Short Stories

1. "The Elephant and the Mouse"

Once upon a time, a tiny mouse asked a mighty elephant for help. The elephant laughed at the mouse and refused to assist him. But when the elephant found himself trapped in a hunter's snare, the mouse came to his rescue by gnawing through the ropes. 

So,

The moral of the story is that even the smallest of creatures can make a big impact, and we should never judge someone's worth based on their size.

2. "The Monkey and the Crocodile"

In this fable, a monkey becomes friends with a crocodile. The crocodile invites the monkey to his home, hoping to eat him for dinner. But the clever monkey realizes the crocodile's intentions and tricks him by saying that his heart is at home. The crocodile takes the monkey back to shore, and the monkey escapes. The moral of the story is that we should always be wary of those who might have ulterior motives, and we must use our wit and intelligence to protect ourselves.

3. "The Honest Woodcutter"

A woodcutter drops his axe into a river and weeps because he cannot afford to buy a new one. An angel appears and offers him a golden axe, but he declines, saying that it's not his. The angel then gives him a silver axe, which he also refuses. Finally, the angel gives him his own axe as a reward for his honesty. The moral of the story is that honesty is always the best policy, and we should never compromise our values for personal gain.

4. "The Lion and the Mouse"

In this fable, a lion captures a mouse and is about to eat him. The mouse begs for mercy and promises to repay the favor one day. The lion laughs at the idea that a tiny mouse could ever help him, but he releases him anyway. Later, the mouse comes to the lion's aid by gnawing through the ropes that bind him. The moral of the story is that kindness is always rewarded, and we should never underestimate the power of a small act of generosity.

5. "The Thirsty Crow"

A thirsty crow comes across a jar of water with a small amount of water at the bottom. The crow can't reach the water with his beak, so he picks up pebbles and drops them into the jar, raising the water level and allowing him to drink. The moral of the story is that determination and resourcefulness can overcome even the most difficult challenges.

6. "The Greedy Dog"

A dog steals a piece of meat and runs off with it in his mouth. As he crosses a bridge over a river, he sees his reflection in the water and thinks it's another dog with an even bigger piece of meat. He drops his own meat to grab the other piece, but ends up with nothing. The moral of the story is that greed can lead to loss and we should be content with what we have.

7. "The Clever Brahmin"

A clever Brahmin saves his village from a group of thieves by pretending to be a ghost. The thieves are scared off by his antics, and the villagers are grateful to him. The moral of the story is that intelligence and quick thinking can be powerful tools to solve problems.

8. "The Fox and the Grapes"

A hungry fox sees a bunch of grapes hanging from a vine, but can't reach them. He tries again and again, but fails. In the end, he walks away saying that the grapes were probably sour anyway. The moral of the story is that we often belittle things that we can't have, and it's better to be content with what we have rather than wanting something that is beyond our reach.