The main purpose of telling stories to children is to teach them important lessons in a fun and simple way. Kids learn many values through stories without even realizing it. A good story should be inspiring and filled with moral lessons that children can easily understand. Below is a collection of moral stories in english that entertain young readers while teaching them honesty, hard work, wisdom, and kindness.

1. The Thirsty Crow – A Short Moral Story:

One hot day, a crow was flying in the sky. The heat was intense, and he felt extremely thirsty. He searched everywhere for water. First, he saw a river, but it was completely dry. He flew further and found a well, but that too had no water. The crow began to worry that he would die of thirst.

He did not give up and kept searching. Soon, he saw a pot in the courtyard of a house. When he looked inside, there was a little water at the bottom. The crow thought of a clever idea. He picked up small pebbles and dropped them into the pot one by one. Slowly, the water level rose. The crow drank the water and quenched his thirst.

Moral:

Hard work and intelligence always win.

2. The Ant and the Grasshopper – Kids Moral Story:

This is a very old story that grandparents have told children for generations. The rainy season was approaching. An ant was busy collecting food for the future. A grasshopper lying in the grass laughed and said, “Sister Ant, the rains are still far away. Why are you working so hard?”

The ant replied, “We never know when the weather will change. You should prepare too.” The grasshopper ignored her and continued singing and enjoying the sunshine.

Soon, heavy rain began. Water filled everywhere, and the grasshopper had nothing to eat. Hungry and weak, he went to the ant for help. The ant reminded him of his laziness. The grasshopper felt ashamed and promised to never repeat his mistake.

Moral:

Always prepare for the future.

3. The Lazy Donkey – A Story with a Lesson:

A trader named Ramlal owned a donkey that hated carrying loads. One day, he loaded the donkey with a sack of salt and crossed a river. The donkey slipped and fell into the water. The salt dissolved, and the load became light. The donkey liked this trick.

The next day, the trader loaded sugar. The donkey deliberately sat in the river, but the trader noticed. The following day, he loaded cotton. When the donkey sat in the water again, the cotton absorbed water and became extremely heavy. The donkey struggled to get out.

From that day on, the donkey never tried to cheat again.

Moral:

You cannot fool others for long.

4. The Monkey and the Crocodile – Classic Moral Tale:

A monkey lived on a jamun tree beside a river. A crocodile lived in the water nearby. They became good friends. The monkey shared fruits with the crocodile, and the crocodile gave him rides across the river.

One day, the crocodile took fruits home. His wife tasted them and became greedy. She said, “If the fruit is so sweet, the monkey’s heart must be sweeter. I want to eat it.” The crocodile refused, but she insisted.

Sadly, he invited the monkey onto his back. While crossing the river, he revealed the truth. The monkey quickly said, “Oh! I left my heart on the tree. Let’s go back and get it.” As soon as they reached the shore, the monkey jumped onto the tree and ended the friendship.

Moral:

Intelligence can save you from danger.

5. The Lion and the Mouse – A Story with a Lesson:

A lion was sleeping under a tree after hunting. A mouse began jumping on him and woke him up. The lion caught the mouse. The mouse begged for mercy and promised to return the favor someday. The lion laughed but released him.

Days later, hunters trapped the lion in a net. Hearing his roar, the mouse rushed over and gnawed the ropes until the lion was free. They became friends.

Moral:

Never underestimate anyone.

6. The Fox and the Grapes – Moral Story:

A hungry fox wandered into a garden and saw juicy grapes hanging high. She jumped again and again to reach them but failed. Tired and frustrated, she sat down and said, “Those grapes are probably sour anyway,” and walked away.

Moral:

It is easy to despise what you cannot have.

7. The Tortoise and the Hare – Story for Kids:

A proud hare loved challenging others to races. One day, a slow tortoise accepted his challenge. The animals decided the winner would be the one who reached the hill first.

The hare ran far ahead and decided to rest under a tree. He fell asleep. Meanwhile, the tortoise kept moving steadily and reached the finish line. When the hare woke up, it was too late.

Moral:

Slow and steady wins the race.

8. The Hen that Laid Golden Eggs – Kids Moral Story:

A farmer owned a hen that laid one golden egg every day. He and his wife became rich, but greed grew in their hearts. The wife suggested killing the hen to get all the eggs at once.

The farmer followed her advice. When they cut open the hen, they found nothing. They lost both the hen and the golden eggs forever.

Moral:

Greed leads to loss.

9. The Woodcutter and the Mermaid – Classic Moral Tale

A woodcutter accidentally dropped his axe into a river and began crying. A mermaid appeared and asked why he was sad. She brought a golden axe, but the woodcutter refused it. Then she brought a silver axe, but again he said no.

Finally, she returned his real axe and rewarded his honesty by giving him all three.

Moral:

Honesty is always rewarded.

10. The Clever Fox and the Crow – Moral Story for Kids:

A crow sat on a tree holding bread. A fox wanted it badly. She praised the crow’s singing and requested a song. Proud and foolish, the crow opened his beak to sing. The bread fell, and the fox grabbed it and ran away.

The crow realized he had been tricked.

Moral:

Do not be fooled by flattery.

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