sleeping beauty

The Sleeping Beauty

short stories

The Sleeping Beauty By  The Brothers Grimm Listen to the story sleeping beauty Chapter one once upon a time, there were a king and a queen who were very unhappy because they had no children, everything else that the heart could wish for was theirs. They were rich. They lived in a wonderful palace full  of the costliest treasures, their kingdom was at peace, and their people were prosperous, yet none of these things contented them because they wanted a little child of their own to love and care for, and though they had been married several years no child had come to them. every day, the king would look at the queen and say “ah, if we only had a little child,” and the queen…

the happy prince

The Happy Prince

short stories

The Happy Prince By Oscar Wilde Listen to the story The Happy Prince High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold; for eyes, he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword hilt. He was very much admired indeed. “He is as beautiful as a weathercock,” remarked one of the Town Councillors who wished to gain a reputation for having artistic tastes; “only not quite so useful,” he added, fearing lest people should think him unpractical, which he really was not. “Why can’t you be like the Happy Prince?” asked a sensible mother of her little boy who was crying for the…

soup on a sausage peg

soup on a sausage skewer

short stories

Soup on a Sausage Skewer By Hans Christian Andersen Listen to the story Soup on a Sausage Skewer  “We had such an excellent dinner yesterday,” said an old mouse of the female sex to another who had not been present at the feast. “I sat number twenty-one below the mouse-king, which was not a bad place. Shall I tell you what we had? Everything was first-rate. Moldy bread, tallow candle, and sausage. And then, when we had finished that course, the same came on all over again; it was as good as two feasts. We were very sociable, and there was as much joking and fun as if we had been all of one family circle. Nothing was left, but the sausage skewers, and this…

Perceval

short stories

Perceval By Chrétien de Troyes Listen to the story “Perceval” story refers to a set of behavior that we should all adopt, such as:– Complete obedience to his mother, as she planted in him all the good qualities that brought him to what he is now.– Not caring about talking about any work I do, but letting my work speak for me, and then the result will be bigger and stronger.– We must take care of everything that is right, such as supporting the weak, courage, and honesty, and indeed the results will be good. Perceval The father and two elder brothers of Perceval had fallen in battle or tournaments, and hence, as the last hope of his family, his mother retired with him to…

The Three Chests

The Three Chests

short stories

The Three Chests By Nathaniel Hawthorne Listen to the story The Three Chests The Story of the Wicked Old Man of the Sea There was once an honest old farmer who had three daughters. His farm ran down to the shores of a deep lake. One day as he leaned over the water to take a drink, wicked old Wetehinen reached up from the bottom of the lake and clutched him by the beard. “Ouch! Ouch!” the farmer cried. “Let me go!” Wetehinen only held on more tightly.” “Yes, I’ll let you go,” he said, “but only on this condition: that you give me one of your daughters for wife!” “Give you one of my daughters? Never!” “Very well, then I’ll never let go!” wicked…

the coming of arthur

The Coming of Arthur

short stories

The Coming of Arthur By Alfred, Lord Tennyson Listen to the story “The Coming of Arthur”  story gives us a few principles that we must emulate and follow in life, such as “Good leaders count themselves as equal to the people they lead”، and “Those with power should protect those without.” among a lot of other principles.It’s a tremendous historical and folklore story that we should all read. The Coming of Arthur CHAPTER ONE “OF ARTHUR’S BIRTH; AND HOW HE BECAME KING” “Long years ago, there ruled over Britain a king called Uther Pendragon. A mighty prince was he, and feared by all men; yet, when he sought the love of the fair Igraine of Cornwall, she would have naught to do with him so…

the sea maiden

The Sea Maiden

short stories

The Sea-Maiden Listen to the story “The Sea-Maiden” (Scottish Gaelic: A Mhaighdean Mhara) is a Scottish fairy tale collected by John Francis Campbell in Popular Tales of the West Highlands. The Sea-Maiden There was once a poor old fisherman, and one year he was not getting much fish. On a day of days, while he was fishing, there rose a sea maiden at the side of his boat, and she asked him, “Are you getting much fish?” The old man answered and said, “Not I.” “What reward would you give me for sending plenty of fish to you?” “Ach!” said the old man, “I have not much to spare.” “Will you give me the first son you have?” said she. “I would give ye that, were I to have a son,” said…

puss in boots

Puss in Boots

short stories

Puss in Boots By Charles Perrault  Listen to the story Puss in Boots once upon a time, there was a Miller who was so poor that, at his death, he had nothing to leave to his three children but his mill, his ass, and his cat. The eldest son took the mill, and the second the ass said there was nothing left for poor Jack but to take puss. Jack could not help thinking that he had been treated shabbily. “My brothers will be able to earn an honest livelihood,” he sighed, “but as for me though puss may feed himself by catching mice, I shall certainly die of hunger.” The cat who had overheard his young master jumped upon his shoulder and, rubbing himself…

the pumpkin glory

The Pumpkin-Glory

short stories

The Pumpkin Glory By William Dean Howells Listen to the story The Pumpkin Glory The papa had told the story so often that the children knew just exactly what to expect the moment he began. They all knew it as well as he knew it himself, and they could keep him from making mistakes or forgetting. Sometimes he would go wrong on purpose or would pretend to forget, and then they had a perfect right to pound him till he quit it. He usually quits pretty soon. The children liked it because it was very exciting, and at the same time, it had no moral, so when it was all over, they could feel that they had not been excited just for the moral. The…

the great feast

The Great Feast

short stories

The Great Feast By Laura E. Richards Listen to the story The Great FEAST Once, the Play Angel came into a nursery where four little children sat on the floor with sad and troubled faces. “What is the matter, dears?” asked the Play Angel. “We wanted to have a grand feast!” said the child whose nursery it was. “Yes, that would be delightful!” said the Play Angel. “But there is only one cookie!” said the child whose nursery it was. “And it is a very small cookie!” said the child, who was a cousin and therefore felt a right to speak. “Not big enough for myself!” said the child whose nursery it was. The other two children said nothing because they were not relations, but…