story

Retell the story use your own language (about 100-150 words)

1. A friend in need is a friend indeed

Once upon a time there lived a lion in a forest. One day after a heavy meal. It was sleeping under a tree. After a while, there came a mouse and it started to play on the lion. Suddenly the lion got up with anger and looked for those who disturbed its nice sleep. Then it saw a small mouse standing trembling with fear. The lion jumped on it and started to kill it. The mouse requested the lion to forgive it. The lion felt pity and left it. The mouse ran away.

On another day, the lion was caught in a net by a hunter. The mouse came there and cut the net.

Thus it escaped. Thereafter, the mouse and the lion became friends. They lived happily in the forest afterwards.

Moral : A friend in need is a friend indeed.


2. The Golden Hand

This is the story of a very greedy rich man who chanced upon meeting a fairy. The fairy’s hair was caught in a few tree branches. Realising he had an opportunity to make even more money, he asked for a wish in return for helping the fairy. He said, ’All that I touch should turn to gold’, and his wish was granted by the grateful fairy.

The greedy man rushed home to tell his wife and daughter about his new boon, all the while touching stones and pebbles and converting them into gold. Once he got home, his daughter rushed to greet him. As soon as he bent down to scoop her up in his arms, she turned into a gold statue. He realised his folly and spent the rest of his days searching for the fairy to take away his wish.

Moral of The Story : Greed will always lead to downfall


3. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Once upon a time, there lived a shepherd boy who was bored watching his flock of sheep on the hill. To amuse himself, he shouted, “Wolf! Wolf! The sheep are being chased by the wolf!” The villagers came running to help the boy and save the sheep. They found nothing and the boy just laughed looking at their angry faces.

“Don’t cry ‘wolf’ when there’s no wolf boy!”, they said angrily and left. The boy just laughed at them.

After a while, he got bored and cried ‘wolf!’ again, fooling the villagers a second time. The angry villagers warned the boy a second time and left. The boy continued watching the flock.

After a while, he saw a real wolf and cried loudly, “Wolf! Please help! The wolf is chasing the sheep. Help!”

But this time, no one turned up to help. By evening, when the boy didn’t return home, the villagers wondered what happened to him and went up the hill. The boy sat on the hill weeping. “Why didn’t you come when I called out that there was a wolf?” he asked angrily.

“The flock is scattered now”, he said.

An old villager approached him and said, “People won’t believe liars even when they tell the truth. We’ll look for your sheep tomorrow morning. Let’s go home now”.

Moral

Lying breaks trust. Nobody trusts a liar, even when he is telling the truth.


4. The Midas Touch

In ancient Greek, there was a king named Midas. He had a lot of gold and everything he needed. He also had a beautiful daughter. Midas loved his gold very much, but he loved his daughter more than his riches.

One day, a satyr named Silenus got drunk and passed out in Midas’ rose garden. Believing that

Satyrs always bring good luck, Midas lets Silenus rest in his palace until he is sober, against the wishes of his wife and daughter. Silenus is a friend of Dionysus, the god of wine and celebration. Upon learning Midas’ kindness towards his friend, Dionysus decides to reward the keg.

When asked to wish for something, Midas says “I wish everything I touch turns to gold”.

Although Dionysus knew it was not a great idea, he granted Midas his wish.

Happy that his wish was granted, Midas went around touching random things in the garden and his palace and turned them all into gold. He touched an apple, and it turned into a shiny gold apple. His subjects were astonished but happy to see so much gold in the palace.

In his happiness, Midas went and hugged his daughter, and before he realized, he turned her into a lifeless, golden statue! Aghast, Midas ran back to the garden and called for Dionysus. He begged the god to take away his power and save his daughter. Dionysus gives Midas a solution to change everything back to how it was before the wish. Midas learned his lesson and lived the rest of his life contended with what he had.

Moral

Do not get greedy. Be happy and content with what you have.


5. The Golden Egg

Once upon a time, a farmer had a goose that laid a golden egg every day. The egg provided enough money for the farmer and his wife for their day-to-day needs. The farmer and his wife were happy for a long time. But one day, the farmer got an idea and thought, “Why should I take just one egg a day? Why can’t I take all of them at once and make a lot of money?”

The foolish farmer’s wife also agreed and decided to cut the goose’s stomach for the eggs. As soon as they killed the bird and opened the goose’s stomach, to find nothing but guts and blood. The farmer, realizing his foolish mistake, cries over the lost resource!

The English idiom “kill not the goose that lays the golden egg” was also derived from this classic story.

Moral

Think before you act.


6. The Miser And His Gold

An old miser lived in a house with a garden. The miser hid his gold coins in a pit under some stones in the garden. Every day, before going to bed, the miser went to the stones where he hid the gold and counted the coins. He continued this routine every day, but not once did he spend the gold he saved.

One day, a thief who knew the old miser’s routine, waited for the old man to go back into his house. After it was dark, the thief went to the hiding place and took the gold. The next day, the old miser found that his treasure was missing and started crying loudly.

His neighbor heard the miser’s cries and inquired about what happened. On learning what happened, the neighbor asked, “Why didn’t you save the money inside the house? It would’ve been easier to access the money when you had to buy something!”

“Buy?”, said the miser. “I never used the gold to buy anything. I was never going to spend it.”

On hearing this, the neighbor threw a stone into the pit and said, “If that is the case, save the stone. It is as worthless as the gold you have lost”.

Moral

A possession is just as worthy of what it is used for.


7. The Tortoise And The Bird

A tortoise was resting under a tree, on which a bird had built its nest. The tortoise spoke to the bird mockingly, “What a shabby home you have! It is made of broken twigs, it has no roof, and looks crude. What’s worse is that you had to build it yourself. I think my house, which is my shell, is much better than your pathetic nest”.

“Yes, it is made of broken sticks, looks shabby and is open to the elements of nature. It is crude, but I built it, and I like it.”

“I guess it’s just like any other nest, but not better than mine”, said the tortoise. “You must be jealous of my shell, though.”

“On the contrary”, the bird replied. “My home has space for my family and friends; your shell cannot accommodate anyone other than you. Maybe you have a better house. But I have a better home”, said the bird happily.

Moral

Better a crowded hut than a lonely mansion.


8. The Cows And The Tiger

Our cows lived in a forest near a meadow. They were good friends and did everything together.

They grazed together and stayed together, because of which no tigers or lions were able to kill them for food.

But one day, the friends fought and each cow went to graze in a different direction. A tiger and a lion saw this and decided that it was the perfect opportunity to kill the cows. They hid in the bushes and surprised the cows and killed them all, one by one.

Moral

Unity is strength.


9. The Four Students

There were four friends who hated studying. They partied all night before their exams and planned to skip the test by lying to the professor. So they went to the dean and told him that they had been to a wedding the previous night and on their way back, they had a flat tire. They continued to say that they had to push the car all the way back, as they didn’t have a spare tire and hence, were not in a position to write the exam.

The dean listened and agreed to let them take the test on a later date. Happy that they got a second chance, the four friends studied hard and were ready for the exam. On exam day, the dean asked the students to sit in separate classrooms, which the students agreed to.

The examination paper had only two questions, for a total of 100 marks. The questions were thus:

1.

Your name:

2.

Which tire of the car burst: a) Front left b) Front right c) Rear left d) Rear right

Moral

You may be smart, but there are people smarter than you in the world.


10. The Boasting Traveler (Aesop’s Fables)

A man came back from a tour and boasted about his adventurous journeys. He talked at length about the different people he met and his amazing feats that got him fame and praise from people everywhere. He went on to say that he went to the Rhodes where he had leaped to such distances that no man could ever match his feat.

He even went on to say that there were witnesses who would vouch for his words. Hearing the man boast so much, a smart bystander said, “Oh good man, we do not need any witnesses to believe your words. Imagine this place to be Rhodes and leap for us”.

The lying traveler didn’t know what to do and went away quietly.

Moral

He who does a thing well does not need to boast.


11. The Camel And The Baby

One day, a camel and her baby were chatting. The baby asked, “Mother, why do we have humps?” The mother replied, “Our humps are for storing water so that we can survive in the desert”.

“Oh”, said the child, “and why do we have rounded feet mother?” “Because they are meant to help us walk comfortably in the desert. These legs help us move around in the sand.”

“Alright. But why are our eyelashes so long?” “To protect our eyes from the desert dust and sand. They are the protective covers for the eyes”, replied the mother camel.

The baby camel thought for a while and said, “So we have humps to store water for desert journeys, rounded hooves to keep us comfortable when we walk in the desert sand, and long eyelashes to protect us from sand and dust during a desert storm. Then what are we doing in a zoo?”

The mother was dumbfounded.

Moral

Your strengths, skills, and knowledge are useless if you are not in the right place.


12. The Farmer And The Well

A farmer looking for a source of water for his farm bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor was cunning, though, and refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, “I sold the well to you, not the water”, and walked away. The distraught farmer didn’t know what to do. So he went to Birbal, a clever man and one of the nine courtiers of Emperor Akbar, for a solution.

The emperor called the farmer and his neighbor and asked why the man was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, “I sold the well, not the water. So he cannot take my water”.

To this, Birbal replied, “All that sounds fine to me. But if you have sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not the water will belong to the owner of the well”.

Realizing that he’s been tricked and taught his lesson, the man apologized and left.

Moral

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


13. True Friends Love You Anyway

Lord Krishna and Sudama were childhood friends. While Krishna thrived and prospered,

Sudama didn’t. He lead the life of a poor Brahmin man, living in a small hut with his wife and kids. Most days, the kids wouldn’t even get enough to eat from what Sudama got as alms. One day, his wife suggested that he go and ask his friend Krishna for help.

Sudama was reluctant to seek favors, but he also didn’t want his kids to suffer. So his wife borrows some rice from the neighbors to make some rice snacks that Krishna liked, and gave it to Sudama to take it to his friend. Sudama took it and set out to Dwaraka. He was amazed at the gold that was used to build the city. He reached the palace gates and was obstructed by the guards, who judged him by his torn dhoti and poor appearance.

Sudama requested the guards to at least inform Krishna that his friend Sudama has come to meet him. The guard, although reluctant, goes and informs the lord. On hearing that Sudama was here, Krishna stops doing whatever he was doing and runs barefoot to meet his childhood friend.

Krishna hugs Sudama welcomes him to his abode and treats him with utmost love and respect.

Sudama, ashamed of the poor man’s rice snacks he got for Krishna, tries to hide it. But the allknowing Krishna asks Sudama for his gift and eats his favorite rice snacks that his friend brought for him.

Krishna and his friend spend time laughing and talking about their childhood but Sudama, overwhelmed by the kindness and compassion showed by his friend, is unable to ask Krishna for help. When he returns home, Sudama finds that his hut has been replaced by a huge mansion and his wife and kids are dressed in fine clothes.

Sudama realized how lucky he was to have a true friend like Krishna. He didn’t even ask, but

Krishna knew what Sudama wanted and gave it to him.

Moral

True friends do not distinguish between rich and poor. They are always there for you when you need them.


14, The Wolf And The Shepherds

This is one of the many Aesop’s fables that one can relate to in any day and age.

One day a wolf was chased away from a farm for trying to steal some of the sheep for food.

Later that week, the wolf came back to the farm hoping to find some food. He peeped inside the house and found the farmer and his family feasting on lamb roast.

“Aha!”, he thought. “If I were to do the same thing that the farmer and his family are doing now, I would be shunted and chased, or even killed for killing a weak, innocent lamb.”

Moral

We are quick to judge and condemn others for what they do, but see nothing wrong in doing so ourselves.


15. The Other Side Of The Wall

A young woman inherited a beautiful garden from her grandmother. She loved gardening too and was very proud of her garden. One day, she saw a very beautiful plant in a catalog and wanted that for her garden. She ordered it and planted it at the base of the stonewall in her backyard. She took great care of the plant, which grew quickly and had beautiful green leaves on it.

Months passed, but not a single flower bloomed on the tree. Vexed, she almost wanted to cut the tree down. At such a time, her invalid called and said, “Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers. You have no idea how much I enjoy looking at the blooms of the vine you have planted”.

Hearing this, the young girl rushes to the neighbor’s side of the wall and sees the most beautiful flower in bloom. All the care she took had paid off. Only the vine crept through the crevices because of which it did not flower on her side of the wall but did generously on the other side.

Moral

Just because you cannot see the good results of your efforts does not mean that it bore no fruit.


16.The Dog At The Well

A dog and her pups lived on a farm, where there was a well. The mother dog told the pups, do not go near the well or play around it. One of the pups wondered why they shouldn’t go to the well and decided to explore it. He went to the well. Climbed up the wall and peeked inside.

In there, he saw his reflection and thought it was another dog. The pup saw that the other dog in the well (his reflection) was doing whatever he was doing, and got angry for imitating him.

He decided to fight with the dog and jumped into the well, only to find no dog there. He barked and barked and swam until the farmer came and rescued him. The pup had learned his lesson.

Moral

Always listen to what the elders say. Question them, but do not defy them.


17.

Controlling Anger

There was once a young boy who had problem controlling his temper. When he became angry, he would just say anything that came to his mind and hurt people. So his father gave him a bag of nails and a hammer and said, “Every time you get angry, hammer one nail into the fence in our backyard”.

The first few days the boy hammered so many nails that he emptied half the bag. Over the weeks, the number of nails he hammered to the fence reduced and gradually, his temper was much in control. Then came a day when he didn’t lose his temper at all. His father asked him to remove one nail each day that he manages not to lose his temper.

Finally, on the day the child was removing the last nail, his father says, “You have done well, boy. But do you see the holes in the wall? The fence is never going to be the same, even after repainting. Likewise, when you say mean things in anger, you will leave a scar in the person’s mind, as the nails did to the fence”.

Moral

Anger is a dangerous weapon like a knife. When you put a knife in a man and draw it out, the wound

heals but the scar remains.

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