Storybook International

Storybook International (also known as Stories and Fables) is a British children's television series, produced for ITV by Harlech Productions, a part of HTV and written by Barry Levinson and Virginia Boston. The weekly, half-hour show was a collection of folk tales and fairy stories from all over the world, based on an anthology of stories for children published by Gollancz in 1981, edited by Veronica Kruger.
Filmed in such locales as Russia, Ireland and Scandinavia, the series' live-action playlets were based on stories which originated in England, Czechoslovakia, France, Romania, Turkey, Wales, Israel, Norway, China, Africa, India and elsewhere. A few of the stories were campfire legends derived from the Native Americans of New England and the Maori of New Zealand.
Broadcasting
First broadcast in 1981, it consisted of 65 episodes, aired as three separate seasons. Although its distribution was originally confined to Britain and Europe, Storybook International enjoyed extensive cable play in the USA, Scandinavia and the Middle East in subsequent decades. In 1984 they released Stories and Fables under Walt Disney Home Video. Fitfully released on VHS throughout the 1980s and 1990, the full series was finally made available on DVD in 2006.
Theme song
The show famously began with an animated title sequence with a troubadour singing the theme song, The Storyteller, accompanied by a friendly anthropomorphic fox. The original version was sung in a traditional English folk style, but subsequent international versions had different versions of the song. Notably the USA's version replaced the line "In England, I am John" with "In America, I'm John".
episodes
Clever Manka -Russia.
Moses and the lime kiln-Egypt.
Cap O'Rushes-Scotland.
the widdow's lazy daughter-Scotland.
The grief of Pi Kari-New Zealand
The pedlar's dream-England
The priest knows all-the netherlands
The foolish brother-Arabia
The emperor and the abbot-Ireland
The forbidden door-arabia
Sorrow-Russia
The straw hat-Germany.
The well at the world's end-Scotland
Riches or happiness-India.
Hinemoa-Native America
Nikorima-polynesia
The hired help-Russia.
The island of drums-Hawaii
Three bags of silver-France.
The foolish lad-Denmark.
Great heart-Native america.
The robber chief-Scotland.
The stubborn princess-Germany.
Secret soup-Sweden
The clever trapper-Germany.
The mysterious woodcutter-Taiwan.
The wise merchant-Arabia.
The twelve months-Russia.
Morwen of the woods-Wales.
The bar of gold-Ireland.
The little beggar-Arabia.
Lea-Israel.
The Russian and the tartar-Russia.
The miraculous doctor-Greece.
The great slayer
Myself-Ireland.
The three coins-Mexico.
The spoiled son-the Netherlands.
Simpleton Peter-Greece.
Basket of flowers-England.
The haunted pasture-England.
The blind beauty-the Phillipines.
The strange guest-Switzerland.
The princess who never laughed-Denmark.
The black cape-Spanish.
The ambitious tailor-France.
The woodcutter and the devil-Hungary.
The magic stone-Wales.
The squires bride-France.
The five loaves-Greece.
References
1981 British television series debuts
1986 British television series endings
British children's fantasy television series
ITV children's television shows
Television series by ITV Studios
Television shows produced by Harlech Television
English-language television shows