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Bedtime Stories | Free 5 Min Bedtime Stories for Kids Online Bedtime Stories
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold. A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale. An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human. But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana. It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years.
Who can save her?
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance. . The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
A Cinderella Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic fairytale of Cinderella: a young girl, mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters, who finds out that dreams really can come true.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairytale Story of Snow White with a Modern Twist: Who is the “fair”est of them all? Snow White of course!
Pinocchio Story ~ Fairy Tale Bedtime Stories in English for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Honesty, Courage and Truth. If Pinocchio is to become a Real boy he needs to learn how to be honest, brave and true.
Beauty and the Beast Classic Tale ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids
The classic fairy tale of a beautiful woman and the monstrous beast.
Rumpelstiltskin ~ A Fairy Tale Bedtime Story for Kids
A Grimm’s Brother Tale: A miller tells a tale that his daughter can turn straw into gold. A strange little man is willing to help…for a price. Guess his name and he will be gone…but what is his name?
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Goldilocks and the Three Bears ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids. Goldilocks finds the three bears cottage in the woods. Should she make herself comfortable?
Hansel and Gretel ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
Hansel and Gretel Bedtime Stories for Kids. When Hansel and Gretel go in search of food, they find a gingerbread house. But who is inside?
Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm ~ Bedtime Stories
A Story of Friendship, Love and Courage. Rapunzel’s Story ~ A Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale.
An evil witch has trapped Rapunzel in a tower. Can her long hair or love save her?
The Sword in the Stone: a King Arthur Legend of the Sword Story
A Story of Courage, Justice and Self-Awareness. Merlin the Magician places a magic sword in a stone…whomever can pull it out is the rightful king.
The Ugly Duckling Story ~ Fairy Tale Story for Kids in English
A Bedtime Story of Acceptance and Self-Awareness. A Mama Duck is proud when her six ducklings hatch from their eggs. But one duckling does not look like the others? Is he truly an Ugly Duckling?
The Frog Prince: The Story of the Princess and the Frog ~ Bedtime Stories
The classic Brother’s Grimm fairytale that sparked the Disney adaptation.
The Little Mermaid Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Learning and Love. The Classic fairy tale: The Little Mermaid falls in love with a prince on shore and she makes a deal with the Sea Witch to become human.
But without her voice, how can the prince fall in love with her?
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from The Arabian Nights ~ Bedtime Stories
This Classic Folktale is adapted from the original story of “Aladdin” from The Arabian Nights. Aladdin, the Genie and the Magic Lamp work to impress the princess who wishes to be a commoner.
Bambi Story: A Life in the Woods ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids in English
A Story of Courage, Kindness to Animals and Learning. The Classic Tale of a male deer, Bambi, his mother and his adventures learning in the woods.
Robin Hood and the Golden Arrow Story ~ Legend Stories for Kids
A Story of Charity, Compassion and Justice, from England. Robin Hood takes part in an archery contest thrown by the Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he realize its a trap before it is too late? One of the many Tales of Robin Hood.
Maui from Moana: Tales of the Demi-God ~ Legend Stories for Kids
This is the Legend Tale of Maui the Demi-God from Moana.
It is part of our Classic Bedtime Stories for Kids Collection. It has been adapted from the Tales of Maui as well as Disney’s version of Moana.
The Velveteen Rabbit Story ~ Bedtime English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. A toy rabbit learns that through a child’s love it can become real.
The Snow Queen Fairy Tale Story ~Bedtime Story for Kids
The Classic Tale of the Snow Queen: Gerda and Kai struggle to fight the Snow Queen and find the balance between Good and Evil.
Sleeping Beauty Fairy Tale Story ~ Bedtime Stories for Kids
The Classic Fairy Tale of Sleeping Beauty. Princess Aurora has been cursed by Maleficent. When she pricks herself on a spinning wheel on her 16th birthday, she is put into a deep sleep for 100 years. Who can save her?
The Gift of the Magi Story ~ A Holiday Story for Kids
Bedtime Story for Kids: The Gift of the Magi, A Christmas Story. Della and Jim wish to give each other the perfect Christmas present, but how will they come up with the money?
Pocahontas and John Smith Story ~ Folktales Stories for Kids
A Bedtime Story of Friendship, Courage and Acceptance.
. The story tells of the time Pocahontas saved the life of settler John Smith from her father, Powhatan.
The Emperor’s New Clothes Story ~ Bedtime Stories
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. The Emperor is fooled into believing he is wearing magic clothes which can’t be “seen”.
Mulan Story ~ Tale of Hua Mulan Bedtime Stories | English Story for Kids
A Bedtime Story in Simple English for Kids. Based on the “Ballad of Mulan” and Disney’s Mulan, this is a legend tale about a girl who goes in disguise as a boy and joins the army in her brother’s place.
Short Stories for Kids ~ Folk tales, Fairy Tales, Riddles, Legends, Poems
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You will find the bedtime stories and the materials you need for your classroom with Stories to Grow By.
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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English fairy tales for children | Examples of fairy tales in English
Content of the article:
- English folk tales
- Example of a fairy tale in English
- Text of a children's fairy tale in English
- Translation of a fairy tale from English
- Where to read British fairy tales in English 9005 Other ways of reading 9005 in English
- Other methods of learning English for children
Today we will analyze English fairy tales for children. There will be both examples of popular fairy tales for reading, and one short fairy tale, which we will analyze in its entirety with translation.
You've almost certainly never heard this tale before. We hope you are intrigued :)
English Folk Tales
Jack and the Beanstalk (Jack and the Beanstalk). The mother sent the boy to the market to sell the cow. The family was poor, and the proceeds from the sale of the cow could help them feed themselves. However, at the market, the boy meets an old man who offers to exchange the cow for magic grains, from which a tree will grow up to the sky. Jack agrees. At home, his mother scolds him for his naivete, and allegedly throws magic beans out the window. Later it turns out that the old man was telling the truth, and a magic tree grew out of the beans, leading to the world of giants...
Jack the Giant Killer This tale is also about Jack, and also about giants. Only now it was a completely different Jack, and completely different giants. The boy was a strong and dexterous son of a wealthy English peasant. He lived in places where the owner of the mountain was a giant, who from time to time went out to feast on cows, sheep and other peasant livestock.
Once the people got tired of it, and an important mission was entrusted to Jack - to defeat the giant.
The Blue Hat A Scottish fisherman named Ein Macrae went to the forest to collect wood to build a boat. A thick fog descended, and the fisherman got lost. After some time, he stumbles upon a house in the middle of the forest. You and I know that usually in fairy tales such houses do not bode well. However, McRae was tired and wet, besides, it was already night, and it was necessary to spend the night somehow. What happened next?
Dick Whittington and His Cat (Dick Whittington and his cat). Dick was an orphan who lived in an ordinary English village. The locals liked to talk about the big city of London, where everything is wonderful for everyone, and people do nothing but party and bathe in luxury all day long. Dick liked these stories very much, and he wanted to see it with his own eyes. One day Dick saw a wagon passing by and asked the driver where he was going.
He replied that in London. Word for word - and the driver took Dick with him, agreeing that on the way back he would take the boy back to the village. But the most interesting is yet to come. By the way, what about the cat?
The Well at the World's End The stepmother sent the girl to the well, which is at the end of the world, to bring water from it in a sieve. Already from the first sentence there is no optimism. What other well at the end of the world, and how can you draw water from there with a sieve? To the surprise of readers, the girl still finds the same well. The difficulties do not end there, but by a happy coincidence, a talking frog comes to the aid of the girl.
Molly Whuppie (Molly Wuppie). A large family could not feed all the children, and the parents decided to get rid of their three daughters. They took them to the forest and told them to stay there. Three girls began to wander through the forest until they came across a house.
The woman let them eat, but then her husband returns - a cannibal giant. The husband did not immediately attack the sisters, but allowed them to stay overnight - and put them to bed with his three daughters. Everyone fell asleep, and only the younger sister, Molly, decided to be careful. And not in vain ...
The Old Witch (Old Witch). The girl saw an oven with bread. The oven asked the girl to get bread. And so she did. Then the girl saw a cow. The cow asked her to be milked. The girl obeyed. After that, the girl stumbled upon an apple tree, which begged to be shaken from her apples. So the girl did. In the end, she came across the witch's house. If she is so obedient and trusting even in relation to stoves, trees and animals, what can the old witch do with her ...
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An example of a fairy tale in English
Let's analyze one simple fairy tale.
Remember, at the beginning of the article, we promised you a fairy tale that you have almost certainly never heard. This is what she is.
This is one of the Philippine legends that is told to children. It is called The Legend of the Chrysanthemum - The Legend of the Chrysanthemum. Most likely, you have never heard it, so it will be doubly interesting to read.
Here is the video, below is the text, below we have prepared the translation.
Text of a children's story in English
Once upon a time, there was a little girl living with her mom in a small thatched hut in a deserted hamlet. Her father had passed away when she was still young. So her mom and she had to work very hard to make ends meet.
One day, the mother fell ill. She told her daughter, "My dear daughter, call a doctor for me!" The little girl quickly left home with worries filling up her heart. Suddenly, she came across a snowy-haired old man.
He asked her, "Why are you so much in a hurry?" "I am looking for a doctor. My mother is very sick!" she cried.
The old man then told her, "I am a doctor! Take me to your home, I will cure your mother." When the old man arrived, after examining the mother, he told the girl, "Your mother's sickness is serious. I will try my best to cure her. Now, get to banyan tree by the woods. You'll find a daisy. Pick it up and bring it back to me!" It was bitterly cold outside, while the girl was only wearing a thin layer of clothes. She kept on walking and it was not until her feet felt worn that she reached the banyan tree. In front of her was a bush with a beautiful daisy. She picked it up and cherished it in her hands. All of a sudden, the old man's voice echoed in her ears, "Each petal represents a day your mother continues to live."
She looked down on the flower and counted, "One, Two, Three… Twenty! Oh, no! There are only twenty days left for my mother!"
Thinking for a while, she gently tore the petals into many small pieces.
Each piece turned into a thin glossy petal. The twenty-petal daisy turned into a countless-petal flower. She rushed home with the strange flower. The old man was waiting for her at the door. He told her cheerfully, "Your mother has recovered. It is the reward for your pious heart." Ever since then, every year during the autumn, the flowers with many thin glossy petals blossom created a picturesque scenery. They are called the Chrysanthemum, the symbol of piety.
Translation of a fairy tale from English
Once upon a time there lived a little girl who lived with her mother in a small thatched hut in an abandoned village. Her father passed away when she was still young. So she and her mother had to work very hard to make ends meet.
One day the mother fell ill. She said to her daughter, "My dear daughter, call a doctor for me!" The little girl quickly left the house with worries filling her heart. Suddenly, she came across an old man with snowy hair.
He asked her, "Why are you in such a hurry?" "I'm looking for a doctor. My mother is very sick!" - she exclaimed.
Then the old man said to her: "I am a doctor! Take me to your house, I will cure your mother." When the old man arrived, having examined the mother, he said to the girl, "Your mother's illness is serious. I will do my best to cure her. Now go to the banyan tree by the forest. You will find a daisy there. Pick it up and bring it to me!" It was very cold outside, and the girl was wearing only a thin layer of clothing. She kept walking, and only when her legs were tired did she reach the banyan tree. In front of her was a bush with a beautiful daisy. She picked it up and held it carefully in her hands. Suddenly, an old man's voice was heard in her ears: "Each petal symbolizes the day your mother continues to live."
She looked down at the flower and counted, "One, two, three... Twenty! Oh no! My mother is only twenty days away!"
After some thought, she carefully tore the petals into many small pieces.
Each piece turned into a thin glossy petal. The twenty-petalled daisy turned into a flower with countless petals. She rushed home with a strange flower. The old man was waiting for her at the door. He cheerfully told her, "Your mother has recovered. This is the reward for your godly heart." Since then, every year in autumn, flowers with many thin glossy petals bloom, creating a picturesque landscape. They are called Chrysanthemums, a symbol of piety.
Where to read British fairy tales in English
Here are some good sites:
- Bedtime Short Stories
- Kidsgen
- World of Tales
Or you can find any similar site in Google. It does not matter. As long as you are comfortable.
Other ways to practice reading in English
Reading children's stories is a good practice for beginners. Fairy tales usually have simple vocabulary and grammar.
And, importantly, a small amount of text. The tale from the example above can be read in just five minutes. Larger ones will take up to half an hour. Rarely does a children's story in English require more of your time.
But not only fairy tales are rich. For a comprehensive study of the language, it will be useful to combine different materials. Fairy tales have literary language. In news articles - journalistic. And so on.
See also:
- A selection of interesting magazines to read in English
- Reading books in English for different levels
- Top sites to read
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Other methods of learning English for children
The younger the child, the more receptive he is to foreign languages. If you are a parent and you decide to help your child learn an international language, this is commendable and timely.
Before the age of three, there is a good chance of raising a bilingual child if enough effort is put in. In particular, it is necessary that one of the parents or the nanny speaks only English to the child. You also need to watch movies and cartoons in this language together. We wrote more about the methods of educating a bilingual in this article .
Speaking of cartoons. Watching a cartoon in English is a good thing at any age. At least three years old, at least forty years old. Many begin to train to perceive English by ear precisely from cartoons for children, since there are simple phrases that are pronounced with extreme accuracy. Read our selection of cartoons for learning English for different levels.
We showed you English folk tales, Scottish tales, and even Filipino tales. Now we are ready to let you go. Then it's up to you. Find fairy tales on the Internet and read.
We recommend installing extension ED Translator .
With it, you can highlight a word or phrase in English on any site - and see the translation. No need to constantly copy and paste into Google translator. You can also click on the plus sign to immediately add the word to your personal EnglishDom dictionary, and then fix it in our online simulators.
Let your life be like a fairy tale. Like a good fairy tale with a happy ending.
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Fairy tales in English for children
Skip to content It's no secret that today learning English is a necessity. Modern parents try to instill in their children a love for a foreign language from childhood, sending them to additional classes or hiring a private tutor. However, moms and dads can also participate in the process of teaching kids. Children's fairy tales in English are the best way to learn the material. Through reading, the child will not only immerse himself in the world of his favorite magical heroes, but also learn to perceive familiar stories in a foreign language and learn new words.
Thus, you will instill in your child an interest not only in learning the language, but also in literature.
English through a fairy tale
Childhood is the best time not only because of carelessness, but also because of the effectiveness of assimilation of new information. That is why scientists advise starting the educational process at 2-4 years old, when the child's brain is able to easily perceive educational material.
Learning a foreign language at an early age has its own characteristics. The playing technique and the perception of most of the material by ear are just some of them. Now in the public domain there are many videos, audio recordings and books to help parents and educators.
A lesson for a small student should be built in the form of an exciting game, and what, if not a fairy tale, best meets this requirement? English fairy tales for children take into account all aspects of the language - vocabulary, elementary grammar, reading and listening skills.
Whatever method of presentation you choose - show the fairy tale on video, read it yourself or with the children - you can always be sure that the little listener will be satisfied!
Fairy tales in English contribute to the development of imagination and the expansion of the horizons of the children's audience. In addition to traditional skills - the perception of the text, its interpretation, the formation of grammatical forms, the replenishment of the vocabulary - the child will learn to concentrate and draw analogies with his native language.
Tips for parents
You have finally decided which fairy tale you will study today with your son or daughter. What points should be taken into account during the lesson?
First of all, don't plant knowledge. Let the process of getting to know the characters and the text be entertainment for the child, not torture. Use your imagination to turn it into an exciting action: change your voice when dubbing, learn the songs of the characters, come up with associations or act out like a skit!
The traditional explanation of grammatical intricacies should be avoided.
If you take up this business, then do everything in portions and in simple language. Perhaps in this matter you will need the help of a professional who will tell you the most convenient option.
Let the fairy tale turn into a wonderful journey through the world of the language being studied!
Fairy tales for kids in English
So, we found out that a fairy tale is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in a language environment. What fairy tales in English for children to choose?
In this question, everything depends on the level of language proficiency. Usually, on modern books with educational fairy tales in English, the required stock of knowledge and the number of words are always indicated. Sometimes tasks, questions are attached to fairy tales. Also, the text can be accompanied by an audio and video application. In principle, all these materials are not so difficult to find on the Internet.
You should start with those stories that the baby has already heard in Russian.
Recognizable characters and situations will facilitate the process of perception of foreign speech. In the future, it is already possible to introduce the child to new characters, for example, the famous Snow White
Use an adapted edition that is age- and English-specific. At first, it is desirable that the original text be accompanied by a translation. Do not forget to use your own imagination to motivate your child to further activities.
On our site you will find many useful materials, including children's fairy tales in English. With them, the process of teaching a child English will become much more productive and more fun.
Fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm "Snow White ( Snowdrop )" in English. In Russian, this fairy tale is known as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". Video clip with Disney cartoon in English.
Chinese parable in English about one inattentive person and an innocent young man.
