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Short stories

Mum, read me one more story, please...Okay, just a short one. Looking for "one more" bedtime story? Our short stories will entertain and enlighten children in just a few minutes. They're perfect when you need entertainment on the go, to fill a short wait, or when you're tired but want to round off the day with a proper happy ending.

Agatha and Margaret at the Lake

Marian Dyno Buric

Agatha and Margaret at the Lake

6
 min
3
+
4.63

A cheerful story about animals and nature for very young children. Twin sisters Agatha and Margaret go on a trip to a lake, get to know its inhabitants and learn more new words from their mother.

Short stories
Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves

Florence Holbrook

Why the Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves

6
 min
3
+
4.65

Why do some trees lose their leaves in autumn and others do not? Find out in this warm winter fairy tale. Meet the cruel north wind and some helpful trees who take in a little robin with the broken wing. They receive an unexpected reward for their kindness!

Short stories
The Rooster and the Fox

Aesop

The Rooster and the Fox

4
 min
5
+
4.65

One day, a rooster meets a fox near the forest and is surprised when he tells him that all the animals are now friends and he need not be afraid of him. The rooster has his wits about him, though, and uses a clever trick to check whether the fox is telling him the truth.

Short stories
The Sleepy Kitten

Dominika Sakmarova

The Sleepy Kitten

7
 min
3
+
4.82

The little kitten in this story is sleepy. He needs a soft pillow to help him fall asleep. But where can he find one? This soothing bedtime story for our youngest listeners takes you on a sleepy journey with the sweet little kitten to find the comfiest cat-nap spot.

Short stories
The Stag and His Reflection

Aesop

The Stag and His Reflection

4
 min
5
+
4.73

What’s the most beautiful is not always the most useful. The majestic stag can’t help looking at his antlers on the flat watery surface of the forest lake and admiring their beauty. At the same time though, having noticed his long and thin legs, he doesn’t like them at all. However, he doesn’t know yet that a hungry lion is watching him. To learn what happens next, read the fable.

Short stories
The Grasshopper and the Ants

Aesop

The Grasshopper and the Ants

5
 min
5
+
4.54

This version of Aesop's fable teaches us that we always have to think about the future. When the young grasshopper saw the ants stocking up for the winter in the middle of the summer, it made her laugh. How could anyone work when there was such good weather outside? But the days passed, and soon the heat and sunlight were replaced by cold and snow. And while the ants had things ready, the grasshopper had to wait for anyone who’d feel sorry for it.

Short stories
The Oak and the Fern

Aesop

The Oak and the Fern

6
 min
5
+
4.71

Sometimes it’s better to back off than to resist at all costs. A strong and beautiful oak couldn’t imagine anything that could beat it. This was what it liked to boast about to all the other trees and grasses. But when a storm comes, it learns that sometimes it’s better and wiser to retreat.

Short stories
The Swan and the Crow

Aesop

The Swan and the Crow

5
 min
5
+
4.66

If we want to be happy, it is important to accept who we are. The crow greatly admires the majestic swans swimming on the lake. One day she decides that she too would like to become a beautiful swan. But she almost loses her life by trying to imitate the swans.

Short stories
The North Wind and the Sun

Aesop

The North Wind and the Sun

5
 min
3
+
4.67

This version of Aesop's fable teaches that peace and a smile can help you achieve more than anger and strength. The North wind and the sun couldn’t figure out who was stronger. In the end, they decide that the first one to take the coat off the traveller who was walking along the way would win.

Short stories
John’s Fable

Slovak Tale

John’s Fable

5
 min
5
+
4.34

This is a story from a collection of Slovak folk tales. The resourceful servant John wins a chest of coins from his master. His master, being bored, had offered it to anyone who could make up a story so unbelievable that they wouldn’t even believe themselves as they spoke. Everyone who tried had left without success. John, his servant, is the last one to give it a try.

Short stories
The Moon and his Mother

Aesop

The Moon and his Mother

5
 min
3
+
4.62

The ones who truly love us don’t care what we look like. Once upon a time, the moon thought to herself that after all these years of staring up at her pale form, people simply must be bored with her looks. So she decided to spruce herself up a bit. She even asked her mother to tailor her a beautiful dress. To find out what happened next, read the rest of this retelling of Aesop’s famous fable.

Short stories
The Beef Tongue

Cuban Tale

The Beef Tongue

5
 min
8
+
4.7

Even useful things can harm us when misused. A young helper named Orula is given the task of cooking the best and the worst meal on earth. He makes two of the same dish. How does he explain it? You’ll learn in this classic Cuban tale.

Short stories
The Honest Woodcutter

Aesop

The Honest Woodcutter

5
 min
5
+
4.67

Honesty pays off. A woodcutter was cutting a tree when his ax slipped and fell to the bottom of the mountain stream. Luckily for him, Mercury, the god of water, saw how miserable the woodcutter was and decided to help. But not before he had tested him.

Short stories
The Tortoise and The Hare

Aesop

The Tortoise and The Hare

5
 min
5
+
4.74

The hare was always showing-off, mocking the tortoise for being so slow and boasting about his running speed. Fed up with all the ridicule, the tortoise suggests holding a race. The hare finds this a completely comical idea and laughs his head off. But of course he cannot resist the opportunity to humiliate her, so a race is promptly organised. Let’s find out how they get on.

Short stories
The Peacock and the Crane

Aesop

The Peacock and the Crane

5
 min
5
+
4.64

Nature takes something from us, and gives something in return. The peacock is so obsessed with its own beauty that over time it begins to completely ignore the other animals. They aren't beautiful enough for it to talk to them. They decide to teach it a small lesson.

Short stories
The Land of the Eagles

Albanian Legend

The Land of the Eagles

5
 min
5
+
4.63

Albania is a country they sometimes call the land of eagles. There is a legend that explains its name. When a brave hunter saved a young eagle from danger, he laid the foundations of an inseparable friendship between man and eagle.

Short stories
The Evil Sons

Indian Tale

The Evil Sons

5
 min
8
+
4.69

This Indian story is about an old man who, at the end of his life, carefully divides all his property between three sons. Sadly for him, he receives no gratitude from them at all in return. Annoyed, the old man eventually comes up with a way to give his ungrateful sons the lesson they truly deserve.

Short stories
The Old Oak Tree

Readmio

The Old Oak Tree

5
 min
3
+
4.69

This bedtime story aims to connect the life of the forest with the lives of humans. An old oak tree provides protection and a peaceful place for forest creatures to rest, serving as a cosy home for many animals. The tale evokes a friendly atmosphere and a sense of security and safety, to comfort your child as they drift off to dreamland.

Short stories

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