island of Drums to fetch a drum for his father so that he can call his men to council. He chooses the best drum but forgets to thank the Drum Chief.

19. The Twelve Months (Hungary)

Meruska, a pretty, hard-working girl, is sent into the forest to perform impossible tasks by her jealous stepmother and stepsister, Helena. In the forest she meets the Twelve Months of the year.

20. Nikorima (Maori)

An eccentric warrior is left behind to guard his village when a hostile war party arrives. With a great deal of cleverness, Nikorima repels the invaders.

21. Simpleton Peter (England)

Peter, a simple lad, visits a wise woman so that she will make him clever, but he is unable to answer her riddles. Peter meets and marries Jenny and, with her, returns to the wise woman.

22. The Haunted Pastures (Bavaria)

A prosperous irascible farmer has three daughters. When his cows suddenly disappear from the summer pastures, he sends his daughters, one by one, to find out what has happened. Only the youngest daughter, Ursula, is kind enough to help an old man in distress nearby.

23. Morwen of the Woodlands (Wales)

A Prince grows bored with his no longer young and beautiful wife. Out riding, he falls for a woodland maiden called Morwen. She returns with him on the condition that he allows her to return alone to the forest once a week. Wylan, a monk and magician, helps to reveal Morwen's true identity.

24. The Russian and the Tartar (Russia)

Across the wild and lonely plains, a Russian and Tartar travel together for company. The Russian tricks the Tartar three times, then the Tartar decides he is safer alone.

25. The Hired Help (Eastern Europe)

A young man is exploited by a mean, clever farmer. Then he returns home with his tale of woe, his younger brother devises a scheme to redress the balance and teach the farmer a lesson he will never forget.

26. 100 Cattle (Africa)

A young warrior, Kanabe, inherits 100 cattle. When the matchmaker selects Aila as a suitable bride, her father demands all 100 cattle as bride price, although this will leave the young couple destitute. When a handsome ranger begins to pay court to Aila, and her father arrives on an unexpected visit, she is forced into a dangerous choice.

27. The Black Cape (Spain)

When his land is terrorized by a mysterious being, the King is surprised that the only one of his subjects who is clever enough to deal with the threat is Carmella, the young daughter of a goatherd. Together they climb the mountain to challenge the strange black cape.

28. The Perfect Prince? (India)

Thinking he is hideous because of a small scar, Prince Kusa tries to avoid marriage. When a beautiful bride is found for him, he conceals his face with veils to prevent her seeing him as he is. Insatiably curious, she spies on him.

29. Minu (Africa)

Nibo, a quiet and unadventurous villager, decides to make his first journey away from home and see the sights other travelers have told such tall stories about. He has a wonderful time seeing lots of new animals and birds, but when he meets new people, he runs into a language barrier.

30. The Basket of Flowers (Scandinavia)

A widower and his young daughter are forced to leave their home when she is unjustly accused of theft. Wandering abroad, they are taken in by a farmer and his wife and are happy and hard working until the farmer's son takes over the farm.

31. The Talking Pony (Spain)

The owner of a string of ponies is astonished to find that one of them has been changed into a man, especially when he remembers how cruelly he has treated the animal. Little does he know that he is the victim of a trick perpetrated by a clever, poor student called Juan.

32. The Spoiled Son (Rumania)

Ion is completely spoiled by his family. One day he becomes lost. The efforts of those who try to help him are rewarded only with disaster, but somehow, by the time he finds his family again, he has finally grown up.

33. The King's Secret (China)

Despite the wealth, peace and prosperity of his kingdom, all his subjects are baffled by their King's unhappiness. Only his barber can cheer him up; but when the barber's apprentice has to stand in for... Read more ›

31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply wonderful, May 24, 2006

By 

Guerra "nycmug" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Storybook International Collection 10 Disc Set (DVD)

This is a beautifully told, engaging series for young and old. My husband and I watch together with our 9 year old daughter and 4 year old son; we all look forward to each episode. They are delightfully staged -- haven't found a clunker yet! I love having my children see the costumes, cultures, landscape and architecture of so many other countries. I also love that we've had many a lively discussion about the lessons imparted through these simple, gentle folktales. Highly recommended.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow, April 30, 2007

By 

Thomas H. Ayers (Bowie, MD United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Storybook International Collection 10 Disc Set (DVD)

I came across this title unexpectedly and, based on the previous two reviews, decided to give it a shot. This set of 10 DVDs covers 65 folktales from around the world, and each episode is filmed on location and acted by indigenous actors.

Our reaction: We watched our first episode tonight. After a lovely song introducing the series, we watch A Hundred Cattle from Africa. My kids loved it and were very intrigued by the people, their way of life, and how they handled problems. This particular story was narrated, and the narrator spoke the actors' parts as the actors, through facial expressions and gestures, illustrated the story. The overall effect felt like being read to as the book's pictures came to life. I suspect all of the episodes are done this way.

What You Get: The boxed set consists of two cases, each containing five discs which are stacked on top of each other. I've never seen DVDs packaged this way before. I'm tempted to buy thin cases to hold each DVD separately to avoid damage. Also, the set contained a loose disc to replace disc 5 from volume 1. I'm not sure why - I presume it replaces a defective disc. I'm glad they corrected the problem before I found out about it the hard way! The shows are over twenty years old, but the picture and sound are acceptable.

Warning: I bought this used on Amazon without ANY problem. However, while researching this title, I discovered that some dealers are confusing "The Ugly Duckling" with Storybook International - perhaps because of similar UPC codes? Beware of prices below $15, because you might get "The Ugly Duckling" instead of this - ask before buying. I paid under $30 for this set and got what I paid for--I'm pleased with my purchase.

Based on one episode, I think this set of folktales is an amazing value. My children are looking forward to seeing more episodes--and so am I!