1. The Honest Woodcutter
Once upon a time, there was a poor woodcutter who accidentally dropped his axe into a river. The river’s god appeared and asked, “Why are you sad?” The woodcutter explained. The god then offered him a golden axe and a silver axe, but the woodcutter refused. “I only want my old axe,” he said. Impressed by his honesty, the god gave him all three axes.
Moral: Honesty is always rewarded.
2. The Lion and the Mouse
One day, a lion caught a mouse and was about to eat it. The mouse begged, “Please let me go, and I will help you someday.” The lion laughed and set the mouse free. Later, the lion was caught in a hunter’s net. The mouse heard him and chewed through the ropes to set him free.
Moral: Even the smallest creatures can help the mighty.
3. The Tortoise and the Hare
The hare boasted about how fast he was and challenged the tortoise to a race. Confident that he would win, the hare took a nap during the race. Meanwhile, the tortoise kept going slowly but steadily and won the race.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
4. The Ant and the Grasshopper
One summer, a hardworking ant stored food for the winter while the grasshopper sang and played. When winter came, the grasshopper had no food and asked the ant for help. The ant said, “You should have worked when you had the chance.”
Moral: Hard work pays off in the long run.
5. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
A shepherd boy was bored and decided to trick the villagers by shouting, “Wolf! Wolf!” The villagers rushed to help, only to find there was no wolf. The boy laughed. But when a wolf actually appeared and he cried for help, no one believed him.
Moral: Don’t lie, or people won’t trust you when you’re telling the truth.
6. The Dog and His Reflection
A dog was crossing a bridge with a piece of meat in his mouth. He looked into the water and saw his reflection, thinking it was another dog with a bigger piece of meat. He dropped his own and tried to grab the other piece, but the reflection disappeared, and he lost both.
Moral: Don’t be greedy or you might lose everything.
7. The Crow and the Pitcher
One hot day, a thirsty crow found a pitcher with a little water at the bottom. The crow dropped small pebbles into the pitcher, making the water rise. The crow drank and flew away happily.
Moral: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
8. The Fox and the Grapes
A hungry fox saw some grapes hanging from a vine and tried to reach them but couldn’t. Frustrated, he walked away, saying, “The grapes are probably sour anyway.”
Moral: It’s easy to say something is not worth having when you can’t get it.
9. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
A farmer had a goose that laid a golden egg every day. Thinking the goose must be full of gold, the farmer killed it, hoping to get all the gold at once. But there was nothing inside, and he lost both the goose and the eggs.
Moral: Don’t be greedy; appreciate what you have.
10. The Fox and the Crow
A crow found a piece of cheese and sat on a tree to eat it. A fox, wanting the cheese, flattered the crow, saying, “What a beautiful voice you have! Would you sing for me?” As the crow opened its beak to sing, the cheese fell, and the fox quickly grabbed it.
Moral: Don’t let flattery trick you.