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The Dog and Its Reflection
A greedy dog loses its bone, barking at its reflection, mistaking it for a dog with a larger bone.
Moral: Greed makes us lose what we already have. -
The Crow and the Pitcher
A thirsty crow cleverly drops pebbles into a pitcher, raising the water level to drink and quench its thirst.
Moral: Necessity is the mother of invention. -
The Fox and The Woodcutter
A woodcutter saved a fox but revealed its hiding spot; the ungrateful fox ran off, feeling tricked.
Moral: Honesty is the best policy. -
The Mouse and the Bull
A bull accidentally steps on a mouse's tail, prompting the mouse to seek revenge, but it fails, realizing that arguing is pointless.
Moral: Forgiveness is wiser than revenge. -
The Trader and The Donkey
A donkey lightens salt sacks by falling into the river, tricking the trader, but learns honesty when given heavier cotton sacks instead.
Moral: Be honest; repeated tricks will eventually fail. -
The Man, The Boy, and The Donkey
A man and his boy try pleasing everyone's opinions on how to transport their donkey, ending up losing it entirely.
Moral: If you try to please all, you please none. -
The Frog in the Well
A happy frog in a small well meets a sea turtle and learns about the vast, wonderful world beyond his home.
Moral: Explore beyond your comfort zone. -
The Three Little Pigs
Three little pigs build houses of straw, sticks, and bricks, but only the strongest brick house withstands the wolf's huffs and puffs.
Moral: Hard work brings lasting success. -
The Tiger and the Dried Persimmon
A hungry tiger mistakes a dried persimmon for a fearsome creature and flees in fear after a confusing encounter.
Moral: Fear often exaggerates danger. -
The Hare and The Hedgehog
A hedgehog cleverly wins a race against a proud hare with his wife's help, repeatedly tricking the hare.
Moral: Intelligence beats arrogance.
Where to Find More Free Short Stories for Kids
If you're looking for more engaging short stories for kids, FableReads.com offers a wonderful selection. The site provides a free, ad-free environment featuring diverse stories with clear moral lessons. Each story includes reflection questions, word finders, and different reading levels to suit various ages. You can also enjoy rhyme and fun versions, plus audio stories perfect for bedtime stories and fun learning.
Reading short moral stories for kids regularly helps build their character and makes learning fun. Try one of these short stories tonight, and visit FableReads.com for more wonderful stories and resources!
