paroolOct 4, 2026, 01:00

Amsterdam’s ‘fairy tale’ The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats for sale again for a fiver: ‘Children love the local slang’

Designers De Ru and Serano have released a new run of their successful Amsterdam-dialect version of the fairy tale The Wolf and the Seven Kids. Despite the pair facing severe health battles with cancer in recent years, they have chosen to continue publishing their uniquely local and humor-filled adaptation of the classic story.

Graphic designers and spouses De Ru and Serano created an Amsterdam-dialect version of the classic fairy tale The Wolf and the Seven Kids eleven years ago. Their adaptation, titled De Wollef en de seve geitjes, features local cultural references like the Dappermarkt and uses the city's traditional Bargoens cant. The project, which started as a casual experiment, became a success with 25,000 copies sold and has garnered praise from literary figures for its humor and unconventional, gritty language that children particularly enjoy.

The couple, who operate their business independently, faced significant personal challenges after being diagnosed with cancer around the same time in 2019. Despite De Ru having an incurable brain tumor and Serano undergoing a lengthy treatment for breast cancer, they continued their creative work until health difficulties forced them to stop temporarily. Recently, they decided to return to the project by printing another 5,000 copies. While they remain uncertain about the future of their venture, the couple continues to distribute their books across Amsterdam, maintaining the unique spirit of their popular, localized storytelling.

Culture Amsterdam Netherlands

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Based on reporting by parool. Translated and condensed by LocalHeadlines.

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