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Short Inspirational Story – Hassan’s Journey

English Stories

Short Inspirational Story – Hassan’s Journey

Hassan grew up in a dusty town near a desert. His house was a few rooms made of concrete blocks, hot in the day, cold at night.

His dad sold fruit from a cart, and his mom washed clothes for richer families. Hassan was the middle kid of five, always running around and kicking a patched-up ball with his brothers. They didn’t have much—no toys, no shoes sometimes—but they had each other.

When Hassan was 11, the war came. Bombs fell, buildings crumbled, and people ran. His family fled with just some clothes and a blanket, walking miles to a camp. Tents stretched everywhere, full of scared faces.

There was little food—thin soup, stale bread—and no school. Hassan’s dad couldn’t sell fruit anymore, and his mom cried quietly at night. Hassan felt helpless, like the world had turned upside down.

In the camp, Hassan saw kids playing with bottle caps, flicking them in the dirt. He joined in, making up rules, laughing for the first time in months. One day, an old man gave him a stick and showed him how to carve it with a rusty knife.

Hassan tried, cutting slow, making shapes—birds, stars, little people. His hands got nicked, but he liked it. The wood felt alive, like it held stories.

He started carving more, using scraps people threw away—sticks, broken crates, anything. Other kids watched, and he’d give them pieces—a camel for one, a boat for another. A worker at the camp saw his work and brought him a small carving set, real tools. Hassan spent hours under the tent’s weak light, turning trash into treasures. His family smiled again, proud of his little figures.

When Hassan was 16, the war slowed, and they moved to a city. Life was still hard—his dad pushed a new cart, his mom sewed—but Hassan kept carving. He’d sell his pieces on the street: animals, faces, tiny houses.

People liked them, especially tourists who’d toss him coins. A shop owner noticed and put Hassan’s work in his window. Slowly, orders came—bigger carvings, better money.

Now, Hassan has a small stall of his own. It’s not fancy—just a table under an awning—but it’s his. He makes enough to help his family and even pays for his youngest sister to go to school.

He hires boys from the camp sometimes, teaching them to carve, giving them a start. Some days, he thinks about the war, the fear, the hunger. But when he holds a piece of wood and a knife, he feels steady.

Hassan’s story is about making something out of nothing. He lost his home, but he found his hands. He didn’t let the bad times break him—he shaped them into something good.

It shows that even in the worst mess, you can pick up a stick and start building again, one cut at a time.

Hassan’s Journey – 2

Hassan was a young boy who loved drawing. He dreamed of becoming a famous artist one day. But his family was poor, and they could not buy him art supplies.

Hassan did not give up. He collected old newspapers, pieces of cardboard, and scraps of color to make his drawings. Every day, he practiced for hours.

One day, a local art competition was announced in his town. Hassan decided to join, even though he had never used proper colors or brushes. He worked hard, creating a beautiful painting from his scraps.

When the judges saw Hassan’s painting, they were amazed by his creativity and talent. He won first prize! People praised him, and a local teacher offered to give him free art classes.

Hassan realized that hard work, creativity, and determination could overcome any difficulty. He continued practicing, and eventually became a well-known artist.

Moral: Where there is determination and creativity, nothing is impossible.

Key Vocabulary – Hassan’s Journey (Story 1 & Story 2)

Places & Environment

  1. Dusty town – A place covered with dust

  2. Desert – A very dry area with little water

  3. Camp – A temporary place where people live in tents

  4. Tent – A temporary cloth shelter

  5. City – A large town with many people

  6. Stall – A small shop or table for selling things

Family & People

  1. Middle child – A child born between older and younger siblings

  2. Tourists – People who travel to see new places

  3. Worker – A person who does a job

  4. Shop owner – A person who owns a shop

  5. Judges – People who decide winners in a competition

Life Situations

  1. Poor – Having little money

  2. War – Fighting between groups or countries

  3. Fled – Ran away to escape danger

  4. Helpless – Unable to do anything to change a situation

  5. Struggle – To face difficulties

  6. Hard times – Difficult periods in life

Actions & Skills

  1. Carve / Carving – To cut shapes into wood

  2. Scraps – Small leftover pieces

  3. Practice – To do something again and again to improve

  4. Collected – Gathered things together

  5. Sell / Sold – To exchange something for money

  6. Hires – Gives someone a job

  7. Teach / Teaching – To help someone learn

Art & Creativity

  1. Artist – A person who creates art

  2. Drawing – Making pictures with a pencil or pen

  3. Painting – Creating pictures using colors

  4. Art supplies – Tools like colors, brushes, paper

  5. Competition – An event where people try to win

  6. Prize – A reward for winning

Feelings & Qualities

  1. Proud – Feeling happy about an achievement

  2. Determination – Strong will to keep trying

  3. Creativity – The ability to make new and original ideas

  4. Hope – Belief that things will get better

  5. Steady – Calm and stable

  6. Talent – Natural ability to do something well

Expressions & Ideas

  1. Make something out of nothing – Create value from very little

  2. Did not give up – Kept trying

  3. Turned trash into treasures – Made useful or beautiful things from waste

  4. Nothing is impossible – Everything can be achieved with effort

Moral Words

  1. Kindness – Being caring and helpful

  2. Hard work – Putting in a lot of effort

  3. Opportunity – A chance to do something good

  4. Success – Achieving goals

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Manoj Sharma is an English teacher and soft skills trainer with more than 10 years of experience in teaching students of different age groups and levels. He specializes in spoken English, vocabulary building, grammar, phrasal verbs, and daily-use English.

Through his website Love You English, he helps learners speak English confidently using simple explanations, real-life examples, and easy learning techniques. His goal is to make English learning practical, enjoyable, and stress-free for students, job seekers, and professionals.