The Cunning Fox and the Clever Stork

THE CUNNING FOX AND THE CLEVER STORK

Once upon a time, there lived a very cunning and mischievous fox. He used to speak to other animals sweetly and gain their trust, before playing tricks on them

One day, the fox met a stork. He befriended the stork and acted like a very good friend. Soon, he invited the stork to have a feast with him. The stork happily accepted the invitation.

The day of the feast came, and the stork went to the fox's house. To her surprise and disappointed, the fox said he could not make a big feast as promised, and just offered some soup. When he brought the soup out of the kitchen, the stork saw that it was a shallow bowl!

The poor stork could not have any soup with its long bill, but the fox easily licked the soup from the plate. As the stork just touched the soup with the tip of its bill, the fox asked her: "How is the soup? Don't you like it?".

The hungry stork replied: "Oh it is good, but my stomach is upset, and I can't take anymore soup!".

"I'm sorry for troubling you!", said the fox.

The stork repried, "Oh dear, please don't say sorry. I have some health problem and cannot enjoy you offer!".

She left the place after thanking the fox, and inviting him to her house for dinner.

The day arrived and the fox reached the stork's place. After exchanging pleasanties, the stork served soup for both of them, in a narrow jar with a long neck. She was very easily with her long bill, but the fox obviously could not. 

After finishing hers, the stork asked the fox if he was enjoying the soup. The fox remembered the feast he himself had given the stork, and felt very ashamed. He stammered: "I..I'd better leave now I have a tummy ache".

Humiliated, he left the place running.

Moral: One bad turn begets another

Source: http://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories_foxandstork.php

The Hare and the Tortoise

THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE

There once was a speedy Hare who bagged about how fast he could run. Tired of hearing him boast, the Tortoise challenged him to a race. All the animals in the forest gathered to watch.

The Hare ran down the road for a while and then paused to rest. He looked back at the Tortoise and cried out: "How do you expect to win this race when you are walking along at your slow, slow pace?"

The Tortoise walked and walked, never ever stopping until he came to the finish line.

The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for the Tortoise that they woke up the Hare. The Hare stretched, yawned and began to run, but it was to late. The Tortoise had already crossed the finish line. 

Moral: SLOW AND STEADY WIN THE RACE

Addition 1

After being defeated by the tortoise, the Hare did some soul-searching. He knew that though he had tried hard in the beginning, he was not consistent, and had overconfident. He was determined to undo his mistakes, and invited the Tortoise for another race. This time, the rabbit was careful to run the whole distance, and of course, emerged the winner.

Moral: FAST AND CONSISTENT MAY BE BETTER THAN SLOW AND STEADY.

Addition 2

After emerging the loser in the second race, the Toitose thought long and hard. He knew that in any traditional terrain, the hare would win, if he was fast and consistent. Therefore, he thought of a non-traditional terrain for the race. Then he invited the rabbit for another race. This time the rabbit laughed out loud, thinking that the Tortoise was out of his head. But the Tortoise insisted that there should be another race and the terrain would be decided by the Tortoise. The rabbit agreed to the idea.

The race began. The rabbit was leading in front, with the Tortoise far back trundling along. Around hafl way through the race, they came across a river. The rabbit halted on the bank of the river, wondering how to cross the river. Meanwhile, the Tortoise approached the river slowly, got into the water, swam across, climbed up on the other bank, ran the fast few kilometers, and won the race. 

Moral: WHEN YOUR CAPABILITIES ARE BELOW PAR, CHOOSE A PLAYING GROUND THAT GIVES YOU A NATURAL ADVANTAGE. 

Source: http://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories_hareandtortoise.php

The Gooses with the Golden Eggs

THE GOOSE WITH THE GOLDEN EGGS

Once upon a time, a man and his wife had the good fortune to have a goose which laid a golden eggs everyday. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not rich fast enough.

They imagined that if the bird is able to lay golden eggs, its inside must be made of gold. And they thought that if they could get all that precious metal at once, they would get mightly rich very soon. So the man and his wife decided to kill the bird. 

However, upon cutting the googes open, they were shocked to find that its innards were like that of any other goose!

KILL NOT THE GOOSE THAT LAYS GOLDEN EGGS

"...that everyone who feel entitled to and tries ro get more than he is already receiving, is most likely to get nothing in the future"

Source: http://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories_goosewithgoldeneggs.php

The Lion and the Mouse

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

Once when a lion, the king of the jungle, was asleep, a little mouse began running up and down on him. This soon awakened the lion. who placed this huge paw on the mouse, and opened his jaws swallow him.

"Pardon, O King!"cried the little mouse. "Forgive me this time. I shall never repeat it and never forget your kindness. And who knows, I may be able to do you a good turn one of these days!"

The lion was so tickled by the idea of the mouse being able to help him that he lifted his paw and let him go.

Sometime later, a few hunters captured the lion, and tied him to the tree. After that they went in search of a wagon, and take him to the zoo.

Just then the little mouse happened to pass by. On seeing the lion's light, he ran up to him and gnawed away the ropes that bound him, the king of the jungle.

"Was I not right?" said the little mouse. very happy to help the lion.

Source: http://www.kidsworldfun.com/shortstories_lionandmouse.php