The Hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. "I have never yet been beaten," said he, "when I put forth my full speed. I challenge any one here to race with me." The Tortoise said quietly, "I accept your challenge." "That is a good joke," said the Hare; "I could dance round you all the way." "Keep your boasting till you've won," answered the Tortoise. "Shall we race?" So a course was fixed and a start was made. The Hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the Tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The Tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the Hare awoke from his nap, he saw the Tortoise just near the winning-post and could not run up in time to save the race. Then the Tortoise said: "Slow but steady progress wins the race."

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. "Good day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking today: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds." The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox. "That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future: "Do not trust flatterers."

A Wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been flayed and thrown aside, so it put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep. The Lamb that belonged to the sheep whose skin the Wolf was wearing began to follow the Wolf in the Sheep's clothing. So, leading the Lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her - and for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals. Appearances are deceptive.

The Wind and the Sun were disputing which was the stronger. Suddenly they saw a traveller coming down the road, and the Sun said, "I see a way to decide our dispute. Whichever of us can cause that traveller to take off his cloak shall be regarded as the stronger. You begin." So the Sun retired behind a cloud, and the Wind began to blow as hard as it could upon the traveller. But the harder he blew the more closely did the traveller wrap his cloak round him, till at last the Wind had to give up in despair. Then the Sun came out and shone in all his glory upon the traveller, who soon found it too hot to walk with his cloak on.

The Fox and The Crane It was long, long ago when the Fox and the Crane were close friends. One fine day the Fox invited the Crane to dinner with her and said to him: «Come, buddy! Come, my dear! I’ll treat you heartily!” And so the Crane came to the Fox for the dinner party. The Fox had cooked semolina for the dinner and smeared it over the plate. Then she served it and treated her guest. “Help yourself to tasty dinner, my dear godfather. That was me who cooked it!” The Crane went peck-peck with his beak, knocked and knocked but couldn’t pick even a bit of fare. The Fox kept licking the cereal until she had eaten it all. When there’s no cereal at all, the Fox said, «Don’t feel offended, buddy. There’s nothing more to treat you”. «And thanks hereon, dear,” the Crane said, “now it’s your turn to visit me”. Next day the Fox came, and the Crane made okroshka and poured in into a tall pitcher with a narrow neck and treated the fox. “Help yourself to tasty dinner, my dear godmother. Honestly, there’s nothing more to entertain you”. The Fox spinned around the pitcher and licked it and sniffed it but couldn’t extract even a drop of the soup. Her head wouldn’t fit the pitcher at all. Meanwhile the Crane sucked the soup with his long bill. When everything had been eaten, he said to the Fox, «Don’t feel offended, dear. There’s nothing more to treat you”. The Fox got very angry as she hoped to be full up for the whole week along. So she left empty-handed. And that was a tit for tat! So, the Fox and the Crane hadn’t been friends anymore since then.

Grandmother grew a very big turnip. The grandfather came to pick it out, he tried so hard but couldn’t pull it out.          He called the grandmother. She pulled the grandfather, and he pulled the turnip but they didn’t manage anyway.        Then they called the granddaughter. They tried but still — no success.        The granddaughter called the dog. They tried to do it but the story happened again.        Then the dog called the cat but still they didn’t pull out the turnip.        Then they called the mouse. And finally they pulled the turnip out!  

An old man and an old woman lived poorly. The man asked the woman to make a bun. —“We have no flour. What do I need to make it?” She found some flour, made a bun and placed it on the open window to cool. The little bun suddenly rolled off.        The bun was rolling along the forest and faced a hare. The hare said: “I will eat you!” The little bun asked not to eat him and sang a song for the hare. While the little bun was singing, the hare distracted and didn’t get when the bun ran away.     The little bun rolled on and faced a wolf. And everything happened as with the hare. He sang a song and rolled away. The same happened with the bear. The little bun ran from everyone until he met a fox. She wasn’t as stupid as other animals. She asked the bun to sing.   When he finished she said: “What a beautiful song. But sweet bun, I am so old, so can you sit closer on my nose and sing to me one more time?” The bun did as he was asked and — bump — the fox ate him!  

Long time ago all the birds could talk like people. Most of all the birds, people liked the talkative parrot be­cause this honest bird always told the truth. He lived with a dishonest cruel man. One night the man killed his friend’s cow. When the friend came to look for it in the morning, he asked the dishonest cruel man, «Did you kill my cow yesterday?» «No, I didn’t,» said the man. «Is that the truth? Let’s ask the parrot, because he always tells the truth.» «Yes, he did. This dishonest cruel man killed the cow,» answered the parrot. When night came, the man had an idea. He put a great cup on the parrot’s head. Then he poured a lot of water on the cup. In the morning his friend and some other people came to his house again. «I know that this dishonest cruel man killed my cow. The parrot says that he did.» «You are wrong! That parrot tells lies. He will not tell the truth even about what happened last night. Ask him if there was the moon in the sky yesterday.» «No,» said the parrot. «There was no moon, it was raining all night.» «It is impossible! This bird tells lies! What shall we do?» the people said. «Fly away! You can’t live with us!» So the parrot flew away unhappily into the forest where he met a mocking-bird (пересмешник) and told him his story. «Why did you not repeat words as I do?» asked the mocking-bird. «Men always think their words are clever.» «But the man told lies and he was not intelligent,» said the parrot. «That is nothing,» answered the mocking-bird. «Say what they say, and they will think you are a wonderful and polite bird.» «Yes, I see,» said the parrot, «from now on, I will only repeat their words.»

Once upon a time there lived a Flower Fairy. She lived in a lovely garden full of flowers and trees. The Fairy was beautiful and kind, everybody loved her. There were young princes and princesses who lived with her in the garden. All of them were very happy because they were near her and they never left her until they grew up. When the time came and they had to leave her, she gave to each of them a gift. In her garden there was a Princess whose name was Sylvia. The Fairy loved her with all her heart as she was the nicest and the youngest. Two princesses Iris and Daphne grew up and left the beautiful garden. Once the Fairy wished to know how the princesses were doing.She decided to send Sylvia to them because it was the time for Sylvia to leave her and the girl did not know what gift she was going to ask. So, Sylvia got on a chariot drawn by butterflies and went to see Iris and Daphne. First, she arrived to the garden of Princess Iris. Iris got the gift of beauty from the Fairy. But unfortunately, she became ill and her beauty was gone. That is why Sylvia would not like to get the same gift. Then Sylvia was sent to Princess Daphne. Daphne was one of the princesses who asked for the gift of beautiful speech. Of course, she spoke well but she never stopped talking. So Sylvia did not like this gift, too. When she returned to the Fairy it was the time to get a gift. The Fairy asked what Sylvia wanted to take with her into the great world. Sylvia paused for a moment and then answered, «Happiness. To be happy in the world is all I want.» And the Fairy presented her with this gift. Sylvia never wanted expensive gold rings or big castles, she never envied anybody and was always happy. And all people around her were happy, too.

Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife who were happy to own a goose that laid a golden egg daily. In spite of their luck, however, they soon stopped being satisfied with their fortune and wanted even more. They imagined that if the goose can lay golden eggs, it must be made of gold inside. So they thought that if they could get all that precious metal at once, they would get very rich immediately. Then the couple decided to kill the bird. However, when they cut the goose open, they were shocked to find that its innards were just like any other goose has got!

This scary story for kids ends with a question, the answers to which can make the story even scarier.

Once there was a sultan who loved to eat. He ate three or four times a day. One after another, he ate yoghurt soup and potatoes with yoghurt and meat with yoghurt and fruit with youghurt. His dining-room was beautiful. There were large mirrors, thick carpets and expensive furniture in it. Music was played. Birds sang in their cages. Every day, the sultan looked in the mirror. He smiled when he saw how fat and round he was. ‘I’m sure I’m the fattest, roundest sultan in the world’, he thought. One day the sultan found that it was very difficult for him to walk: his body was too heavy. He couldn’t wear his beautiful clothes: they were too small. The sultan couldn’t get into his bath. A new bath was made, large enough to hold two elephants! Ten men helped the sultan to get into the bath. Ten men helped the sultan to get out again. The sultan was getting fatter and fatter. His beautiful expensive bed broke under him, his throne got a crack… Something had to be done. The sultan called his best magician. ‘I am too fat. I can’t wear my beautiful clothes! I can’t sit on my throne! I can’t walk in my garden! I want to get thinner. Try some of your magic spells!’ The magician tried his best magic spell but it didn’t help. He tried another one. The sultan didn’t get thinner. ‘I’m too old’, said the magician. ‘I can’t help you. You must find a doctor.’ The sultan’s men went out all over the kingdom, crying: ‘Listen! Listen! The Sultan has become too fat. He must have a doctor to help him to become thin again. Who can help Sultan? Your prize will be great.’ Doctors hurried to the palace from all parts of the kingdom. Each one was sure that he could help the sultan. The first doctor looked at the sultan. Then he said, ‘My Sultan, you must eat nothing but fruit.’ The Sultan tried for a week to eat nothing but fruit. He had fruit for beakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner. He tried to eat nothing but fruit. Oh, he ate between meals now and then. Some potatoes with meat, or white bread with butter and jam… And nothing was better than a few plates of honey cakes. At the end of the week, the first doctor came to see the sultan. The sultan was fatter than ever. ‘Take him away! Put him in prison!’ shouted the sultan. ‘Give him nothing but fruit.’ Another doctor looked at the sultan. Then he said, ‘My Sultan, you must take nothing but hot tea.’ The sultan tried for a week to take nothing but hot tea for breakfast, hot tea for lunch, hot tea for dinner. Oh, he ate between meals now and then, because he was so hungry. Some rice with meat, some bread with jam and, of course, honey cakes. At the end of the week, the second doctor came to see the sultan. The sultan was fatter than ever. ‘Take him away! Put him in prison!’ shouted the sultan. ‘Give him nothing but hot tea.’ The third doctor came. ‘Give the sultan hot baths every day,’ he said. The sultan had hot baths every day but between baths he ate and ate. So this doctor was sent to prison, too. More and more doctors came. ‘Nothing but meat!’ said one doctor. ‘No music at meals!’ said another. ‘Less sleep!’ ‘Nothing but yoghurt!’ ‘Nothing but rice!’ One after another, forty doctors tried to help the sultan. One after another, forty doctors were put in prison. As for the sultan, he grew fatter and fatter. One day a wise hamal passed the palace. On his back he carried the furniture of a whole house. ‘Hamal!’ called the sultan’s page. ‘Come to the palace!’ The hamal put down the furniture. He hurried after the page. ‘You can carry the furniture from a whole house,’ said the page. ‘Lift our sultan into his bed.’ For a minute hamal looked at the sultan. He knew of the sultan’s problems. ‘What does it matter if he sits on his throne or gets into his bed? He will be dead in forty days!’ the hamal said. ‘What did you say?’ asked the sultan. ‘You’ll be dead in forty days,’ said the hamal again. ‘How do you know?’ ‘I j

The Nightingale and the Rose by Oscar Wilde The Nightingale and the Rose was first published in 1888 as part of Oscar Wilde's collection of children's stories entitled The Happy Prince and Other Tales. That collection of children's stories also includes: The Happy Prince, The Selfish Giant, The Devoted Friend, and The Remarkable Rocket.

There was once a King and a Queen. The King had a daughter and the Queen had a daughter. The King’s daughter was ?🧐😃

Once upon a time there lived a dragon whose name was Komodo [ka’moudou]. He could breathe fire, and all the people who lived nearby were afraid of him. When they heard him or saw him, they ran away and hid. They could always hear him because he had six feet, and wore three pairs of shoes, and each of his shoes creaked. One day he met a little girl who wasn’t afraid of him. «Why are you so fierce?» she asked. «Why do you breathe fire when you see anybody?» «Well,» said Komodo, «I never really thought about it. Shall I stop it?» «Yes, please,» said the little girl whose name was Susie [‘sju:zi]. «All right,» said Komodo, «I’ll try.» They said good-bye to each other, and Susie went home. It was beginning to get dark. Susie was surprised because all the lamps in the town were not lit. She found out that it was because of the lamplighter,whose name was Charlie. Charlie hadn’t lit the street lamps because he was still in bed. He was tired after lighting the lamps the night before. The mayor of the town was very angry with Charlie. «What must I do about that?» he thought. Then Susie had an idea. She ran to Komodo’s cave, brought him to the town. Komodo breathed fire on each lamp and lit it. How glad the people were! Now they were not afraid of the dragon. They could see he was a friendly animal. And after that Komodo came and lit the lamps every time when Charlie had his holiday. Источник: The Useful Dragon (из цикла "Английский язык для детей") http://englishstory.ru/ckazka-dlya-detey-na-angliyskom-yazyike-s-perevodom.html#ixzz6jLgXq7gM

This little gem of a story by Hans Christian Andersen reveals the ultimate test to find out whether or not a girl is a true princess. It is short, but sweet, and an enduring favourite. The English text is the Andrew Lang version, from his Yellow Fairy book, first published in 1894. Proofread by Claire Deakin. Read by Natasha. Duration just 4.30.

The Ant and the Grasshopper One summer’s day a Grasshopper was hopping about in the field, singing and chirping to its heart’s content. An Ant passed by, carrying with great effort an ear of corn he was taking to his home. «Why not come and have a chat with me,» the Grasshopper said, «instead of fussing all day long?». «I am busy saving up food for the winter,» the Ant said, «and that would be better for you to do the same.» «Why bother about cold?» the Grasshopper answered; «we have got a lot of food at present.» But the Ant went on its supply. When the winter came the Grasshopper got very cold and hungry while it kept watching the ants replete with corn and grain from the stores they had collected and saved in the summer. Then the Grasshopper understood…