30 Short Stories with Moral for Children: Engaging Tales with Important Life Lessons
Short stories are a delightful way to teach children important life lessons while keeping them entertained. In this blog, we bring you 30 short stories woth moral for kids in English, each packed with a valuable moral. These moral stories in English not only provide entertainment but also help children learn lessons in kindness, honesty, and hard work. Whether it’s bedtime or storytelling time at school, these short stories with moral for kids are sure to leave a lasting impression.
1. The Lion and the Mouse
Moral: Kindness is never wasted.
One day, a mighty lion was sleeping in the jungle when a little mouse accidentally ran across his paw. The lion woke up and caught the mouse, ready to eat it. The mouse pleaded, “Please, let me go, and someday I’ll repay your kindness.” The lion laughed but decided to let the mouse go. A few days later, the lion got caught in a hunter’s net. The mouse heard his roar, ran to him, and chewed through the ropes to free him. The lion was grateful and realized even small creatures can make a big difference.
2. The Tortoise and the Hare
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
The hare, proud of his speed, always teased the tortoise for being slow. One day, the tortoise challenged him to a race. The hare, overconfident, took a nap halfway through the race, thinking he would win easily. However, when he woke up, he found that the tortoise had slowly but surely crossed the finish line first.
3. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Moral: Lying breaks trust.
A young shepherd boy, bored of watching sheep, decided to trick the villagers by crying, “Wolf!” The villagers ran to help, but there was no wolf. He repeated the prank a few times until, one day, a real wolf came. When the boy cried for help, no one believed him, and the wolf scattered his flock. This short moral story in English teaches the importance of honesty.
4. The Fox and the Grapes
Moral: It’s easy to despise what you can’t have.
A hungry fox tried to reach a bunch of grapes hanging high from a vine. He jumped and jumped but couldn’t get them. Frustrated, he finally gave up and walked away, saying, “They’re probably sour anyway.” This story teaches that it’s easy to pretend you don’t want something when you can’t achieve it.
5. The Golden Touch
Moral: Greed leads to unhappiness.
King Midas was granted a wish, and he wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. At first, he was delighted, but when he accidentally turned his food and even his daughter into gold, he realized that his greed had cost him dearly. This short story in English with moral shows the dangers of greed.
6. The Ant and the Grasshopper
Moral: Work hard today to enjoy tomorrow.
The ant worked hard all summer, gathering food, while the grasshopper sang and danced without a care. When winter came, the ant had plenty of food, but the grasshopper was starving. This story teaches children the value of hard work and planning for the future.
7. The Clever Crow
Moral: Creativity solves problems.
A crow was extremely thirsty but found only a small amount of water in a pitcher. Unable to reach the water, the clever crow dropped pebbles into the pitcher, slowly raising the water level until he could drink it. This simple short story in English teaches the power of creative problem-solving.
8. The Honest Woodcutter
Moral: Honesty is the best policy.
A poor woodcutter dropped his axe into a river. When he prayed for help, a river spirit appeared with a golden axe and asked if it was his. The woodcutter, though tempted, said no. The spirit then brought out a silver axe, but again, the woodcutter refused. Finally, the spirit returned his old iron axe. Impressed by his honesty, the spirit rewarded him with the gold and silver axes too.
9. The Thirsty Crow
Moral: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
Similar to the clever crow story, this teaches children about persistence and determination in solving problems. Even when the water was out of reach, the crow didn’t give up until he found a solution.
10. The Fox and the Stork
Moral: Treat others how you want to be treated.
A sly fox invited a stork to dinner, serving soup in a shallow plate that the stork couldn’t eat from. To return the favor, the stork invited the fox over for dinner and served food in a long, narrow-necked jar, which the fox couldn’t eat from. The fox learned his lesson about fairness and respect.
11. The Greedy Dog
Moral: Greed often leads to loss.
A dog was crossing a bridge with a bone in his mouth. He looked down and saw his reflection in the water. Thinking it was another dog with a bigger bone, he opened his mouth to grab it, only to lose his own bone in the water. This small moral story in English shows the downside of greed.
12. The Ugly Duckling
Moral: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
An awkward and unattractive duckling is ridiculed by others, but as time passes, he grows into a beautiful swan. This tale teaches that beauty comes from within and that it’s important not to judge others based on appearances.
13. The Shepherd’s Boy and the Wolf
Moral: Liars are not believed, even when they speak the truth.
This variation on “The Boy Who Cried Wolf” shows that trust, once broken, is hard to regain.
14. The Two Goats
Moral: Compromise can solve conflicts.
Two goats met on a narrow bridge. Neither was willing to step aside for the other, so they began to fight, and both fell into the river. This story shows the importance of compromise and finding peaceful solutions to problems.
15. The Lion in Love
Moral: Love can make us blind to danger.
A lion fell in love with a woodcutter’s daughter. The woodcutter, frightened, asked the lion to remove his claws and teeth for safety. The lion did so, but then the woodcutter chased him away. The lion learned that love should never blind us to reality.
16. The Crow and the Pitcher
Moral: Use your intelligence to solve problems.
Similar to the story of the clever crow, this tale emphasizes the importance of thinking critically to overcome obstacles.
17. The Peacock and the Crane
Moral: Outer beauty fades; inner qualities matter.
The proud peacock mocked the crane for his dull feathers. The crane responded, “I may not have beautiful feathers, but I can fly high in the sky, while you are stuck on the ground.” This simple short story in English teaches the importance of valuing inner qualities over outer appearances.
18. The Wolf and the Lamb
Moral: Those who wish to harm others will always find an excuse.
A wolf accused a lamb of spoiling his drink, even though the lamb was downstream. Despite the lamb’s innocence, the wolf attacked him anyway. This story teaches that some people will always find a way to justify their bad actions.
19. The Little Red Hen
Moral: Hard work brings rewards.
The little red hen asked for help planting wheat, but no one wanted to help. When it was time to harvest and make bread, they all wanted to eat, but the hen kept the bread for herself, teaching a lesson about fairness and hard work.
20. The Golden Goose
Moral: Patience brings rewards.
A farmer discovered that his goose laid golden eggs. Greedy for more, he killed the goose, hoping to get all the gold at once, but found nothing inside. This moral story for kids teaches the value of patience.
21. The Wise Owl
Moral: Knowledge comes with time and patience.
A wise owl lived in an old oak tree. The more he saw, the less he spoke, and the less he spoke, the more he heard. This story teaches the importance of listening and observing to gain wisdom.
22. The Wind and the Sun
Moral: Gentle persuasion is more effective than force.
The wind and the sun had a contest to see who could make a man remove his coat. The wind blew hard, but the man only held on to his coat tighter. The sun shone gently, and the man soon removed his coat. This English story for kids teaches that kindness often wins over force.
23. The Lion’s Share
Moral: Selfishness leads to isolation.
A lion shared a kill with his animal friends, but when they came for their share, he claimed it all, leaving them with nothing. Soon, no one wanted to hunt with him anymore. This story teaches that selfishness can leave you isolated and without friends.
24. The Goose and the Golden Eggs
Moral: Greed leads to loss.
A man owned a goose that laid one golden egg every day. Greedy to get all the gold at once, he killed the goose, only to find there was nothing inside. This short story in English with moral teaches that greed can lead to loss, and it’s important to be content with what you have.
25. The Old Man and His Sons
Moral: Unity is strength.
An old man had several sons who were constantly quarreling. To teach them the importance of unity, he gave each of them a bundle of sticks and asked them to break it. When they couldn’t, he untied the bundle and gave them one stick each, which they broke easily. The old man taught his sons that together they are strong, but divided, they are weak.
26. The Farmer and the Snake
Moral: Ingratitude is repaid with harm.
A farmer found a snake freezing in the snow and took pity on it, warming it by the fire. Once revived, the snake bit the farmer. This moral story in English teaches that kindness is not always returned, and it is important to be cautious when helping others.
27. The Donkey in the Lion’s Skin
Moral: Pretending to be something you’re not will lead to downfall.
A donkey found a lion’s skin and put it on, scaring all the other animals. But when he tried to roar, he brayed instead, giving himself away. The animals quickly realized the truth, and the donkey was humiliated. This fun English story for kids teaches the importance of being true to oneself.
28. The Frog Prince
Moral: Kindness and keeping promises lead to happiness.
A princess befriends a frog who helps her recover her golden ball. In return, the princess reluctantly allows the frog to stay with her, and eventually, the frog transforms into a prince. This fairy tale teaches the value of kindness and keeping promises.
29. The Monkey and the Crocodile
Moral: Cleverness can outsmart strength.
A clever monkey and a crocodile became friends. One day, the crocodile’s wife demanded the monkey’s heart to eat. The crocodile invited the monkey for a ride on his back, planning to drown him. But the clever monkey tricked the crocodile, saying he had left his heart on a tree, and escaped. This story teaches that intelligence can often overcome brute strength.
30. The Cat, the Rooster, and the Mouse
Moral: Beware of sweet talkers.
A cunning cat tried to trick a mouse by pretending to be friendly, offering food and safety. But the mouse, wary of the cat’s intentions, stayed away. This short moral story for kids reminds us that not everyone who speaks kindly has good intentions.
Conclusion: Learning Through Stories at Universal Wisdom School
At Universal Wisdom School, we believe in the power of stories to educate and inspire. These 30 short stories for kids in English not only entertain but also impart essential life lessons that help children navigate the world with wisdom and kindness. With simple narratives and powerful morals, these short stories with morals encourage children to think critically, make ethical decisions, and grow into compassionate individuals. Whether shared at home or in the classroom, these stories will leave a lasting impression, instilling the values that are central to our school’s educational philosophy.