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Blue Beard

From The Blue Fairy Book, by Andrew Lang (after Charles Perrault)

This tale comes from The Blue Fairy Book (1889), a collection compiled by Andrew Lang, though the story itself was written by the French author Charles Perrault and first published in 1697. It reflects its era; a few period terms have been modernised. 'Blue Beard' is one of the earliest and most famous cautionary tales about curiosity, obedience, and predatory marriage. The repeating chant—'Sister Anne, do you see anyone coming?'—is one of the most memorable refrains in all fairy-tale literature. This story is worth a reader's time because it examines how a test of obedience can also be a trap, and because it asks what we owe to those who hold power over us.

Band

Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14

Length

long · about 1071 words in 5 sections · 2 pictures

Source

The Blue Fairy Book, Andrew Lang

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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