English Stories | English Short Stories | Short Stories for Kids
English Stories | English Short Stories | Short Stories for Kids
The Honest Woodcutter
In a small village near a dense forest, there lived a poor woodcutter named Hari.
Hari was known for his honesty and hard work.
Every day, he would go into the forest to chop wood and sell it in the market to earn a living.
One day, while chopping a tree near a river, Hari’s axe slipped from his hands and fell into the deep water.
He tried to find it but couldn’t. Hari sat by the riverbank, feeling sad because he had lost his only means of livelihood.
Suddenly, a water spirit appeared before him. “Why are you so sad?” the spirit asked.
Hari explained his plight. The spirit took pity on him and said, “I will help you find your axe.”
The spirit disappeared into the water and returned with a shining silver axe.
“Is this your axe?” the spirit asked.
Hari looked at the silver axe and shook his head. “No, this is not my axe.”
The spirit disappeared again and came back with a gleaming golden axe. “Is this your axe?” the spirit asked again.
Hari shook his head once more. “No, this is not my axe either.”
The spirit smiled and dove into the water one last time. When she reappeared, she held Hari’s old, worn iron axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.
Hari’s face lit up with joy. “Yes, this is my axe! Thank you so much!”
The spirit was pleased with Hari’s honesty. “You are a good and honest man.
To reward your honesty, I will give you the silver and golden axes as well.”
Hari was overjoyed. He thanked the spirit and returned home with the three axes.
When he reached the village, he told everyone about the spirit and her kindness.
The villagers admired Hari’s honesty and celebrated his good fortune.
The news of Hari’s good fortune spread, and soon another woodcutter, Ramu, heard about it.
Ramu was greedy and decided to try his luck. He went to the same spot by the river and deliberately threw his axe into the water.
He then sat down and pretended to cry.
The water spirit appeared again. “Why are you crying?” she asked.
Ramu told her that he had lost his axe. The spirit dove into the water and returned with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” she asked.
Ramu eagerly nodded. “Yes, yes, that’s my axe!”
The spirit frowned. She knew Ramu was lying. She disappeared into the water and did not return.
Ramu waited for hours, but the spirit never came back. He went home empty-handed and ashamed.
From that day on, the villagers learned the value of honesty from Hari’s example.
Hari continued to live a simple and happy life, always helping those in need with his newfound wealth.
The story of the honest woodcutter and the water spirit became a legend in the village, reminding everyone that honesty is always rewarded.
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English Stories | English Short Stories | Short Stories for Kids
The Brave Little Tailor
In the vibrant town of Varanasi, there was a small tailor shop owned by a young man named Ravi.
Ravi was not just a skilled tailor but also a brave and clever individual. He often used his wit to solve problems and help others in his community.
One day, as Ravi was working in his shop, he heard a commotion outside.
Stepping out, he saw the villagers gathered around, looking worried. He asked his friend Ramesh what was happening.
“A giant has been terrorizing our village, demanding food and money. If we don’t comply, he threatens to destroy our homes!” Ramesh explained.
Ravi knew something had to be done. He decided to confront the giant and put an end to the villagers’ fear.
He took a piece of strong fabric and stitched a large bag, filling it with small rocks and some of his favorite sweets.
With his bag slung over his shoulder, Ravi marched towards the forest where the giant lived.
When he reached the giant’s cave, he called out, “Giant, come out! I have brought you the best sweets from our village.”
The giant, curious and hungry, emerged from the cave. He towered over Ravi, but Ravi stood his ground. “Who are you, little man?” the giant growled.
“I am Ravi, the tailor from Varanasi. I’ve heard of your strength and wanted to challenge you to a test,” Ravi said confidently.
The giant laughed. “You? Challenge me? What kind of test?”
Ravi smiled and opened his bag. He took out a small rock and pretended it was a sweet.
“If you can squeeze this sweet and turn it into juice, you win,” he said, handing the rock to the giant.
The giant, thinking it was an easy task, squeezed the rock with all his might. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t crush it. He handed it back to Ravi, frustrated.
“Let me show you how it’s done,” Ravi said. He took a real sweet from the bag and squeezed it, causing the juice to trickle down his hand.
The giant was amazed and felt a bit humbled by Ravi’s apparent strength.
“Now, it’s my turn to challenge you,” Ravi said. “If I can outwit you, you must promise to leave our village in peace.”
The giant, intrigued by Ravi’s boldness, agreed. Ravi then took out the rest of the sweets and offered them to the giant.
“Eat these sweets and tell me which one is the best.”
The giant greedily ate all the sweets but couldn’t decide which one was the best because they were all delicious.
Meanwhile, Ravi quickly swapped the bag of rocks with an empty bag.
“Since you can’t choose the best sweet, you must honor our deal and leave the village,” Ravi declared.
The giant, realizing he had been outsmarted, reluctantly agreed. He respected Ravi’s courage and cleverness and promised to never trouble the villagers again.
He walked back into the forest, never to be seen again.
Ravi returned to the village a hero. The villagers celebrated his bravery and intelligence, and his tailor shop became the most popular place in town.
Ravi continued to help his community with his skills and wit, proving that true strength lies not in size but in courage and cleverness.
