Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić’s Fairy Tales: Croatian Stories Kids Will Love
Children around the world grow up listening to fairy tales that spark imagination and teach life lessons. In Croatia, storytelling is a cherished tradition, blending international classics with unique local legends. If you’re raising a child with an interest in Croatian language or culture, exploring these beloved tales can be a magical gateway.
International Favorites in Croatian Homes
Many Croatian children grow up listening to the classic fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, such as:
- Cinderella
- Hansel and Gretel
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Little Red Riding Hood
Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, like The Ugly Duckling and The Princess and the Pea, are also widely told and loved. These tales are often passed down by parents or read aloud at bedtime, making them a treasured part of childhood.
Croatia’s Most Famous Storyteller: Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić
When it comes to Croatian children’s literature, one name stands out: Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić. Known as “the Croatian Andersen,” her imaginative stories blend Slavic mythology with deep moral lessons. One of her most celebrated works is a collection titled “The Stories from Long Ago”, with the most beloved tale being Stribor’s Forest.
The Story of Stribor’s Forest
Stribor’s Forest tells the story of a kind but naïve man who finds a magical snake in the woods. The snake turns into a beautiful girl, and they marry—despite the man’s elderly mother’s suspicions. The snake-woman, who keeps her snake tongue, tries multiple times to get rid of the old mother through dangerous errands. Yet the mother survives each one with grace and resilience.
One day, a poor girl selling sticks helps the old mother, who sews her sleeve instead of paying with money. These simple sticks turn out to be enchanted—housing tiny spirits called Domaći, cheerful helpers who dance and brighten the mother’s heart.
The brightest spirit, Malik Tintilinić, hatches a plan to expose the snake-woman’s true identity. When magpie eggs hatch into baby birds, the snake-woman’s tongue betrays her in front of the entire village.
Even after this, the son chooses to believe his wife and banishes his mother. But when magic takes over and the forest calls them all, the truth finally unravels. The mother is offered a chance to erase her pain by starting life anew, forgetting her son. Yet she chooses sorrow over forgetting her love.
This selfless act breaks the spell—the snake turns back into a serpent, the son repents, and in the end, he marries the kind stick-seller. Malik visits every winter night, and they all live in peace.
More Stories by Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić
Besides her magical short stories, Brlić-Mažuranić is also known for her novel “The Brave Adventures of Hlapić the Shoemaker’s Apprentice”, which follows a kind-hearted young boy and his journeys through Croatia. The book teaches perseverance, kindness, and bravery in a way children can deeply relate to.
Bring These Stories to Life at Home
Reading Croatian stories with your child is a wonderful way to introduce the language and culture. Look for translations or original versions online, at libraries, or through educational platforms. Use props, puppets, or role-play to bring the characters to life. Ask your child to retell the stories in their own words—this helps build vocabulary, comprehension, and creativity.
You can also create simple crafts based on the stories or draw scenes from the tales together. Children love retelling stories using their own imagination, especially when the tales include magical creatures like talking animals or forest spirits.
Learn Croatian Through Stories with Dinolingo
If you’d like to dive deeper into the world of Croatian stories while also building language skills, Dinolingo offers a playful and structured way to do it. Their Croatian program for kids includes online lessons, songs, videos, games, and printable storybooks that support language learning in a fun and interactive way. Suitable for ages 2–14, Dinolingo works on all major platforms and even offers offline materials and a parent dashboard for easy tracking.