Old Greek Stories

James Baldwin, a schoolteacher who wrote for the young readers of his day, retells the old Greek myths here in clear, unhurried language meant to be read aloud or read alone. He opens with Jupiter and the mighty gods of Olympus, then moves through the theft of fire by Prometheus, the opening of Pandora’s box, the labors and wanderings of heroes, and the fate of proud mortals who cross the immortals. Baldwin trims the harsher and stranger details of the originals, keeping the tales bright and easy to follow while holding on to their sense of wonder and their warnings about pride and courage. For generations it served children as a first doorway into classical mythology. Free PDF and EPUB editions are available to read and download.