Stories in English to read!
Do you enjoy reading stories? Read our entertaining short stories specially written for intermediate or upper intermediate level learners. These short stories in English include vocabulary help.
The Strange Hen
Once a man had a strange goose. It laid a golden egg daily. Soon he grew very rich. He was a greedy fellow. One day he thought seriously about the goose. He said to himself, “If I cut the goose open, I shall get all the eggs at one time”. So he took a knife and killed the goose. There was none to be found. The greedy man beat his brow. He had lost the goose that laid the golden eggs.
Moral: It is no use crying over spilled milk.
Stories in English to read infographic – 1
The Dove and the Ant
One day an ant came to a river to drink water. The ant slipped and fell into the water. A kind dove saw the struggling ant. The dove dropped a leaf near the ant. The ant climbed onto the leaf. The ant’s life was saved by the kind dove. After a few days, a hunter came to the forest. The ant saw the hunter aiming at the dove. The ant bit the hunter on the foot. The dove was alarmed by the noise and flew to a safer place.
Moral: A good beginning makes a good end.
Stories in English to read infographic – 2
Do not be flooded by flattering
Once a crow stole some cheese and flew to a nearby tree. A fox saw the crow and his piece of cheese. He hit upon a plan to trick the crow. He said to the crow.” You are a fine bird. Would you not sing me a song?” The foolish crow opened his beak to sing. The piece of cheese fell down. The fox ate it up and ran away.
Moral: Do not be flooded by flattering.
Stories in English to read infographic – 3
The Lion and the Mouse
Once there lived a lion in the forest. One day it was sleeping under the shade of a tree. A little mouse was playing near its hole. It ran over the lion’s body. The lion woke up and caught the mouse. The lion wanted to kill the mouse. The mouse begged pardon. The lion took pity on it and set it free. After some days, the lion was caught in a rope net. It tried its best to break the rope but could not free itself. The lion roared. The mouse heard the lion’s roar. He came to the lion’s help. The mouse cut the ropes with its sharp teeth. In a short time, the lion was free. He thanked the mouse.
Moral: (1) Do good have good. (2) Tit for tat (3) Kindness is always rewarded.
Stories in English to read infographic – 4
A good beginning makes a good end
Once I was going to my school. The road was very busy. Suddenly I saw a crowd in the middle of the road. I thought somebody had met an accident. I pushed my way through the crowd and what I saw. There was a woman lying on the road. She was injured. Her head was bleeding. I was surprised why nobody was ready to help her. I took my handkerchief out of my pocket and I put it on her head. Seeing me helping the woman, somebody called for the rescue team. Meanwhile, two healthy men helped her to stand up and came to the footpath. The rescue team arrived in time and took her to the hospital. Thus her life was saved. My timely initiative to stop her bleeding encouraged others to help her.
Moral: A good beginning makes a good end.
Stories in English to read infographic – 5
Thirsty crow
Once a crow was very thirsty. He flew here and there in search of water. But he found nothing. At last, he reached a garden. He saw a pitcher of water there. There was some water at the bottom of the pitcher of water there. The crow’s beak could not reach the water. He was very Wise. He hit upon an idea and collected some pebbles and put them into the pitcher one by one. The water rose up slowly. The crow quenched his thirst and flew with pleasure.
Moral:
Necessity is the mother of invention.
Greedy Dog
Once a dog was very greedy. He went to the butcher shop and stole a piece of meat from his shop. He runs away to the forest. had to cross a stream on the way. When he was passing the bridge. He saw a dog’s reflection into the water which had a piece of meat in his mouth. He wanted to snatch the piece of meat he barked and opened his mouth his piece of meat fell into the river. Then he found that there was not another dog in the river. It was his own reflection.
Moral:
Greed Is Curse.
Hare and tortoise
Once, there were a hare and a tortoise. They lived in a forest. They were fast friends. The hare always laughed at the tortoise. One day, the hare forced the tortoise to run a race. The tortoise accepted the challenge. The race started at a fixed time. The hare ran as fast as could.
He disappeared in no time on the way the hare thought to take rest for a while. He lay down under a shady tree and was fast asleep. The tortoise walked slowly. He did not lose heart. He saw the hare sleeping on the way and passed silently. At last, he reached a fixed place after a long time. The hare woke up and ran very fast. But he had to face defeat to see the tortoise there. It is a fact pried hath a fall.
Moral:
Pride hath a fall.
The fox and the grapes
Once there was a fox. One day, he passed near a garden. He saw some bunches of grapes hanging there. The grapes were ripe. He wanted to catch them. He tried his best to catch the bunch of grapes and jumped again and again but all in vain. At last, he was tired. He said the grapes are sour. I did not like them, saying this he took his way.
Moral:
Grapes are sour.
Union is strength
Once there was an old farmer. He had three sons. He was about to die. They always had been quarreling with one another. He was very sad for them. One day, he called his sons and said “Quarrelling is a bad thing” you should love one another.
Then he ordered his servant to bring a bundle of sticks. When he brought the bundle of sticks, the father said to his son, “break this bundle” all boys tried their best one by one. But they could not break it. At last, the farmer ordered the servant to untie the bundle. The farmer said to his youngest son to break the stick. He succeeded to break it, the other two boys also broke all the sticks one by one easily. Then he advised them to live like united sticks.
Moral:
The union is strength.
A foolish stage
Once a stag was drinking water at a pool. He saw his own reflection in its clear water. He admired his beautiful horns but did not like his weak legs. Suddenly he saw hounds running towards him. He run for his life towards the jungle. Unfortunately, his horns were caught in a bush. He tried to free himself but in vain. Meanwhile, the hounds caught him and tore him into pieces.
Moral:
All that glitter is not gold.
The farmer and the snake
A farmer was returning home from the town one day. He saw a snake almost frozen on account of cold. He took pity on it and carried it home in his basket. There he placed it near the fire and his children gathered around it. After a few minutes, it began to move about. All of a sudden it rushed at one of them. But the farmer killed it with his stick before it could bite him.
Moral:
Nature cannot be changed.
Shepherd and the wolf
A shepherd boy used to graze sheep in a jungle. He, as a joke, cried “wolf! Wolf!”, the boy was laughing. They cursed him. The boy repeated the joke after a few days. Ongoing to help the boy, they saw no wolf. The villagers become angry. One day, a wolf really came there. The shepherd was afraid and cried “wolf! Wolf!” The villagers did not come for help. The wolf killed the boy and ate a lot of sheep.
Moral:
Once a liar, always a liar.
The slave and a lion
A cruel master had many slaves. He often punished them for nothing. Once a slave ran away to a jungle and hid in a cave. He began to live there. One day, he came across a lion. He got frightened. He wanted to run away. But then he saw that the lion was humping. He also caught sight of his badly swollen paw. The lion could hardly walk. He took pity on him. He went near him and pulled out the thorn from his paw. The lion looked at him with gratitude and went his way. After a long time, the slave was caught. The master decided to throw him before the hungry lion. The lion, instead of killing him, began to lick his feet. In fact, it was the same lion that had met the slave in the jungle. When the master learned the real event, he was moved to tears and freed both the friends.
Moral:
Do good have good?
The King and the spider
Robert Bruce was the king of Scotland. Once he was defeated so badly that he had to run away for his life. He hid in a cave. He was very sad and hopeless. Suddenly, he saw a spider. It was trying to reach its cobweb. When it reached near it, it fell down. It fell down much time the king thought that it would try no more. But he was very surprised to see that it had already begun to climb again. This time, it succeeds in its efforts. The king got hopeful. He thought about why he could not. He fought with a new spirit. This time he succeeds in defeating them.
Moral:
Failure leads to success.
Infographics (Stories in English to read)
More Lessons to Study:
Download this lesson of “Stories in English to read” in PDF.
