English Stories
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The Lost Cat
Sarah has a small cat. The cat is black and white. One day, the cat is lost. Sarah is very sad. She looks in the garden. She looks in the street. Finally, she finds the cat under a big tree. The cat is happy, and Sarah is happy too.
The Curious Cat and Dog
Tom has a small dog. His dog is brown and fluffy. Tom also has a cat. The cat is black and white. One morning, the dog sees the cat on the roof. 'What is she doing there?' asks Tom. The cat looks down and says, 'I want to see the garden!' The dog barks, 'Can I come too?' The cat jumps down. They run together in the garden. They chase a ball and laugh. Are they friends? Yes, they are best friends!
Baking Cookies
Sam and his mom are in the kitchen. They want to bake cookies. Sam puts flour and sugar in a big bowl. Mom adds two eggs and butter. They mix everything together. Sam makes small circles with the dough. They put the cookies in the oven. Soon, the kitchen smells delicious. The cookies are hot and sweet!
A Day at the Park
Tom goes to the park. He sees many birds. He plays with a ball. He runs and jumps. He meets his friend Anna. They swing on the swings. They laugh and have fun. After a while, they eat ice cream. They go home happy.
The Rainy Day
It is raining outside. Mia wears a yellow raincoat. She takes her red umbrella. She jumps in the puddles. She sees a frog. The frog jumps in the water. Mia laughs. She goes home and drinks hot chocolate.
The Small Dog
Lucy has a small dog. The dog is brown and white. The dog likes to run. Lucy throws a ball. The dog runs fast. The dog brings the ball back. Lucy pats the dog. They sit under a tree and rest.
The Butterfly
Emma sees a butterfly. The butterfly is yellow and black. It flies in the garden. Emma follows it slowly. The butterfly lands on a flower. Emma claps her hands. She is happy to see the butterfly.
Helping Grandma
Jack visits his grandma. She is in the kitchen. Grandma wants to clean the table. Jack helps her. He wipes the table. He puts the cups in the cupboard. Grandma smiles. They drink tea together.
The New Bike
Leo has a new bike. It is blue. He puts on a helmet. He rides in the park. He pedals fast. He rings the bell. Children watch him. Leo feels happy and proud.
The Big Tree
Anna sees a big tree. The tree is very tall. Birds sit on the branches. Anna touches the bark. She smells the flowers near the tree. She sits under the tree. She reads a book and listens to the birds.
The Little Fish
Ben has a small fish. The fish is orange. He feeds the fish every day. The fish swims fast. Sometimes it hides behind the plant. Ben laughs. He watches the fish until it sleeps.
Going to School
Lily wakes up early. She eats breakfast. She puts on her school bag. She walks to school. She meets her friends. They talk and laugh. She goes to class. She learns new things. At noon, she eats lunch and plays outside.
The Happy Dog
Max has a dog. The dog is brown. The dog runs in the garden. Max throws a stick. The dog brings it back. They play for a long time. The dog wags its tail. Max is happy.
The Red Apple
Sophie sees a red apple on the tree. She wants it. She climbs the tree. She takes the apple. She eats it. It is sweet and juicy. She smiles and gives one apple to her friend.
The Sleepy Cat
Tom has a cat. The cat is sleepy. It lies on the sofa. Tom pets the cat. The cat purrs. It closes its eyes. Tom reads a book. The cat sleeps peacefully.
The Sunny Day
It is a sunny day. Emma goes to the garden. She waters the flowers. She sees a butterfly. She picks a small flower. She smells it. She feels happy.
The Little Duck
A little duck swims in the pond. It is yellow. The duck quacks. It follows its mother. The water is cold. The duck shakes its feathers. It jumps and swims. The mother duck watches it.
The Lost Ball
Sam plays with a ball. He throws it far. The ball goes under a bush. Sam looks for it. He finds it. He laughs. He plays again. The sun is shining.
The Hungry Bunny
A bunny is hungry. It eats carrots. It eats lettuce. It drinks water. It jumps in the garden. It sees flowers. It smells them. The bunny is happy.
The Colorful Bird
Anna sees a colorful bird. It is blue and red. It sings on a tree. She watches it. The bird flies. It lands on a branch. Anna smiles. She is happy to see the bird.
The New Shoes
Leo has new shoes. They are red. He puts them on. He runs fast. He jumps high. He plays with his friends. He likes his shoes. They are very comfortable.
The Small Ice Cream
Mia buys a small ice cream. It is chocolate. She eats it slowly. Some ice cream falls. She laughs. She licks it. She finishes it. She is happy.
The Windy Day
It is a windy day. Jack flies a kite. The kite goes up. The wind is strong. The kite goes high. Jack laughs. He runs to catch the kite. He enjoys the wind.
The Red Balloon
Lily has a red balloon. She holds it in her hand. The wind blows. The balloon moves. She runs and laughs. The balloon goes up. She lets it go. It flies in the sky.
The Small Turtle
Ben sees a small turtle. It moves slowly. Ben watches it. He puts some water near it. The turtle drinks. It hides in its shell. Ben smiles. He likes the turtle.
The Sweet Cake
Emma bakes a cake. She adds flour and sugar. She puts eggs. She mixes everything. She puts it in the oven. The cake smells sweet. She takes it out. She eats a small piece.
The New Hat
Tom has a new hat. It is blue. He puts it on. It is sunny. He wears it in the garden. He plays with his friends. They like his hat. Tom feels happy.
The Little Bird
A little bird sits on a branch. It sings a song. It flies to another tree. It sees a worm. It eats the worm. It sings again. The little bird is happy.
The Small Boat
Jack has a small boat. He puts it in the water. He pushes it. The boat moves. He watches it. It floats on the water. Jack smiles. He plays all afternoon.
The Yellow Duck
Emma has a yellow duck toy. She puts it in the bath. Water splashes. The duck floats. Emma laughs. She plays with it. She hugs it. She is happy.
The Small Garden
Mia has a small garden. She plants flowers. She waters them. She sees bees. She picks some flowers. She smells them. She feels happy. The garden is beautiful.
The Mysterious Forest
Deep in the heart of the mountains lies a forest that few dare to enter. The locals speak of strange lights that appear at midnight. Some say the trees themselves whisper secrets to those who listen closely. Last summer, a young explorer named Leo decided to uncover the truth. He packed his bag with a compass, a flashlight, and a notebook, ready for an adventure he would never forget.
The Lion and the Mouse
A big lion is sleeping in the forest. A small mouse runs over the lion. The lion wakes up. 'I will eat you!' he says. The mouse is afraid. 'Please let me go. I can help you one day,' says the mouse. The lion laughs, but he lets her go. One day, the lion is in a net. He cannot move. The mouse comes and bites the net. The lion is free. The lion says, 'Thank you.' Even small friends can help.
The Tortoise and the Hare
A fast hare laughs at a slow tortoise. 'You are too slow!' says the hare. The tortoise says, 'Let's have a race.' The race begins. The hare runs very fast. He stops to sleep. The tortoise walks slowly. He does not stop. He walks and walks. The tortoise wins the race. The hare wakes up too late. Slow and steady wins the race.
The Fox and the Crow
A crow sits in a tree. She has cheese in her mouth. A fox sees her. He wants the cheese. 'You are very beautiful,' says the fox. 'Can you sing?' The crow wants to sing. She opens her mouth. The cheese falls down. The fox eats it. Do not believe sweet words too fast.
The Dog and the Bone
A dog has a bone. He walks over a bridge. He looks in the water. He sees another dog with a bone. 'I want that bone too!' he thinks. He opens his mouth to bark. His bone falls into the water. Now he has nothing. Do not be greedy.
The Ant and the Grasshopper
In summer, the ant works hard. She carries food to her home. The grasshopper sings and plays. He does not work. Winter comes. It is cold. The grasshopper is hungry. The ant has food. She worked in summer. Work today, rest tomorrow.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
A boy watches sheep. He is bored. He shouts, 'Wolf! Wolf!' The people run to help him. There is no wolf. The boy laughs. He does this again. One day, a real wolf comes. The boy shouts, 'Wolf!' But nobody comes. The wolf takes a sheep. Do not tell lies.
The Goose with the Golden Eggs
A farmer has a goose. Every day, the goose gives one golden egg. The farmer is happy. But he wants more gold. He thinks, 'Maybe there is gold inside the goose.' He opens the goose. There is no gold. Now he has no eggs. Be patient.
The Wind and the Sun
The Wind and the Sun see a man with a coat. 'I am stronger!' says the Wind. The Wind blows hard. The man holds his coat tight. The Sun shines softly. The man feels warm. He takes off his coat. Kindness is stronger than force.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
A town mouse visits a country mouse. In the country, life is simple. In the town, there is a lot of food. But there are also cats and noise. The country mouse is afraid. He goes back home. Simple life is sometimes better.
The Fox and the Grapes
A fox sees grapes. They look sweet. He jumps to get them. He jumps again. He cannot reach them. He walks away and says, 'They are probably sour.' It is easy to say we do not want what we cannot have.
Cinderella
The wife of a rich man fell sick: and when she felt that her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bedside, and said, "Always be a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and watch over you." Soon afterwards she shut her eyes and died, and was buried in the garden; and the little girl went every day to her grave and wept, and was always good and kind to all about her. And the snow spread a beautiful white covering over the grave; but by the time the sun had melted it away again, her father had married another wife. This new wife had two daughters of her own: they were fair in face but foul at heart, and it was now a sorry time for the poor little girl. "What does the good-for-nothing thing want in the parlor?" said they; and they took away her fine clothes, and gave her an old frock to put on, and laughed at her and turned her into the kitchen. Then she was forced to do hard work; to rise early, before daylight, to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. She had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by the hearth among the ashes, and they called her Cinderella. It happened once that her father was going to the fair, and asked his wife's daughters what he should bring to them. "Fine clothes," said the first. "Pearls and diamonds," said the second. "Now, child," said he to his own daughter, "what will you have?" "The first sprig, dear father, that rubs against your hat on your way home," said she. Then he bought for the two first the fine clothes and pearls and diamonds they had asked for: and on his way home, as he rode through a green copse, a sprig of hazel brushed against him, so he broke it off and when he got home he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it, and went to her mother's grave and planted it there, and cried so much that it was watered with her tears; and there it grew and became a fine tree, and soon a little bird came and built its nest upon the tree, and talked with her and watched over her, and brought her whatever she wished for. Now it happened that the king of the land held a feast which was to last three days, and out of those who came to it his son was to choose a bride for himself; and Cinderella's two sisters were asked to come. So they called Cinderella, and said, "Now, comb our hair, brush our shoes, and tie our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the king's feast." Then she did as she was told, but when all was done she could not help crying, for she thought to herself, she would have liked to go to the dance too, and at last she begged her mother very hard to let her go, "You! Cinderella?" said she; "you who have nothing to wear, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance--you want to go to the ball?" And when she kept on begging, to get rid of her, she said at last, "I will throw this basinful of peas into the ash heap, and if you have picked them all out in two hours' time you shall go to the feast too." Then she threw the peas into the ashes; but the little maiden ran out at the back door into the garden, and cried out-- "Hither, thither, through the sky, turtle-doves and linnets, fly! Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay, hither, thither, haste away! One and all, come, help me quick! haste ye, haste ye--pick, pick, pick!" Then first came two white doves; and next two turtle-doves; and after them all the little birds under heaven came, and the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work, pick, pick, pick; and then the others began to pick, pick, pick, and picked out all the good grain and put it into a dish, and left the ashes. At the end of one hour the work was done, and all flew out again at the windows. Then she brought the dish to her mother. But the mother said, "No, no! indeed, you have no clothes and cannot dance; you shall not go." And when Cinderella begged very hard to go, she said, "If you can in one hour's time pick two of these dishes of pease out of the ashes, you shall go too." So she shook two dishes of peas into the ashes; but the little maiden went out into the garden at the back of the house, and called as before and all the birds came flying, and in half an hour's time all was done, and out they flew again. And then Cinderella took the dishes to her mother, rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball. But her mother said, "It is all of no use, you cannot go; you have no clothes, and cannot dance; and you would only put us to shame;" and off she went with her two daughters to the feast. Now when all were gone, and nobody left at home, Cinderella went sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel-tree, and cried out-- "Shake, shake, hazel-tree, gold and silver over me!" Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree and brought a gold and silver dress for her, and slippers of spangled silk; and she put them on, and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not know her, she looked so fine and beautiful in her rich clothes. The king's son soon came up to her, and took her by the hand and danced with her and no one else; and he never left her hand, but when any one else came to ask her to dance, he said, "This lady is dancing with me." Thus they danced till a late hour of the night, and then she wanted to go home; and the king's son said, "I shall go and take care of you to your home," for he wanted to see where the beautiful maid lived. But she slipped away from him unawares, and ran off towards home, and the prince followed her; then she jumped up into the pigeon-house and shut the door. So he waited till her father came home, and told him that the unknown maiden who had been at the feast had hidden herself in the pigeon-house. But when they had broken open the door they found no one within; and as they came back into the house, Cinderella lay, as she always did, in her dirty frock by the ashes; for she had run as quickly as she could through the pigeon-house and on to the hazel-tree, and had there taken off her beautiful clothes, and laid them beneath the tree, that the bird might carry them away; and had seated herself amid the ashes again in her little old frock. The next day, when the feast was again held, and her father, mother and sisters were gone, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree, and all happened as the evening before. The king's son, who was waiting for her, took her by the hand and danced with her; and, when any one asked her to dance, he said as before, "This lady is dancing with me." When night came she wanted to go home; and the king's son went with her, but she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father's house. In this garden stood a fine large pear-tree; and Cinderella jumped up into it without being seen. Then the king's son waited till her father came home, and said to him, "The unknown lady has slipped away, and I think she must have sprung into the pear-tree." The father ordered an axe to be brought, and they cut down the tree, but found no one upon it. And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Cinderella in the ashes as usual; for she had slipped down on the other side of the tree, and carried her beautiful clothes back to the bird at the hazel-tree, and then put on her little old frock. The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone, she went again into the garden, and said-- "Shake, shake, hazel-tree, gold and silver over me!" Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one, and slippers which were all of gold; and the king's son danced with her alone, and when any one else asked her to dance, he said, "This lady is my partner." Now when night came she wanted to go home; and the king's son would go with her, but she managed to slip away from him, though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs. So the prince took the shoe, and went the next day to the king, his father, and said, "I will take for my wife the lady that this golden shoe fits." Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear this; for they had beautiful feet, and had no doubt that they could wear the golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was, and wanted to try it on, and the mother stood by. But her big toe could not go into it, and the shoe was altogether much too small for her. Then the mother said, "Never mind, cut it off. When you are queen you will not care about toes; you will not want to go on foot." So the silly girl cut her big toe off, and squeezed the shoe on, and went to the king's son. Then he took her for his bride, and rode away with her. But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel-tree that Cinderella had planted, and there sat a little dove on the branch, singing-- "Back again! back again! look to the shoe! The shoe is too small, and not made for you! Prince! prince! look again for thy bride, For she's not the true one that sits by thy side." Then the prince looked at her foot, and saw by the blood that streamed from it what a trick she had played him. So he brought the false bride back to her home, and said, "This is not the right bride; let the other sister try and put on the slipper." Then she went into the room and got her foot into the shoe, all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came, and took her to the king's son; and he rode away with her. But when they came to the hazel-tree, the little dove sat there still, and sang as before. Then the king's son looked down, and saw that the blood streamed from the shoe. So he brought her back again also. "This is not the true bride," said he to the father; "have you no other daughters?" Then Cinderella came and she took her clumsy shoe off, and put on the golden slipper, and it fitted as if it had been made for her. And when he drew near and looked at her face the prince knew her, and said, "This is the right bride." Then he took Cinderella on his horse and rode away. And when they came to the hazel-tree the white dove sang-- "Prince! prince! take home thy bride, For she is the true one that sits by thy side!"