Small stories for childrens

20 Best Short Moral Stories for Kids (Valuable Lessons)

Want to expand your children’s vocabulary? Read to them. That’s all it takes — and there are other benefits to reading aloud to young children as well.

Reading to older children offers a great method to teach them life lessons in a way that they’ll understand. And it’s easier than ever to find these moral stories to read.

There is a large selection of short moral stories for kids online. They range from the classics like The Boy Who Cried Wolf, to somber ones talking about greed. To help you out, we’ve gathered a selection of the most 20 popular stories.

Table of Contents

• 20 Short Moral Stories For Kids
• How Moral Stories Benefit Children
• The Takeaway

20 Short Moral Stories For Kids

1. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

The Moral

Lying breaks trust — even if you’re telling the truth, no one believes a liar.

Once, there was a boy who became bored when he watched over the village sheep grazing on the hillside. To entertain himself, he sang out, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!”

When the villagers heard the cry, they came running up the hill to drive the wolf away. But, when they arrived, they saw no wolf. The boy was amused when seeing their angry faces.

“Don’t scream wolf, boy,” warned the villagers, “when there is no wolf!” They angrily went back down the hill.

Later, the shepherd boy cried out once again, “Wolf! Wolf! The wolf is chasing the sheep!” To his amusement, he looked on as the villagers came running up the hill to scare the wolf away.

As they saw there was no wolf, they said strictly, “Save your frightened cry for when there really is a wolf! Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there is no wolf!” But the boy grinned at their words while they walked grumbling down the hill once more.

Later, the boy saw a real wolf sneaking around his flock. Alarmed, he jumped on his feet and cried out as loud as he could, “Wolf! Wolf!” But the villagers thought he was fooling them again, and so they didn’t come to help.

At sunset, the villagers went looking for the boy who hadn’t returned with their sheep. When they went up the hill, they found him weeping.

“There really was a wolf here! The flock is gone! I cried out, ‘Wolf!’ but you didn’t come,” he wailed.

An old man went to comfort the boy. As he put his arm around him, he said, “Nobody believes a liar, even when he is telling the truth!”

2. The Golden Touch

The Moral

Greed will always lead to downfall.

There once was a king named Midas who did a good deed for a Satyr. And he was then granted a wish by Dionysus, the god of wine.

For his wish, Midas asked that whatever he touched would turn to gold. Despite Dionysus’ efforts to prevent it, Midas pleaded that this was a fantastic wish, and so, it was bestowed.

Excited about his newly-earned powers, Midas started touching all kinds of things, turning each item into pure gold.

But soon, Midas became hungry. As he picked up a piece of food, he found he couldn’t eat it. It had turned to gold in his hand.

Hungry, Midas groaned, “I’ll starve! Perhaps this was not such an excellent wish after all!”

Seeing his dismay, Midas’ beloved daughter threw her arms around him to comfort him, and she, too, turned to gold. “The golden touch is no blessing,” Midas cried.

3. The Fox and the Grapes

The Moral

Never despise what we can’t have; nothing comes easy.

One day, a fox became very hungry as he went to search for some food. He searched high and low, but couldn’t find something that he could eat.

Finally, as his stomach rumbled, he stumbled upon a farmer’s wall. At the top of the wall, he saw the biggest, juiciest grapes he’d ever seen. They had a rich, purple color, telling the fox they were ready to be eaten.

To reach the grapes, the fox had to jump high in the air. As he jumped, he opened his mouth to catch the grapes, but he missed. The fox tried again but missed yet again.

He tried a few more times but kept failing.

Finally, the fox decided it was time to give up and go home. While he walked away, he muttered, “I’m sure the grapes were sour anyway.”

4. The Proud Rose

The Moral

Never judge anyone by the way they look.

Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there was a rose who was so proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus.

Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, all while the cactus remained quiet. All the other plants nearby tried to make the rose see sense, but she was too swayed by her own looks.

One scorching summer, the desert became dry, and there was no water left for the plants. The rose quickly began to wilt. Her beautiful petals dried up, losing their lush color.

Looking to the cactus, she saw a sparrow dip his beak into the cactus to drink some water. Though ashamed, the rose asked the cactus if she could have some water. The kind cactus readily agreed, helping them both through the tough summer, as friends.

5. The Milkmaid and Her Pail

The Moral

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

One day, Molly the milkmaid had filled her pails with milk. Her job was to milk the cows, and then bring the milk to the market to sell. Molly loved to think about what to spend her money on.

As she filled the pails with milk and went to market, she again thought of all the things she wanted to buy. As she walked along the road, she thought of buying a cake and a basket full of fresh strawberries.

A little further down the road, she spotted a chicken. She thought, “With the money I get from today, I’m going to buy a chicken of my own. That chicken will lay eggs, then I will be able to sell milk and eggs and get more money!”

She continued, “With more money, I will be able to buy a fancy dress and make all the other milkmaids jealous.” Out of excitement, Molly started skipping, forgetting about the milk in her pails. Soon, the milk started spilling over the edges, covering Molly.

Drenched, Molly said to herself, “Oh no! I will never have enough money to buy a chicken now.” She went home with her empty pails.

“Oh, my goodness! What happened to you?” Molly’s mother asked.

“I was too busy dreaming about all the things I wanted to buy that I forgot about the pails,” she answered.

“Oh, Molly, my dear. How many times do I need to say, ‘Don’t count your chickens until they hatch?’”

6. A Wise Old Owl

The Moral

Be more observant. Talk less and listen more. This will make us wise.

There was an old owl who lived in an oak tree. Every day, he observed incidents that occurred around him.

Yesterday, he watched as a young boy helped an old man carry a heavy basket. Today, he saw a young girl shouting at her mother. The more he saw, the less he spoke.

As the days went on, he spoke less but heard more. The old owl heard people talking and telling stories.

He heard a woman saying an elephant jumped over a fence. He heard a man saying that he had never made a mistake.

The old owl had seen and heard what happened to people. There were some who became better, some who became worse. But the old owl in the tree had become wiser, each and every day.

7. The Golden Egg

The Moral

Never act before you think.

Once upon a time, a farmer had a goose that laid one golden egg every day. The egg provided enough money for the farmer and his wife to support their daily needs. The farmer and his wife continued to be happy for a long time.

But, one day, the farmer thought to himself, “Why should we take just one egg a day? Why can’t we take them all at once and make a lot of money?” The farmer told his wife his idea, and she foolishly agreed.

Then, the next day, as the goose laid its golden egg, the farmer was quick with a sharp knife. He killed the goose and cut its stomach open, in the hopes of finding all its golden eggs. But, as he opened the stomach, the only thing he found was guts and blood.

The farmer quickly realized his foolish mistake and proceeded to cry over his lost resource. As the days went on, the farmer and his wife became poorer and poorer. How jinxed and how foolish they were.

8. The Farmer and the Well

The Moral

Cheating will not get you anything. If you cheat, you’ll pay soon enough.

One day, a farmer was looking for a water source for his farm, when he bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor, however, was cunning. The next day, as the farmer came to draw water from his well, the neighbor refused to let him take any water.

When the farmer asked why, the neighbor replied, “I sold you the well, not the water,” and walked away. Distraught, the farmer went to the emperor to ask for justice. He explained what had happened.

The emperor called on Birbal, one of his nine, and wisest, courtiers. Birbal proceeded to question the neighbor, “Why don’t you let the farmer take water from the well? You did sell the well to the farmer?”

The neighbor replied, “Birbal, I did sell the well to the farmer but not the water within it. He has no right to draw water from the well.”

Birbal said, “Look, since you sold the well, you have no right to keep the water in the farmer’s well. Either you pay rent to the farmer, or take it out immediately.” Realizing that his scheme had failed, the neighbor apologized and went home.

9. Elephant and Friends

The Moral

Friends come in every shape and size.

A lone elephant walked through the forest, looking for friends. She soon saw a monkey and proceeded to ask, ‘Can we be friends, monkey?’

The monkey quickly replied, ‘You are big and can’t swing on trees like I do, so I cannot be your friend.’

Defeated, the elephant continued to search when it stumbled across a rabbit. She proceeded to ask him, ‘Can we be friends, rabbit?’

The rabbit looked at the elephant and replied, “You are too big to fit inside my burrow. You cannot be my friend.”

Then, the elephant continued until she met a frog. She asked, “Will you be my friend, frog?”

The frog replied, “You are too big and heavy; you cannot jump like me. I am sorry, but you can’t be my friend.”

The elephant continued to ask the animals she met on her way, but always received the same reply. The following day, the elephant saw all the forest animals run in fear. She stopped a bear to ask what was happening and was told the tiger was attacking all the small animals.

The elephant wanted to save the other animals, so she went to the tiger and said, “Please, sir, leave my friends alone. Do not eat them.”

The tiger didn’t listen. He merely told the elephant to mind her own business.

Seeing no other way, the elephant kicked the tiger and scared him away. Upon hearing of the brave tale, the other animals agreed, “You are just the right size to be our friend.”

10. When Adversity Knocks

The Moral

We can choose how to respond in difficult situations.

Asha was getting frustrated and tired of life, so she asked her father what to do. Her father told her to bring an egg, two tea leaves, and a potato. He then brought out three vessels, filled them with water, and placed them on the stove.

Once the water was boiling, he told Asha to place the items into each pot and keep an eye on them. After 10 minutes, he asked Asha to peel the egg, peel the potato, and strain the leaves. Asha was left confused.

Her father explained, “Each item was placed into the same circumstance, boiling water. See how each responded differently?”

He continued, “The egg was soft, but is now hard. The potato was hard, but is now soft. And the tea leaves, they changed the water itself.”

The father then asked, “When adversity calls, we respond in the same manner as they have. Now, are you an egg, a potato, or tea leaves?”

11. The Needle Tree

The Moral

It’s important to be kind, as it will always be rewarded.

Once, there were two brothers who lived at the forest’s edge. The oldest brother was always unkind to his younger brother. The older brother took all the food and snatched all the good clothes.

The oldest brother used to go into the forest in search of firewood to sell in the market. As he walked through the forest, he chopped off the branches of every tree, until he came upon a magical tree.

The tree stopped him before he chopped its branches and said, ‘Oh, kind sir, please spare my branches. If you spare me, I will provide you with golden apples.’

The oldest brother agreed but was feeling disappointed with how many apples the tree gave him.

Overcome by greed, the brother threatened to cut the entire tree if it didn’t provide him with more apples. But, instead of giving more apples, the tree showered him with hundreds of tiny needles. The brother fell to the ground, crying in pain as the sun began to set.

Soon, the younger brother became worried and went to search for his older brother. He searched until he found him at the trunk of the tree, lying in pain with hundreds of needles on his body.

He rushed to him and started to painstakingly remove each needle with love. Once the needles were out, the oldest brother apologized for treating his younger brother so badly. The magical tree saw the change in the older brother’s heart and gifted them with all the golden apples they could need.

12. A Glass of Milk

The Moral

No good deed goes unrewarded.

There once was a poor boy who spent his days going door-to-door selling newspapers to pay for school. One day, as he was walking his route, he started feeling low and weak. The poor boy was starving, so he decided to ask for food when he came to the next door.

The poor boy asked for food but was denied every time, until he reached the door of a girl. He asked for a glass of water, but seeing his poor state, the girl came back with a glass of milk. The boy asked how much he owed her for the milk, but she refused payment.

Years later, the girl, who was now a grown woman, fell sick. She went from doctor to doctor, but no one was able to cure her. Finally, she went to the best doctor in town.

The doctor spent months treating her until she was finally cured. Despite her happiness, she was afraid she couldn’t afford to pay the bill. But, when the hospital handed her the bill, it read, ‘Paid in full, with a glass of milk.’

13. The Ants and the Grasshopper

The Moral

There’s a time for work and a time for play.

One bright autumn day, a family of ants was busy working in the warm sunshine. They were drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer when a starving grasshopper came up. With his fiddle under his arm, the grasshopper humbly begged for a bite to eat.

“What!” cried the ants, “Haven’t you stored any food away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all summer?”

“I didn’t have time to store any food before winter,” the grasshopper whined. “I was too busy making music that the summer flew by.”

The ants simply shrugged their shoulders and said, “Making music, were you? Very well, now dance!” The ants then turned their backs on the grasshopper and returned to work.

14. The Bundle of Sticks

The Moral

There’s strength in unity.

Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived in a village with his three sons. Although his three sons were hard workers, they quarreled all the time. The old man tried to unite them but failed.

Months passed by, and the old man became sick. He asked his sons to remain united, but they failed to listen to him. At that moment, the old man decided to teach them a lesson — to forget their differences and come together in unity.

The old man summoned his sons, then proceeded to tell them, “I will provide you with a bundle of sticks. Separate each stick, and then break each into two. The one who finishes first will be rewarded more than the others.”

And so, the sons agreed. The old man provided them with a bundle of ten sticks each, and then asked the sons to break each stick into pieces. The sons broke the sticks within minutes, then proceeded to quarrel among themselves again.

The old man said, “My dear sons, the game is not yet over. I will now give you another bundle of sticks. Only this time, you will have to break them together as a bundle, not separately.”

The sons readily agreed and then tried to break the bundle. Despite trying their best, they could not break the sticks. The sons told their father of their failure.

The old man said, “My dear sons, see! Breaking every single stick individually was easy for you, but breaking them in a bundle, you could not do. By staying united, nobody can harm you. If you continue to quarrel, then anyone can quickly defeat you.”

The old man continued, “I ask that you stay united.” Then, the three sons understood there’s power in unity, and promised their father they would all stay together.

15. The Bear and the Two Friends

The Moral

A true friend will always support and stand by you in any situation.

One day, two friends were walking through the forest. They knew the forest was a dangerous place and that anything could happen. So, they promised to remain close to each other in case of any danger.

All of a sudden, a big bear was approaching them. One of the friends quickly climbed a nearby tree, leaving the other friend behind.

The other friend did not know how to climb, and instead, followed common sense. He laid down on the ground and remained there, breathless, pretending to be dead.

The bear approached the friend lying on the ground. The animal started to smell his ear before slowly wandering off again because bears never touch those who are dead.

Soon, the friend who hid in the tree came down. He asked his friend, “My dear friend, what secret did the bear whisper to you?” The friend replied, “The bear simply advised me never to believe a false friend.”

16. The Miser and His Gold

The Moral

A possession is as important as what it’s used for.

There once was an old miser who lived in a house with a garden. The old miser used to hide all his gold coins under stones in his garden.

Every night, before he went to bed, the miser went out into his garden to count his coins. He continued the same routine every day, but he never spent a single, golden coin.

One day, a thief saw the old miser hiding his coins. Once the old miser went back into his house, the thief went to the hiding place and took all the gold.

The following day, as the old man came out to count his coins, he found it was gone and started wailing loudly. His neighbor heard the cries and came running, asking what had happened. Upon learning what had occurred, the neighbor asked, “Why didn’t you just save the money inside your house where it would’ve been safe?”

The neighbor continued, “Having it inside the house would make it easier to access when you need to buy something.” “Buy something?” answered the miser, “I was never going to spend my gold.”

When hearing this, the neighbor picked up a stone and threw it. Then, he said, “If that’s the case, then save the stone. It’s as worthless as the gold you’ve lost. ”

17. The Dog At the Well

The Moral

Always listen to what elders say and don’t defy them.

A mother dog and her pups lived on a farm. On the farm, there was a well. The mother dog always told her pups never to go near or play around it.

One day, one of the pups was overcome by curiosity and wondered why they weren’t allowed to go near the well. So, he decided he wanted to explore it.

He went down to the well and climbed up the wall to peek inside. In the well, he saw his reflection in the water but thought it was another dog. The little pup got angry when his reflection was imitating him, so he decided to fight it.

The little pup jumped into the well, only to find there was no dog. He began to bark and bark until the farmer came to rescue him. The pup had learned his lesson and never went back to the well again.

18. Controlling Anger

The Moral

Anger is like a knife — one of the most dangerous weapons. When you use it, the wounds will heal, but the scars remain.

Once, there was a young boy. This boy had problems controlling his anger. When he got angry, he would say the first thing that came to mind, even if it affected people.

One day, his father gifted him a hammer and a bundle of nails, then said, “Whenever you get mad, hammer a nail into the backyard fence.”

In the first days, the boy used up half of the nails. Over the next weeks, he used up fewer nails, until his temper was under control. Then, his father asked the young boy to remove a nail for each day he didn’t lose his temper.

On the day when the boy removed his last nail, his father told him, “You have done good, boy. But, can you see the holes in the wall? The fence is never going to be the same. Likewise, when you say mean things in anger, you’ll leave a scar.”

19. The Leap at Rhodes

The Moral

It’s the deeds that count, not the boasting words.

Once, there was a man who visited foreign lands. When he returned, all he could talk about was the wonderful adventures he had and the great deeds he had done.

One of the feats he told was about a leap he made in a city called Rhodes.

“The leap was so great,” the man said. “No other man can make such a leap. Many persons in Rhodes saw me and can prove I am telling the truth.”

“No need for witnesses,” said one who was listening. “Suppose that this city is Rhodes, now show how far you can jump.”

20. The Wolf and the Sheep

The Moral

A person’s ulterior motives are easy to spot if someone is paying attention.

A wolf had gotten seriously hurt during a fight with a bear. He wasn’t able to move, and so, could not satisfy his thirst or hunger.

One day, a sheep passed by his hiding place, and so the wolf decided to call out to him. “Please fetch me some water,” said the wolf. “That might give me some strength to get some solid food.”

“Solid food!” the sheep said. “I suppose that means me. If I brought you something to drink, it would merely be to wash me down. Don’t speak to me about fetching a drink.”

How Moral Stories Benefit Children

Moral stories offer several benefits for children of all ages. They work to engage your child’s imagination, are entertaining, and can make your little one smile. Short moral stories work well at getting your child’s attention, keeping them focused during the length of the story.

However, the best moral stories will also teach a truth to your child. Children, especially younger ones, love repetition, and with moral stories, that’s the whole point. The more you read the same moral stories, the more your child will familiarize with the story and the moral lesson ⁽¹⁾.

Reading Tip

When you read the story, remember to discuss the situations and events that occur, if your child is old enough. This is an excellent teachable moment, as well as providing an opportunity for bonding ⁽²⁾.

The Takeaway

Short moral stories for kids are fantastic for teaching valuable life lessons in a fun way children can understand. Short stories work well as they’re just long enough for your child to concentrate.

There’s a large selection of great stories online, and here you have 20 examples to get you started. When reading the story, try to discuss the content afterward with your child.

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10 Lines Short Stories With Moral Lessons for Kids

Published February 4, 2021

When trying to impart an important moral lesson to kids, short stories are often the go-to for most parents. It not only tickles their imagination, but it also teaches them about life.

Short stories have a way of teaching lessons that makes them more relatable and interesting. Rather than just telling your kid not to lie, relating a short story about it helps them understand what happens when they lie. It helps them become more aware of their actions and their consequences. The moral lessons from these stories also help shape their character and moral compass as they grow old.

Here are 10 short stories with moral lessons that your kids (and even some adults) will learn a thing or two from:

There was once a hare who was friends with a tortoise. One day, he challenged the tortoise to a race. Seeing how slow the tortoise was going, the hare thought he’ll win this easily. So he took a nap while the tortoise kept on going. When the hare woke up, he saw that the tortoise was already at the finish line. Much to his chagrin, the tortoise won the race while he was busy sleeping.

Moral of the story:

There are actually a couple of moral lessons we can learn from this story. The hare teaches that overconfidence can sometimes ruin you. While the tortoise teaches us about the power of perseverance. Even if all the odds are stacked against you, never give up. Sometimes life is not about who’s the fastest or the strongest, it’s about who is the most consistent.

Once there was a dog who wandered the streets night and day in search of food. One day, he found a big juicy bone and he immediately grabbed it between his mouth and took it home. On his way home, he crossed a river and saw another dog who also had a bone in its mouth. He wanted that bone for himself too. But as he opened his mouth, the bone he was biting fell into the river and sank. That night, he went home hungry.

Moral of the story:

If we always envy what others have, we’ll end up losing what we already have, just like the greedy dog.

After flying a long distance, a thirsty crow was wandering the forest in search of water. Finally, he saw a pot half-filled with water. He tried to drink from it but his beak wasn’t long enough to reach the water inside. He then saw pebbles on the ground and one by one, he put them in the pot until the water rose to the brim. The crow then hastily drank from it and quenched his thirst.

Moral of the story:

If there’s a will, there’s a way. Every problem has a solution if we just look hard enough and don’t give up.

There was a boy named John who was so lazy, he couldn’t even bother to change his clothes. One day, he saw that the apple tree in their yard was full of fruits. He wanted to eat some apples but he was too lazy to climb the tree and take the fruits. So he lay down underneath the tree and waited for the fruits to fall off. John waited and waited until he was very hungry but the apples never fell.

Moral of the story:

Laziness can get you nowhere. If you want something, you need to work hard for it.

Once there was a hungry fox who stumbled upon a vineyard. After seeing the round, juicy grapes hanging in a bunch, the fox drooled. But no matter how high he jumped, he couldn’t reach for it. So he told himself that it was probably sour and left. That night, he had to sleep on an empty stomach.

Moral of the Story:

Most of us have the tendency to act like the fox. When we want something but think it’s too hard to attain, we make up excuses. We tell ourselves that it’s probably not that great instead of working hard for it.

The ant and the grasshopper were good friends. In the summer, the ant works hard to fill his storage with food. While the grasshopper was enjoying the fine weather and playing all day. When winter came, the ant was lying cozily in his home surrounded by the food he stored during the summer. While the grasshopper was in his home, hungry and freezing. He asked the ant for food and the ant gave him some. But it wasn’t enough to last the entire winter. When he tried to ask the ant again, the latter replied: “I’m sorry my friend but my food is just enough for my family to last until the end of winter. If I give you more, we too will starve. We had the entire summer to prepare for the winter but you chose to play instead.”

Moral of the story:

Winter, in this story, represents a time in our life where food and resources are scarce. While summer is that time where everything is abundant. So if you have a lot right now, save some of it for the winter.

There was once a shepherd boy who liked to play tricks. One day, while he was watching over the herd, the boy decided to play a trick and cried “wolf! wolf!”. The people who heard rushed over to help him. But they were disappointed when they saw that there was no wolf and the boy was laughing at them. The next day, he did it again and people rushed to his aid only to be disappointed once again. On the third day, the boy saw a wolf devouring one of his sheep and cried for help. But the people who heard him thought this is just another of the boy’s pranks so no one came to help him. That day, the boy lost some of his sheep to the wolf.

Moral of the story:

If you always lie and cheat on other people, there will come a time when no one will believe you anymore.

Most of us have probably heard of this story as this is one of the most popular fairy tales in the world. The story revolves around a duckling who from the moment of his birth has always felt different from his siblings. He was always picked on because he didn’t look like the rest of them. One day, he had enough and ran away from the pond he grew up in. He wandered near and far looking for a family who would accept him. Months passed and seasons changed but everywhere he went, nobody wanted him because he was such an ugly duck. Then one day, he came upon a family of swans. Upon looking at them, he realized that during the months he spent looking for a family to call his own, he had grown into a beautiful swan. Now he finally understood why he never looked like the rest of his siblings because he isn’t a duck but a swan.

Moral of the story:

We shouldn’t be too quick to judge others based on their physical appearance. Just because someone doesn’t fit societal definitions of beauty doesn’t mean they’re ugly. Each of us is beautiful in our own unique way and it’s time we accept and celebrate that individuality.

There was once a slave who was treated cruelly by his master. One day, he couldn’t take it anymore and ran away to the forest to escape. There he chanced upon a lion who couldn’t walk because of the thorn in its paw. Although he’s scared, the slave mustered his courage and took out the thorn in the lion’s paw. When the lion was finally free of the thorn, he ran into the forest and didn’t harm the slave. Sometime later, the slave was caught by his master along with some animals in the forest. The master then ordered the slave to be thrown into the lion’s den. When the slave saw the lion, he recognized it as the same lion he helped in the forest. The slave was able to escape the den unharmed and he freed all the other animals.

Moral of the story:

The good you did will always have a way of coming back to you. So do good deeds and be kind to others and the world will be kind to you.

There was once a proud elephant who always bullied smaller animals. He would go to the anthill near his home and spray water at the ants. The ants, with their size, could do nothing but cry. The elephant just laughed and threatened the ants that he would crush them to death. One day, the ants had enough and decided to teach the elephant a lesson. They went straight into the elephant’s trunk and started biting him. The elephant could only howl in pain. He realized his mistake and apologized to the ants and all the animals he bullied.

Moral of the story:

Be humble and treat everyone with kindness. If you think you’re stronger than others, then use your strength to protect them instead of harming them.

Short stories for children - read online with pictures.

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An instructive story about shame, about not taking other people's things, about the fact that a misdemeanor will be punished. Read the story about Lyola and Minka, who ate sweets from the New Year tree and opened the presents… Read the tree…

An instructive story about the blacksmith's son Vasya. The boy was very fond of riding a cart drawn by his father's horse. The blacksmith did not approve of this. Once Vasya took a cart and went to the forest. A branch got into the wheel and started whipping the boy…

A story about the boy Bobka, who had wonderful khaki pants. Climbing over the fence, the boy tore his pants, and his mother got angry and did not sew them up. Bobka decided to put the patch himself... The story Patch to read U...

Once Deniska and Mishka played hockey and were late for the lessons. They came up with a good reason, but never agreed. As a result, the deceit came out. A fire in an outhouse or a feat in the ice read We…

Pyotr Terentyev, preparing to go to war, received from his son a beetle, which he found in the garden, as a gift. Peter put him in a box, fed him and let him fly. The beetle went through the whole war with the soldier. Adventures of a rhinoceros beetle…

This story is about a four-year-old boy, Petya. Mom took great care of him, fed him with a spoon and dressed him. One morning, mother put Petya on his feet from the bed, and he fell. Mom was terribly scared and even called ...

A funny story about how two friends dreamed of driving a car. Once a car drove into the yard and the boys began to find out what brand it was. And then Mishka sat on the bumper and offered to ride it... Story...

Dragunsky's humorous story about two friends, Denisk and Pavel, who met on the last day of summer. The boys ate watermelon and talked about how they spent their holidays. And then Pavel began to brag that he had been studying English all summer. Deniska…

A story about Mishenka, to whom his mother promised a lollipop for his good behavior. While mom was not at home, the boy climbed into the sideboard, found a lollipop in the sugar bowl and began to suck it. After eating all the candy, he decided to put the sugar bowl on ...

A story about two brothers who came to Moscow with their mother to visit their aunt. When the adults left home, the boys also decided to see the city and ride the subway. Yes, but the brothers are underground...

A story about Lyola and Minka, who were visited by their grandmother. Grandma brought cakes. But Lele wanted something else and she asked her grandmother about it. The grandmother was angry with the girl, depriving her of a gift - new coins. They are all…

The Four Wishes tells about the delights of all seasons. The boy Mitya did not want winter to end, then he really liked spring, then summer ... And all because every season is beautiful in its own way! Four desires to read Mitya ...

A short story about how dad taught Mitya to be neat. The boy quickly planed the stick and it turned out not very smoothly. Papa said that the knife was in a hurry and he had to be taught patience. A hurried knife read Mitya planed his stick, planed it...

A story about a boy, Alik, who was very afraid of policemen. Once Alik got lost, a policeman approached him, but the boy started to run. Then he was caught, but he still did not want to talk to the law enforcement officer ... The story of the Policeman read More ...

A story about a girl Tanya, who herself grew currants from cuttings. To do this, she had to work hard: pull out the mugs, dig up the sod, plant cuttings and take care of them. But the work was not in vain. Already next year…

This section of our site contains short stories by Russian writers for children of all ages.
Small works are more easily perceived by young readers. The child can listen to short stories to the end with pleasure. A little later, he himself will begin to read these small masterpieces of literature. nine0043 Parents often do not have enough time to read long stories. For example, before going to bed or on the road. In these cases, our selection of short stories will be very useful to you.
In addition, short stories will help the child learn to retell texts:
— Before reading the story, explain to the child the meaning of all incomprehensible words and situations;
- After reading a short story, ask questions to find out the degree of understanding of the text. If the child is not ready to retell the text in full, then you can start with a partial retelling. For example, you tell the text, and the child completes individual words or sentences. nine0043 - Then ask them to retell the text on their own. If difficulties arise, then your tips and leading questions will help to master the retelling!
- You can tell the text in turn. So you teach your child not only to talk, but also to listen carefully.

If you find an error in the site, please, write to us

• Chanterelle

  Altai fairy tale

  Once an old man and an old woman went for brushwood and met a chanterelle there. She tells them: “To the one who has no son, I will be a son, to the one who does not have a daughter, I will be a daughter.” They had no children and ...

• Maka-Maatyr and six-eyed Karagys

  Altai fairy tale

  There was an old man Ak-Kaan, he had his own people, livestock, wife, but no children. Once an old woman sent an old man to the shaman Dyelvis with seven tambourines to find out if there is a soul-kut of our child somewhere? The old man went to the shaman…

• Red dog

  Altai fairy tale

  There was an old man Yolengmir. He had three daughters. Once he went for firewood. He cut down a tree, and it turned out to be a hollow. A red dog jumped out of the hollow and began to bite the old man. And then the dog asks: “Will you give for me ...

• Kaichi-Mergen

  Altai fairy tale

  Once a hunter Kaichi-Mergen was looking for his horse and saw a strong fire in a hollow. While extinguishing, I suddenly saw a black snake in a burning bush. The man took a long bough and held it out, the snake immediately wrapped itself around. He, be careful ...

• Geese in the polynya

  Astafiev V.P.

  A story about how a goose and her goslings got into a polynya on the Yenisei. The hero of the story and his friends saved the geese from death, they risked themselves. "Geese in the polynya" read Freezing on the Yenisei comes gradually. First…

• Smell of hay

  Astafiev V. P.

  Two boys, cousins, are eager to help their grandfather and uncle bring hay from distant mowing. However, they are not taken with them, the road is hard, the work is difficult. But in the evening, when the hay is already in the yard, the guys are eager and ...

• Autumn sorrows and joys

  Astafiev V.P.

  Autumn is a hot time. It is necessary to collect and prepare the entire crop. A story about how a large amount of cabbage is salted for the winter in one of the Siberian villages. It is in some way a mystical and interesting ritual and process…. nine0003

• Photo without me

  Astafiev V.P.

  A story about true friendship, sincere love for the native land and shows what a real teacher should be like. It is important to remember those who were with you as a child. These people can be an important part of your life. And together…

• Russian women

  Nekrasov N. A.

  I. Princess Trubetskaya (1826) Part one Calm, strong and light A wonderfully coordinated carriage; The count-father himself more than once, not twice, tried him first. Six horses were harnessed to it, a lantern was lit inside it. The count himself straightened the pillows, He laid the bear's cavity at his feet, While praying, hung up the icon ...

• Tam Glen

  Burns R.

  Ah, aunt, I ask for advice! With such a young man, I don’t have to be afraid of the fate of change. I’ll be glad of poverty, - If only I would be with me ...

• Lines about war and love give yours in that life-creating battle that we call love. I glorify the triumph of the world, Contentment and prosperity. It is more pleasant to create one Than to destroy a dozen! nine0003
• What's a girl to do

  Burns R.

  What's a girl to do? What shall I do, little girl? How shall I, little girl, live with my hubby? He is grouchy and sick, always dissatisfied. There is cold in his chest, ice in his hands. He grunts, ...

• 1 - Little Red Riding Hood

  Charles Perrault

  A short tale about a trusting girl and a cunning gray wolf. Disobeying her mother, the girl turns off the road and talks to a stranger - a gray wolf ... "Little Red Riding Hood" read Once upon a time there was a little girl. Her mother loved her without memory, and her grandmother ...

• 2 - Three little pigs

  Mikhalkov S.

  A fairy tale about three little pigs who built houses for themselves. One brother built a house out of straw, another out of twigs and twigs, and a third out of bricks. "Three Little Pigs" read Once upon a time there were three little pigs in the world. Three brothers. All…

• 3 - Kolobok

  Russian folk tale

  The tale about Kolobok is found in Russian and Ukrainian folklore, and also has analogues in the tales of many other peoples. Our site presents a version of a folk tale in the processing of A.N. Tolstoy. "Kolobok" read Once upon a time there was an old man with an old woman. Here ...

• 4 - Turnip

  Russian folk tale

  Turnip is a famous fairy tale for the little ones with a lot of repetitions. The child quickly remembers the sequence of presentation and a simple plot. "Turnip" read Grandfather planted a turnip and says: - Grow a turnip, sweet, sweet! Grow big, big! A turnip has grown, sweet and big, big….

• 5 - Wolf and seven kids

  Russian folk tale

  The tale tells about an evil wolf who changed his voice, made his way into the goat's house and ate little kids. But the mother goat will be able to save her children and get rid of the wolf. "The Wolf and the Seven Kids" read Once upon a time there was a goat with kids .... nine0003

• 6 - The Tale of Tsar Saltan

  Pushkin A. S.

  The tale of Tsar Saltan, of his son, the glorious and mighty hero Prince Gvidon Saltanovich, and of the beautiful Swan Princess was created on the basis of the folk tale "Wonderful Sons". Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin enriched the folk work with new plot twists,…

• 7 - Bremen Town Musicians

  Entin Yu.S. and Livanov V.B.

  The story of the animals and the young Troubadour who went to the city of Bremen to become street musicians. In the city they stopped in front of the royal castle. The king and princess came out onto the balcony of the palace, the townspeople ran to the square and it began ...

• 8 - The Snow Queen

  Hans Christian Andersen

  The Snow Queen is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most famous fairy tales about love that can overcome any trial and melt even an icy heart! "The Snow Queen" read The first story, which tells about the mirror and its ...

  A fairy tale about a girl Zhenya, who was presented with a magic seven-flower flower. It had seven petals and could grant any seven wishes. Zhenya spent the first six wishes, but did not receive any pleasure and only made her last wish ...

• 10 - Three Bears

  Russian folk tale

  Three Bears is a fairy tale about a girl who got lost in the forest and ended up in the bears' house. There she behaved very rudely: without permission she ate from every cup, sat on every chair, lay in every bed, ...

• 11 - The Wizard of the Emerald City

  A.M.

  "The Wizard of the Emerald City" - a fairy tale story by Alexander Volkov written in 1939 based on the fairy tale "The Wise Man of Oz" by American writer Frank Baum with some changes. At 19In 1959, a new edition of the book was published, significantly revised ...

• 12 - Geese-swans

  Russian folk tale

  Geese-swans - a fairy tale about how a boy was carried away by geese-swans and his sister went to look for him. The stove, apple tree and river helped the girl save her brother. Read the fairy tale in the processing of A.N. Tolstoy. "Geese-swans" read There lived a man and a woman. At…

• 13 - Winnie the Pooh and all-all-all

  Alan Milne

  A cheerful and beloved fairy tale about Winnie the Pooh does not obey the laws of the fairy-tale genre. The tale is devoid of negative characters, the struggle between good and evil forces. The main characters of the tale are the toys of the boy Christopher, with whom funny situations happen in a magical ...

• 14 - The Frog Princess

  Russian folk tale

  The Frog Princess is a Russian folk tale where the main character, Ivan Tsarevich, married a frog by the will of fate. Ivan had no idea that his wife was Vasilisa the Wise, turned by Koshchei into a frog. Ivan hurried, burned the frog skin and had to…

• 15 - The Fox and the Crane

  Russian folk tale

  The Fox and the Crane is a fairy tale about friendship between a cunning fox and a clever crane. The crane could not eat the semolina porridge, which the Fox smeared on a plate. He invited her to his place and treated her to a delicious okroshka, which he put ...

• 16 - Masha and the Bear

  Russian folk tale

  Masha and the Bear is a fairy tale about a girl who got lost in the forest and ended up in a bear's hut. The bear did not let Mashenka go home, however, the girl came up with a way to return to her grandparents. "Masha and ...

• 17 - The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish

  Pushkin A.S.

  The tale of a poor fisherman who caught a golden fish in his net. The old man took pity on the fish, released it into the sea. For this, the fish promised to fulfill his every wish. The old man didn’t ask for anything, but when he returned home, he told about…

• 18 - Hen Ryaba

  Russian folk tale

  Hen Ryaba is the first fairy tale-parable that mothers read to their babies. Children quickly grasp a simple plot and remember it by heart. Hen Ryaba read Once upon a time there was a grandfather and a woman. And they had a Ryaba Hen. The hen laid an egg, yes…

• 19 - Thumbelina

  Hans Christian Andersen

  The fairy tale about Thumbelina is loved by children all over the world. A tiny girl born from a flower goes through many trials on the way to her happiness. Fate rewards Thumbelina for her kind heart. The swallow she rescued earlier endures...

• 20 - The Little Mermaid

  Hans Christian Andersen

  A touching tale of the Little Mermaid's strong love for the prince. The little mermaid is ready to give up everything that is dear to her for the sake of the human soul and the love of the prince ... The fairy tale formed the basis of the plots of many films, cartoons and musicals. The Little Mermaid read In the open…

• 21 - Puss in Boots

  Charles Perrault

  The tale of an unusual cat, which was inherited by the younger brother from the miller's father. The young man was not very happy at first with his share of the inheritance, but the cunning and intelligent cat made him the richest man and son-in-law of the king ... The cat in ...

• 22 - Sleeping Beauty

  Charles Perrault

  A fairy tale about a beautiful princess who was cursed by an offended fairy at a celebration in honor of her birth. The old fairy predicted the girl's death from a spindle prick, but the good fairy was able to commute the sentence. The girl did not die, but fell asleep on…

• 23 - Porridge from an ax

  Russian folk tale

  Porridge from an ax is a small fairy tale about a witty soldier. The greedy old woman did not want to feed the soldier, but he outwitted her and got porridge with butter ... Read porridge from an ax The old soldier went on a visit. Tired in…

• 24 - The ugly duckling

  Hans Christian Andersen

  A fairy tale about the miraculous transformation of an ugly duckling into a beautiful swan. The duckling was born unlike his brothers, the inhabitants of the poultry yard disliked him for his dissimilarity to the others. The duckling had to leave the house and go through many trials before he…

• 25 - The Princess and the Pea

  Hans Christian Andersen

  A short story about how the prince wanted to marry a real princess. One day, a girl knocked on the gate, who was soaked to the skin, but assured that she was a real princess. She was allowed to sleep, and the old queen gave her a check……

• 26 - Crocodile Gena and his friends

  Uspensky E.N.

  Tale about a lonely crocodile Gena. Coming home from work from the zoo, he was left alone and bored. Crocodile Gena decided to make friends with someone. He wrote an announcement that he was looking for friends, hung them around the city and ...

• 27 - Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka

  Russian folk tale

  Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka is a fairy tale about how the younger brother disobeyed his sister, got drunk from a hoof and turning into a goat. .. Sister Alyonushka and brother Ivanushka read Once upon a time there was an old man and an old woman, they had...

• 28 - The bean seed

  Russian folk tale

  The cockerel and the bean seed is a Russian folk tale about a rooster who was always in a hurry when pecking at the seeds. The hen warned him all the time and asked him to peck more slowly. One day he choked on a bean seed and fell down. But the chicken…

• 29 - Fear has big eyes

  Russian folk tale

  Fear has big eyes — a short fairy tale about the fact that from fear you can see what was not really… (from the collection of M.M. Serova) fear eyes are great to read Once upon a time there was an old grandmother, a granddaughter-laughter, a hen-klokhtushka and a mouse-leaf. Each…

• 30 - Teremok

  Russian folk audio fairy tale

  Teremok is a short fairy tale for kids about a house that sheltered many animals. However, the tower could not accommodate a huge bear and broke.

• 31 - Sivka Burka

  Russian folk tale

  Sivka-Burka is a fairy tale about the adventures of Ivan the Fool and his gallant horse. Sivka Burka read The old man had three sons: two smart ones, and the third Ivanushka the Fool; day and night the fool is lying on the stove. The old man sowed wheat, and it grew ...

• 32 - Twelve months

  Samuil Marshak

  Do you know how many months there are in a year? - Twelve. And what are their names? — January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. As soon as one month ends, another immediately begins. And…

• 33 - Baba Yaga

  Russian folk tale

  A fairy tale about a girl who was able to get out of the clutches of Baba Yaga, thanks to the advice of her own aunt and a kind cat… Baba Yaga read Once upon a time there was a husband and wife, and they had a daughter. The wife fell ill and died. Grieved, grieved ...

• 34 - The tale of the priest and his worker Balda

  Pushkin A.S.

  The tale of the stingy priest and resourceful worker Balda. Somehow Balda was hired for the service for three clicks on the forehead of the priest. When the time of reckoning was approaching, the priest decided to give Balda an impossible task in order to get rid of him. But Balda…

• 35 - Little Humpbacked Horse

  Ershov P.

  There was an old man in a village who had three sons. They grew wheat and sold it in the market. But then someone got into the habit of trampling wheat in the field at night ... Part one. The fairy tale begins to affect ... For ...

• 36 - Alice in Wonderland

  Carroll L.

  A fascinating story about a girl Alice, who met a talking White Rabbit and ended up in amazing worlds where she met very unusual characters . .. Chapter 1. Down the rabbit hole Alice got bored of sitting with her sister idle on the shore…

• 37 - The Little Prince

  Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

  A fairy tale about how a pilot, who remained a child at heart, met the Little Prince in the desert, who arrived from another planet. Dedication I ask the children to forgive me for dedicating this book to an adult. I’ll justify it: this one…

Vitaliy Bianchi's story, read online

Vitaliy Bianchi

Musician - Vitaliy Bianchi's instructive story for children. The author tells about an old bear cub who really wanted to become a musician, for this he even played the violin. But the melody turned out clumsy and unsightly. A random collective farmer gave advice to the bear cub to stop playing the violin, it is better to hunt the bear. The negligent musician followed the advice of a passerby, but his opinion changed from what he saw in the forest. The Musician's story with an unusual ending will cheer up all family members. nine0003

Reading time: 2 min.

An old bear cub was sitting on a mound and chirping on a violin. He was very fond of music and tried to learn to play himself. He did not do well, but the old man was pleased that he had his own music. A familiar collective farmer passed by and said to the old man:

— Throw down your violin, grab your gun. You're better off with a gun. I just saw a bear in the forest.

The old man put down his violin and asked the collective farmer where he had seen the bear. He took a gun and went into the forest. nine0003

In the forest, the old man searched for a bear for a long time, but did not even find a trace of it.

The old man was tired and sat down on a stump to rest.

It was very quiet in the forest. Not a knot will crack anywhere, not a bird will give a voice. Suddenly the old man heard: "Zenn! .." Such a beautiful sound, like a string sang.

A little later again: "Zenn!.."

And from the forest again: "Zenn!. ." - yes, so loudly, affectionately.

The old man got up from the stump and cautiously walked towards where the sound was coming from. The sound was heard from the edge. nine0003

An old man crept up from behind a Christmas tree and sees a tree broken by a thunderstorm at the edge of it, long chips sticking out of it. And a bear sits under a tree, grabbed one chip with its paw. The bear pulled the chip towards him and let it go. The sliver straightened up, trembled, and there was a sound in the air: "Zenn! .." - like a string sang.

The bear bowed his head and listened.

The old man is also listening: the chip sings well.

The sound ceased, - the bear again for his own: he pulled the chip and let it go.

In the evening, a familiar collective farmer once again passed by the hut of a bear-cub. The old man was again sitting on the mound with the violin. He pulled one string with his finger, and the string quietly sang: “Dzinn!..”

The collective farmer asked the old man:

— Well, did you kill the bear?

“No,” the old man replied.

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