World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls

World Stories Retold for Modern Boys and Girls is by William James Sly and offers one hundred and eighty-seven five-minute classic stories, with practical suggestions for telling. One story has a disobedient, runaway girl named Goldilocks who tastes Father Bear's, which was too hot, Mother Bear's, which was too cold, and Baby Bear's, which was just right. A story headed The Sleeping Beauty begins with a good King and Queen so happy to have a little baby girl that they gave a great feast in the palace, to which they invited seven beautiful Fairies.

A story headed The Swiss Patriot and the Spears says that many years ago, when an Austrian army was marching into Switzerland, Swiss peasants came down from the mountains with bows and arrows, scythes and pitchforks, sticks and clubs, to save their country. In one story the soldiers begin taking down their tents to go away, but the emperor says, "No, no! do not take down my tent, leave it standing!" The text says that if a child lacks imagination, fairy stories help to arouse it.