Do you remember the stories that you read as a child? Moral stories can needn’t be serious, but they can be funny at the same time help your child learn something. We have compiled a list of 07 short moral stories that are inspirational, from India, and from around the world. <h3>1. The Boy Who Cried, Wolf</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/the_boy_who_cried%2C_wolf.webp_image_1638188646554.webp" width="359">There was a young boy whose father, a farmer, had asked him to take their herd of sheep grazing every day.One day, the boy was extremely bored as he watched over the sheep and so he cried: “Wolf! Wolf!”On hearing his cries, the villagers rushed to help him chase the wolf away and save the sheep.When they saw the grinning boy and realised he had cried wolf for his amusement, they scolded him and told him to not cry wolf!The next day, the boy cried out that the wolf was there. The villagers came, scolded him again, and left.Later that same day, a wolf came and terrorized the sheep.The boy cried, “Wolf! Wolf! Please help me.”But, the villagers assumed that he was pulling a silly prank again and did not come to his rescue. The sheep ran away and the boy cried.Moral of the story: Don’t lie or engage in foolish pranks, for no one will believe a liar even when he is telling the truth! <h3>2. The Golden Touch Of Midas</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/the_golden_touch_of_midas.jpg_image_1638188804006.jpg" width="365">A long time ago, there lived a king in Greece named Midas.He was extremely wealthy and had all the gold he could ever need. He also had a daughter whom he loved very much.One day, Midas saw a Satyr (an angel) who was stuck and was in trouble. Midas helped the Satyr and asked for his wish to be granted in return.The Satyr agreed and Midas wished for everything he touched to be turned to gold. His wish was granted.Extremely excited, Midas went home to his wife and daughter touching pebbles, rocks, and plants on the way, which turned into gold.As his daughter hugged him, she turned into a golden statue.Having learnt his lesson, Midas begged the Satyr to reverse the spell who granted that everything would go back to their original state.Moral of the story: Stay content and grateful for what you have. Greed will not get you anywhere. <h3>3. The Foolish Thief</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/the_foolish_thief.jpg_image_1638188856227.jpg" width="362">Once, a wealthy merchant came to King Akbar’s court to seek help from Birbal. He suspected that one of his servants had robbed him.On hearing this, Birbal thought of a clever plan and summoned the merchant’s servants.He gave each servant a stick of the same length. He told them that the thief’s stick would grow two inches by the next day.The next day, Birbal summoned the servants again. He noticed that a servant’s stick was two inches shorter than the others.He knew who the thief was.The foolish thief had cut the stick shorter by two inches as he thought it would grow two inches. Thus, proving his guilt.Moral of the story: Truth and justice will always prevail. <h3>4. Two Frogs With The Same Problem</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/two_frogs_with_the_same_problem.png_image_1638188962564.png" width="346">Once, a group of frogs was roaming around the forest in search of water. Suddenly, two frogs in the group accidentally fell into a deep pit.The other frogs worried about their friends in the pit.Seeing how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that there was no way they could escape the deep pit and that there was no point in trying.They continued to constantly discourage them as the two frogs tried to jump out of the pit. But keep falling back.Soon, one of the two frogs started to believe the other frogs — that they’ll never be able to escape the pit and eventually died after giving up.The other frog keeps trying and eventually jumps so high that he escapes the pit. The other frogs were shocked at this and wondered how he did it.The difference was that the second frog was deaf and couldn’t hear the discouragement of the group. He simply thought they were cheering him on!Moral of the story: People’s opinion of you will affect you, only if you believe it to be so. It’s better to believe in yourself. <h3>5. The Milkmaid and Her Pail</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/the_milkmaid_and_her_pail.jpg_image_1638189037353.jpg" width="348">There was once a milkmaid named Patty.She milked her cow and carried the two pails of milk she fetched on a stick and set out to sell the milk at the market.As she was walking to the market, she began to daydream about what she would do with the money she fo for the milk.She thought of buying a hen and selling its eggs and she planned on becoming wealthy.She dreamt of buying a cake, a basket of strawberries, a fancy dress, and even a new house with the money she would make selling the eggs and the milk!In her excitement, she forgot about the pails she was carrying and began to skip.Suddenly, she realised that the milk was spilling down and when she checked her pails, they were empty.Moral of the story: Don’t count your chickens before they hatch! It is important to focus on the process of achieving success and not just success alone. <h3>6. The Elephant Circus</h3><img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/elepahnt_circus.jpg_image_1638189224771.jpg" width="361">Once upon a time in a circus, five elephants performed circus tricks. They were kept tied up with weak rope that they could’ve easily escaped, but did not.One day, a man visiting the circus asked the ringmaster: “Why haven’t these elephants broken the rope and run away?”The ringmaster replied: “From when they were young, the elephants were made to believe that they were not strong enough to break the ropes and escape.”It was because of this belief that they did not even try to break the ropes now.Moral of the story: Don’t give in to the limitations of society. Believe that you can achieve everything you want to!<h3> </h3>7. The Elephants And The Mice<img src="https://bee-assets-production.s3.amazonaws.com/image/1_xvfat_v8xumqnkx7-3jcka.png_image_1638189285226.png" width="350">In an earthquake-hit village abandoned by humans, a colony of mice lived. Near the village was a lake, which was used by a herd of elephants.The elephants would have to cross the village to go to the lake. Thus, one day, as they walked through, they trampled a lot of mice.The leader of the mice met with the elephants and requested them to take a different route to the lake. He promised them that their favour would be returned in the time of their need.The elephants laughed. How could such small mice help these large elephants in any way? But then, they agreed to take a different route.Not so long after, the mice heard that hunters had caught the herd of elephants and were tied in nets.Immediately, they rush to rescue the elephants. They gnawed through the nets and ropes with their sharp teeth.The leader of the elephants repeatedly thanked the mice for their help!Moral of the story: A friend in need is a friend indeed. Make sure you help your friends out whenever they need it. They should always be able to count on you. That’s all folks!We hope children like these short yet interesting stories with morals that we have read growing up!There are more and more stories with morals on <a href="https://www.beeparenting.com/s/moral-stories" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bee Stories</a>.

Short stories with moral values will teach your children some important lessons which they will remember always.

07 Must Read Short Moral Stories For Children

Short stories with moral values will teach your children some important lessons which they will remember always.

Ravina Sewani

jThere once was a speedy Hare who bragged 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 Hare stretched himself out alongside the road and fell asleep, thinking, "There is plenty of time to relax."The Tortoise walked and walked, never ever stopping until he came to the finish line.The animals who were watching cheered so loudly for Tortoise that they woke up the Hare. The Hare stretched, yawned and began to run again, but it was too late. Tortoise had already crossed the finish line. Moral:Slow and steady wins the race.

The Hare and The Tortoise: A Tortoise asks the Hare of the jungle to race against him. The hare being the faster one reaches ahead and rests for awhile. Meanwhile, the tortoise continues at his slow pace and crosses the finish line and wins the race.

The Hare and The Tortoise

Book Author

As a child, Chandra Shekhar was very brave and fearless. Once in Diwali, he fired the colour match stick in his palm. His palm was burnt badly so he thought that his father will be angry so he left home and ran away to the jungle!As a child he attended the village school but did not take much interest in studies and used to roam around and play with tribal boys, using bows and arrows as toys. The village life somehow did not interest him and one day he left without informing his parents. He was fourteen at the time. His worried parents were relieved when they received a letter from their son telling them that he was in Kashi, studying Sanskrit in a pathshala (school).We all know the famous court incident when just 15 year old Chandra Shekhar told the judge that his name is Azad and his house is prison! He was sentenced blow of whip. When he was getting blow on his back, he kept shouting slogans like “Bharat Mata ki Jay”, “Mahatma Gandhi ki Jay”. After this incident, he was known as Azad! Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Message for YouthChandra Shekhar Azad has inspired the young generation with useful messages. He said, “Don't see others doing better than you, beat your own records everyday, because success is a fight between you and yourself.”He said, “If yet your blood does not rage, then it is water that flows in your veins. For what is the flush of youth, if it is not of service to the motherland.”“A plane is always safe on the ground but it is not made for that. Always take some meaningful risks in life to achieve great heights.”

As a child, Chandra Shekhar was very brave and fearless. Once in Diwali, he fired the colour match stick in his palm. His palm was burnt badly so he thought that his father will be angry so he left home and ran away to the jungle!

Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Childhood

Yesha Desai

Tina lives with her parents in a peaceful countryside manor. Her parents are scientists with many awards in their names.Tina also wants to be a scientist. Tina’s parents set up equipment for her in their garage where she constantly invents new things. She can build roller coasters and flying cars. Her parents are very proud of her.One day at school, she injures her hand in the playground right before her english test.&nbsp;Now, she is not able to write her test.Tina is disappointed now. She wished that there was a pencil that could write everything that you said to it by itself. That way she could give her test even with her injured hand.She decides to make that pencil. She goes to her garage and starts making formulas. Tina does her intelligent people thing and works the entire night. Her parents sternly put her to sleep and tell her that she can work tomorrow. They kiss her goodnight and she goes to sleep.Tina wakes up the next morning and its weekend so she can work on her pencil.After a few days of hardwork the pencil is built. Her parents are a little worried for her as she is constantly working but she assures them that she is fine.She realises that the pencil she built can write things not just by listening but can also read everyone’s thoughts.She is surprised. She really is a genius.She gets many awards for this brilliant invention and Tina becomes one of the youngest and the most successful scientists in the world.

This is a story of car, garage, pencil and roller coaster.Moral(s) of the story: hard work and determination

Tina’s garage

Alihusen Momin

Marvan Atapattu was a Sri Lankan cricketer who played for the national team up until 2007. He is currently the coach of Sri Lanka's national cricket team. His cricket career story had its own ups and downs but his story is surely an inspirational one! When Marvan made his debut in test cricket for Sri Lanka, he scored a duck in his first innings. In the second innings as well, he scored a duck! The team hence dropped him from further matches. Marvan went back to the nets for more rigorous practice. Marvan started playing a lot of domestice first-class cricket (matches to last for three or more days). He kept on scoring and waited for a call from the Sri Lankan national team. After about 21 months, he finally got a second chance. He tried harder this time. And when he played his second international match, his scores were: 1st innings: 0 runs, 2nd innings: 0 runs. He was dropped from the team again and went back to practising again. He scored tonnes of runs in the domestic first-class cricket. He scored many runs but nothing seemed to erase the painful memories of his test cricket performances. And 17 months later, Marvan welcomed a new opportunity again. His scores for the test matches were: 0 and 0 in both the innings. What he did next is something you wouldn't expect; he was back at the grind AGAIN! Everyone was now wondering whether the selectors would ever again give him a chance or not. The selectors felt that he neither had the temperament nor the technique for big matches. Nonetheless, Marvan never stopped trying. Then 3 years later, he got a more chance; who would have thought, right? And this time, he played and played with all his heart and scored good. Then there was no stopping him. He went on to score over 5000 runs for Sri Lanka. That included sixteen centuries and six double hundreds. Not just this, he also captained his country. All this, after SIX years of struggle, determination, dedication, and hard-work. Six years of trying and failing again and again; how many of us can stand so many failures? He must have been tempted to pursue another career, play just the domestic cricket, change his sport altogether, or just give up. But he did not do any of these things. He knew where his heart was and worked only towards that. So the next time you think of quitting something you love whole-heatedly, think again and remember Marvan Atapattu's story and never give up. Moral:Never give up your passion. Work towards it with full determination and dedication.

This is an inspiring story based on Marvan Atapattu's (Sri Lankan cricketer) cricket career.Moral(s) of the story: determination, hard work, dedication

An inspiring story of Marvan Atapattu, a Srilankan Cricketer

Shina Utavani

Once, a kitten saw the full moon for the first time. She had never seen the full moon. When she saw the full moon, she thought it was a little bowl of milk. She wanted to have a bowl of milk in the sky. So, she closed her eyes and stretched her neck and opened her mouth and licked. But she ended up with a bug in her mouth.She again tried to get the bowl of milk. This time, she pulled herself together and wiggled her bottom and sprang from the top step of the porch. But she fell and bumped her nose and banged her ear. Poor kitten, the bowl of milk was still there. So, she decided to chase it. She went down the sidewalk, through the garden, past the field but it never seemed to get closer.Then, she ran to the tallest tree and she climbed to the top of it. But kitten still could not reach the bowl of milk. Afterward, she saw another bowl of milk in the pond and it was bigger. So, she leaped into the pond but she was all wet and could not get the milk. Hungry and tired, she went back home. There she saw a big bowl of milk on the porch, just waiting for her. At last, she finally got a bowl of milk. Moral:Never give up easily.

This is a story of kitten, milk and moonMoral(s) of the story: determination

Kitten’s first full moon

When Alex was seven years old, he was caught in an accident. There, he had lost both his hands.Alex’s parents had lost all hope that their child would grow up and be something because he could not even write or do things on his own. However, Alex was very determined to be a scientist was not deterred by his inability to perform many tasks.After a lot of practice and hard work and discipline, Alex learned to write using his two arms even though he did not have any fingers or thumbs. Despite losing both his hands, he learned to do daily tasks by himself using his arms and never had to rely on someone else.With his determination to reach his goal, he overcame his limitations and went on to become a great scientist. Moral:We are only limited by our thoughts. Determination plays a huge role in achieving anything that we desire.

This is a story of fingers, hand, scientist and thumb.Moral(s) of the story: determination and hard work

Alex  and his hands

Mahabharata is an ancient Indian epic about the brothers, Pandavas and kauravas. It describes the battle between them in the Kurukshetra war for the throne of Hastinapura. It is an epic tale that combines war, religion, philosophy and Hindu history. Following is a story from “The Mahabharata”.Arjuna was one of the five Pandava brothers and was married to Subhadra. They both had a son named Abhimanyu. When Subhadra was pregnant with Abhimanyu, Arjuna decided to tell his wife about the Chakravyuh war technique. Chakravyuh is a maze formed by armed soldiers to trap the enemy. He narrated to Subhadra how to break the Chakravyuh. Abhimanyu who was inside the Subhadra’s womb memorized the entire process while it was narrated by Arjuna.While Arjuna was telling about the strategy of the Chakravyuh, Subhadra fell asleep. As a result, Abhimanyu only learned about entering the mazebut could not learn the way out from the Chakravyuh. After years when Abhimanyu reached his youth, he had to fight in the Kurukshetra War of Mahabharata. In the war, he had to confront the enemy’s Chakravyuh Formation. He entered the formation as he knew the strategy but was not able to get out of it. Abhimanyu didn’t lose hope and fought vigorously with the enemies. He fought with the enemies by a chariot wheel. He didn’t give up and fought bravely till his last breath. Moral:Never Give Up on something and try your best until you succeed. Always stay determined and focused even when the situation is not in your favour.

This is a story of Abhimanyu, Arjun and Subhadra.Moral(s) of the story: bravery and determination.

determination stories

Kids moral stories help in improving their imagination & relate to real-world life. Here are age-specific bedtime stories for children by renowned storytellers.

The Hare and The Tortoise

Chandra Shekhar Azad’s Childhood

Tina’s garage

An inspiring story of Marvan Atapattu, a Srilankan Cricketer

Kitten’s first full moon

Alex and his hands

The Brave Abhimanyu

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