1. The Kind Lion
Illustration: A lion helping a mouse.
Once upon a time, a lion caught a tiny mouse. The mouse begged, “Please let me go, and I will help you someday!” The lion laughed and released the mouse. Later, the lion was trapped in a hunter’s net. The mouse heard the lion’s roars and ran to chew through the ropes, setting the lion free.
Moral: A small act of kindness can go a long way.
2. The Honest Woodcutter
Illustration: A woodcutter finding a golden axe.
A poor woodcutter accidentally dropped his axe into a river. A magical god appeared and asked, “Why are you sad?” The woodcutter explained. The god gave him a golden axe and a silver axe, but the woodcutter refused them, saying, “I only want my old axe.” The god, impressed by his honesty, rewarded him with all three axes.
Moral: Honesty is always rewarded.
3. The Tortoise and the Hare
Illustration: A tortoise and hare racing.
The speedy hare laughed at the slow tortoise and challenged him to a race. Confident that he would win, the hare took a nap while the tortoise kept moving slowly and steadily. When the hare woke up, the tortoise had already crossed the finish line.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
4. The Ant and the Grasshopper
Illustration: An ant working hard and a grasshopper relaxing.
The ant worked hard all summer, collecting food for the winter, while the grasshopper sang and played. When winter came, the grasshopper had no food and begged the ant for help. The ant said, “I worked hard when I had the chance.”
Moral: Hard work pays off in the long run.
5. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Illustration: A boy calling for help while playing with a wolf puppet.
A shepherd boy, feeling bored, cried out, “Wolf! Wolf!” to trick the villagers. They rushed to help, but there was no wolf. The boy laughed at their reaction. But one day, when a wolf really appeared, and the boy shouted for help, no one believed him.
Moral: Don’t lie or people won’t trust you when you tell the truth.
6. The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
Illustration: A farmer holding a golden egg.
A farmer had a goose that laid a golden egg every day. Wanting to get all the gold at once, he killed the goose, only to find no gold inside. He lost both the goose and the golden eggs.
Moral: Don’t be greedy; appreciate what you have.
7. The Crow and the Pitcher
Illustration: A crow dropping pebbles into a pitcher.
One hot day, a thirsty crow found a pitcher with a little water at the bottom. The crow dropped pebbles into the pitcher, and the water rose high enough for him to drink.
Moral: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
8. The Fox and the Grapes
Illustration: A fox looking at grapes hanging high on a vine.
A hungry fox saw some grapes hanging high on a vine. He jumped and tried to reach them, but they were out of his reach. Frustrated, the fox walked away saying, “The grapes must be sour anyway.”
Moral: Don’t let your desires lead to disappointment.
9. The Dog and His Reflection
Illustration: A dog looking into the water at his reflection with a bone.
A dog was crossing a bridge with a bone in his mouth. He saw his reflection in the water and thought it was another dog with a bigger bone. He tried to grab it, but his bone fell into the water, and he lost both.
Moral: Don’t be greedy; be happy with what you have.
10. The Lion and the Mouse
Illustration: A lion and a mouse sitting together.
One day, a lion caught a mouse and was about to eat it. The mouse begged for its life and promised to help the lion someday. The lion laughed but let it go. Later, when the lion was caught in a net, the mouse came and chewed the ropes, freeing the lion.
Moral: Even the smallest creatures can make a big difference.