11 Short Stories for Kids in English Moral Lessons

Top #11 Interesting yet Inspirational Short Stories for Kids Every parent should teach their children. Suitable for kids in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, these Short Stories With Moral Lessons provide valuable lessons for students.

This collection of Motivational Short Stories is aimed at kids and children, which is why I have written them in simple English. With today’s busy lifestyles, parents seldom spend quality time with their children, most often both husband and wife work.

So we have come up with a unique collection of Encouraging Short Stories for young & adults, that your kids will learn a lot, also include Short Stories With Moral lessons for students to learn the real essence of the stories.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Hare and the Tortoise

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once a hare and a tortoise lived in a jungle, they were friends. The hare could run fast. He was proud of his speed. He often laughed at the tortoise for his slow speed.

The tortoise could feel small and keep quiet. As the taunts grew common and frequent, he one day lost his patience and challenged the hare to a race.

The hair burst into laughter and said, “Run a race with you! You would take a month to cover a distance which I would do in an hour.” He, of course, accepted the challenge.

A fox was chosen to act as a judge. A distant tree was the winning post. The fox started them saying, “One, two, three & go.”   Off they went. The hare is soon out of sight.

He looked behind but the tortoise was nowhere to be seen, running made the hare feel a bit hot. There was a shady tree on the wayside. The hare said to himself, “Why in a hurry?

Let me enjoy a nap. He thought the Tortoise would take the whole day to reach the winning post.” So he lay down on the tree.   A cool breeze began to blow.

It made the hare sink into a sound sleep. The tortoise moved on slowly and steadily. He saw the hare asleep. He did not wake him up.

When he woke up & saw that the tortoise was very near the winning post. He ran very fast, but he could not overtake him. The fox declared the Tortoise the winner. The hare lost the race. He was put to shame.

The moral of the story 👍 Slow and steady wins the race. Pride hath a fall

RELATED: Essay on the Importance of Discipline

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once there was a shepherd boy. He tended his sleep on a hill. The hill was close to his village. It was often visited by a wolf. He was, therefore, asked to cry out if ever the wolf came.

The boy watched the flock of sheep for many days but did not see the wolf coming over the hills. One day, just for fun he cried out, “Wolf! Wolf! Help! Help!” the villagers working near heard the cries and ran to his help.

When they reached the place, they found no wolf. The boy laughed at them. He said he had shouted out of the fun. The villagers shouted angrily at the foolish act of the boy and went away.

One day the wolf came there. The boy cried for help, but no one came to help him. Everybody thought that he was making fun of him. The wolf killed many sheep.

The boys were frightened out of their wits and did not know what to do. The wolf rushed at the boy too & tore him to pieces.

The moral of the story 👍 Once a liar, always a liar

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Greedy Dog

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once a dog was feeling very hungry. He went on a food search. He came to a butcher’s shop. The butcher was not there. He picked up a piece of flesh holding it in his mouth and ran away.

On the way, he had to cross a bridge over the stream. While passing over it, he happened to look into the water below. He saw his reflection in it.

He took it for another dog, holding a bigger piece of flesh in his mouth. He felt greedy, he wanted to take another piece of the flesh also.

He started barking at his reflection. As soon as he opened his mouth, his piece of flesh fell into the stream. The dog felt very sad. He repented of his folly, but it was too late.

He had to go away without food that day. He said to himself, “I should have been satisfied with what I had got. Contentment is a great thing, and greed is a curse.”

The moral of the story 👍Greed is a curse.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Fox and The Grapes (or The Grapes are Sour)

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

A fox was hungry. He had no food for several hours while wandering in search of something to satisfy his hunger, he passed by a garden. He saw a bunch of grapes hanging over the wall.

His mouth watered to see these ripe and juiced grapes, but they were too high up for the fox to reach. “They look very fine,” though the fox, I must have some.

Perhaps I can do some if I jump high enough. So he jumped as high as he could, but he could not get at them. He jumped again and again, but it was of no good.

The grapes were behind his reach.   Tried and exhausted he gave up the attempts and went away saying, “I will not have these grapes. I am sure they are sour, and not worth eating.”

The moral of the story 👍 We call a thing worthless when we cannot have it.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Country Mouse and the Town Mouse

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

A country mouse that lived in a poor man’s hut had friends in town. He invited him to come and spend a day or two with him in the village.

The town mouse accepted the invitation. He was served with a simple food consisting of a few crumbs of dry bread.

The town mouse who lived in a grand style in his townhouse did not like the humble fare that his friend could afford to place before him.

READ: How to Write a Short Story Outline?

He said, “You’re leading a wretched life. Not to speak of delicious dishes, you have not even enough to eat. I have lots of good things in the town to eat. I invite you to come one day to the town and dine with me.”

The country mouse felt small at his friends’ remarks but did not express his annoyance. One day the country mouse went to the town on the business and thought of paying a visit to his friend in response to his invitation.

The town mouse lived in a big house. It was a treat for the country mouse to see the kitchen and the dining hall. Some delicious dishes were served to him.

He thanked his friend for all these nice arrangements.   Just as both the friends started eating, a cat appeared on the scene. Both of them made for the hole in all haste.

The cat eats the whole dish. The country mouse had a narrow escape. His heart beats with fear.

When he had recovered from his fright and his heart had resumed normal beat, he said to his friend, “You are living in constant danger.

The way of life does not suit me. I would prefer my loaves of bread to your nice dishes fraught with fears and risks.

The moral of the story 👍 A free life is better than a life full of fears.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “Wolf and the Crane”

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

While making his meal, a wolf got a bone stuck in his throat. He tried his best to throw it out but to no avail. Every effort made it run and stick deeper.

He could bear the pain it caused, but he now felt suffocating. He ran hither and thither frantically in search of somebody who could extricate the bone.

As luck would have it, a crane alighted from the sky in search of food. The wolf at once appealed to him to be kind enough to take out the bone. He said that he was in great pain.

He had been sent there by God. It was he alone who could relieve him of his trouble, as he had a long bill. For this act of kindness, he would give whatever he demanded.

The crane named the price that he (wolf) would have to pay for the help to be rendered. The wolf readily agreed.   It did not take the crane long to pull out the bone.

He asked the wolf to make good his promise and reward him. The wolf laughed and said, “Thank your stars that your head is still on your body.

Have you ever heard of a bird or animal that puts its neck into a wolf’s mouth and gets it back safe?  Enough is the reward you have got.”

The moral of the story 👍 Any excuse serves a wicked man.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “Hercules and the Cartman

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once a cartman was driving his heavily loaded cart along a muddy road, it was rough going. The bullocks were being taxed to their utmost. It so chanced that the wheels of the cart sank into the mud.

The bullock tried their best to draw the cart out of the mud but to no purpose. The cartman roundly cursed the bullocks and beat them.

Had he got down and put his shoulder to the wheel, he might have succeeded, with the help of bullocks, in clearing the cart out of the mud.

But he did not make any effort to move the cart. He simply prayed to Hercules, the god of strength, to come to his help.  Hercules heard his prayers and appeared on the scene.

He said, “You lazy fellow, why don’t you get down and put shoulders to the wheel?” Thus admonished, the cartman alighted from the cart and did as he advised.

Hercules also helped him. Soon the bullocks were able to draw the cart out of the mud. The cartman was happy. He thanked Hercules for having taught him the lesson of self-help.

The moral of the story 👍 God helps those who help themselves

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “Two Friends and the Bear

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once upon a time….to……a jungle, they saw a bear coming towards them. Both of them were frightened.

There was a tall tree nearby. Instead of planning how to face the danger, and save their lives, the selfish friend at once climbed up the tree leaving the other friend to fight for himself.

He was aware that the other did not know how to climb. The poor fellow was at his wit’s end. He had a brain wave. He at once threw himself on the ground and held his breath to look like a dead man.

He had heard people say that a bear would never touch a dead body. The bear came up to him, smelt him head to foot, and turned him upside down twice or thrice and ultimately came to the conclusion it was a dead body.

He left it and went away.   When the bear had gone out of sight, the selfish friend got down the tree. He went to his friend and asked him what the bear had whispered in his ear.

“Yes he did,” replied his friend, “the bear whispered in my ear that we should not rely on a person who plays false and leaves their friend in the lurch.”

The moral of the story 👍 A friend in need is a friend indeed Or Don’t trust a false friend.

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “King Robert Bruce and the Spider

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Robert Bruce….to…..hid himself in the cave to escape the English soldiers who were chasing him. He felt very sad and dejected.

He thought of giving up the struggle, and he said to himself, It’s no use struggling against one’s destiny. Luck doesn’t favor me; God is not on my side. Mine is hopeless to struggle.

While he was musing thus, he saw a spider falling from its cobweb. It began to try to go up but fell when almost it was within its reach.  It did not cease attempting, it tried again and fell.

It made seven brave attempts, but each time it fell. “It would not try anymore,” said the king to himself, but at the same moment, the spider began to climb up again.

It went up slowly and steadily, and at last, it reached its goal.   The ultimate success of the spider encouraged the disappointed king.

He said to himself, “If a tiny, insignificant creature, after having repeated failure, doesn’t admit defeat then why should I? “ He took his heart, came out of the cave, gathered his scattered forces, and made a heroic attempt to free his country from the bondage of English.

A hard battle was fought, and King Bruce won the battle. The English were routed. His country was free once again.

The moral of the story 👍 Try and try again, Perseverance succeeds in the end.

|| READ NEXT ||

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Wood Cutter and the God Mercury

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

Once a woodcutter………………to……………….bitterly   Mercury, the god of water, took pity on him, appeared before him, and asked him why he was weeping.

The woodcutter told him that he had lost his axe with which he cut wood and earned his living.   The god Mercury said to the wood-cutter, “Why don’t you plunge into the river and get it?”

The poor fellow replied, “The current is swift and the river is deep, I can be swept away if attempt to recover the lost axe.” He again began to cry. God said, “Don’t worry I will get your axe just now.”

The god dived into the river and brought out the golden axe, he said to the woodcutter, “Here is your axe.”   The wood-cutter said, Sir, this is not my axe.

It was so bright and yellow, Mine was dull and black. Then the god Mercury again dived into the river and this time he brought out a silver axe.

He said to the wood-cutter, here please take your axe, again the woodcutter refused to accept it because it was not his.

The God Mercury jumped into the water for the third time. This time he brought out the iron axe, and on seeing it, the wood-cutter shouted with joy and said, “This is my axe, this is my axe” The God Mercury was highly pleased with the honesty of the woodcutter.

He said, “You are a nice honest fellow”. The lure of the gold and silver has not led you astray. I give you a gold and silver axe as a reward for your honesty.” Having said this, the god disappeared.

The moral of the story 👍 Honesty is the best policy

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids “The Wolf and the Lamb

Inspirational Short Stories for Kids

A wolf………to………….water   He made up his mind to make a meal of the lamb.

He went up to the lamb and said, “Why are you making the water muddy?” Can’t you see that I have to drink it?

The lamb humbly said, Pardon me, sir, I cannot make the water muddy, It is coming from your end. The wolf, feeling checkmated, said: “You abused me last year.”

READ: 5 Short Moral Stories Illustrating Proverbs

The lamb said, “I was not even born then.” I’m not even six months old, the wolf was not going to be thwarted in his wish.

He worked himself up into anger and shouted, “It must have been either your mother or father.” So saying, he fell upon the lamb, tore it into pieces and he made a meal of it.

The moral of the story 👍 Any excuse is good for a wicked person.

J. Harshit specializes in content writing and storytelling. Writing compelling essays, Letters, & more that engage, inform, and inspire is something he enjoys.

Leave a Comment