good short moral stories

The 10 Best Short Moral Stories With Valuable Lessons

Stories that have morals and messages behind them are always powerful. In fact, it’s crazy just how powerful a 200 word story can be.

Our last article of short stories became so popular, that we decided to create another list, in which every story has a simple moral behind it.

Table of Contents

The 10 Best Short Moral Stories

Some of these stories are very short and basic. In fact some are so basic they’re most likely featured in children’s books somewhere. However, the strength of the message remains the same.

Here’s some more of the best short moral stories:

1. An Old Man Lived in the Village

An old man lived in the village. He was one of the most unfortunate people in the world. The whole village was tired of him; he was always gloomy, he constantly complained and was always in a bad mood.

The longer he lived, the more bile he was becoming and the more poisonous were his words. People avoided him, because his misfortune became contagious. It was even unnatural and insulting to be happy next to him.

He created the feeling of unhappiness in others.

But one day, when he turned eighty years old , an incredible thing happened. Instantly everyone started hearing the rumour:

“An Old Man is happy today, he doesn’t complain about anything, smiles, and even his face is freshened up.”

The whole village gathered together. The old man was asked:

Villager: What happened to you?

“Nothing special. Eighty years I’ve been chasing happiness, and it was useless. And then I decided to live without happiness and just enjoy life. That’s why I’m happy now.” – An Old Man

Moral of the story:

Don’t chase happiness. Enjoy your life.

2. The Wise Man

People have been coming to the wise man, complaining about the same problems every time. One day he told them a joke and everyone roared in laughter.

After a couple of minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

When he told the same joke for the third time no one laughed anymore.

The wise man smiled and said:

“You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over. So why are you always crying about the same problem?”  

Worrying won’t solve your problems, it’ll just waste your time and energy.

3. The Foolish Donkey

A salt seller used to carry the salt bag on his donkey to the market every day.

On the way they had to cross a stream. One day the donkey suddenly tumbled down the stream and the salt bag also fell into the water. The salt dissolved in the water and hence the bag became very light to carry. The donkey was happy.

Then the donkey started to play the same trick every day.

The salt seller came to understand the trick and decided to teach a lesson to it. The next day he loaded a cotton bag on the donkey.

Again it played the same trick hoping that the cotton bag would be still become lighter.

But the dampened cotton became very heavy to carry and the donkey suffered. It learnt a lesson. It didn’t play the trick anymore after that day, and the seller was happy.

Luck won’t favor always.

4. Having A Best Friend

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face.

The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand;

“Today my best friend slapped me in the face.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one who had been slapped got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone;

“Today my best friend saved my life.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him;

“After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied;

“When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”  

Moral of the story: 

Don’t value the things you have in your life. But value who you have in your life.

5. The Four Smart Students

One night four college students were out partying late night and didn’t study for the test which was scheduled for the next day. In the morning, they thought of a plan.

They made themselves look dirty with grease and dirt.

Then they went to the Dean and said they had gone out to a wedding last night and on their way back the tire of their car burst and they had to push the car all the way back. So they were in no condition to take the test.

The Dean thought for a minute and said they can have the re-test after 3 days. They thanked him and said they will be ready by that time.

On the third day, they appeared before the Dean. The Dean said that as this was a Special Condition Test, all four were required to sit in separate classrooms for the test. They all agreed as they had prepared well in the last 3 days.

The Test consisted of only 2 questions with the total of 100 Points:

1) Your Name? __________ (1 Points)

2) Which tire burst? __________ (99 Points) Options – (a) Front Left (b) Front Right (c) Back Left (d) Back Right

Take responsibility or you will learn your lesson.

6. The Greedy Lion

It was an incredibly hot day, and a lion was feeling very hungry.

He came out of his den and searched here and there. He could find only a small hare. He caught the hare with some hesitation. “This hare can’t fill my stomach” thought the lion.

As the lion was about to kill the hare, a deer ran that way. The lion became greedy. He thought;

“Instead of eating this small hare, let me eat the big deer.”

He let the hare go and went behind the deer. But the deer had vanished into the forest. The lion now felt sorry for letting the hare off.

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush.

7. Two Friends & The Bear

Vijay and Raju were friends. On a holiday they went walking into a forest, enjoying the beauty of nature. Suddenly they saw a bear coming at them. They became frightened.

Raju, who knew all about climbing trees, ran up to a tree and climbed up quickly. He didn’t think of Vijay. Vijay had no idea how to climb the tree.

Vijay thought for a second. He’d heard animals don’t prefer dead bodies, so he fell to the ground and held his breath. The bear sniffed him and thought he was dead. So, it went on its way.

Raju asked Vijay;

“What did the bear whisper into your ears?”

Vijay replied, “The bear asked me to keep away from friends like you”  …and went on his way.

A friend in need is a friend indeed.

8. The Struggles of Our Life

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it.

She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed.

Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.

The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners.

He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.

Turning to her, he asked. “Daughter, what do you see?”

“Potatoes, eggs and coffee,” she hastily replied.

“Look closer”  he said, “and touch the potatoes.” She did and noted that they were soft.

He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

“Father, what does this mean?” she asked.

He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity-the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.

“Which one are you?” he asked his daughter.

“When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?”

In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is how you choose to react to it and what you make out of it. Life is all about leaning, adopting and converting all the struggles that we experience into something positive.

9. The Fox & The Grapes

One afternoon a fox was walking through the forest and spotted a bunch of grapes hanging from over a lofty branch.

“Just the thing to quench my thirst,” he thought.

Taking a few steps back, the fox jumped and just missed the hanging grapes. Again the fox took a few paces back and tried to reach them but still failed.

Finally, giving up, the fox turned up his nose and said, “They’re probably sour anyway,” and proceeded to walk away.

Moral of the story:  

It’s easy to despise what you can’t have.

10. The Lion & The Poor Slave

A slave, ill-treated by his master, runs away to the forest. There he comes across a lion in pain because of a thorn in his paw. The slave bravely goes forward and removes the thorn gently.

The lion without hurting him goes away.

Some days later, the slave’s master comes hunting to the forest and catches many animals and cages them. The slave is spotted by the masters’ men who catch him and bring him to the cruel master.

The master asks for the slave to be thrown into the lion’s cage.

The slave is awaiting his death in the cage when he realizes that it is the same lion that he had helped. The slave rescued the lion and all other caged animals.

One should help others in need, we get the rewards of our helpful acts in return.

Here’s a quick recap on the 10 best short moral stories:

• An old man lived in the village
• The wise man
• The foolish donkey
• Having a best friend
• The four smart students
• The greedy lion
• The two friends & the bear
• The struggles of our life
• The fox & the grapes
• The lion & the poor slave

If you haven’t seen our original article, with slightly more detailed inspirational short stories , check it out!

Do you have any other favorite short moral stories? Leave a comment below.

The 10 best motivational speakers in the world.

Dan Western is the founder of Wealthy Gorilla . Dan has been running Wealthy Gorilla and studying self-development, personal finance, and investment for the last 7 years. To this day, Wealthy Gorilla has become one of the fastest growing wealth infotainment sites in the world; with over 300 million views worldwide. Dan doesn't use personal social media anymore, so you won't be able to find him on Instagram, or Twitter.

10 Comments

Apr 7, 2019 at 12:40 pm

An old man lived in the village is a wonderful story. I like it very much. thanks

Jun 14, 2019 at 11:20 am

The foolish donkey is wonderful and all stories good but i like it

Jul 17, 2019 at 3:03 pm

I really enjoyed your entire list but my favorite of this list is the one about the egg, potatoe, and coffee. Awesome story that is very impactful.

Nov 22, 2019 at 2:36 am

Foolish donkey this story I like that and I have learn something from these stories thanks uploaded on net its was so inspection stories to people’s

Dec 13, 2019 at 2:08 pm

I like the story an old man lived in the village thank you for giving this type of story

Aqsa farhat

Feb 29, 2020 at 10:54 am

All the stories were nice and these stories reminds me about my childhood thank you for making such meaningful stories

Pattada praveen kumar

Apr 14, 2020 at 9:57 am

The fox & the grapes its really everyone thinking like

Bhim Maya subba

Nov 13, 2020 at 1:55 pm

Mine is about ( The blind girl ). Since I have read that book before but I am very glad that I got another chance to read that same book. Actually this story is one of my favorite of all time.

Ramel Sasuke Sampang

Nov 14, 2020 at 5:31 am

My favorite is the potato, egg, and coffee beans! It will help me with future problems. 😀

Marry Walker

Nov 20, 2020 at 12:40 pm

Being a writer, I love to read stories and books. And this blog includes the best short moral stories. I like these all stories and i will share it definitely. Keep writing!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Who are the best motivational speakers of all time?

Motivational speakers have had an enormous impact on my life, and millions of others, no matter what their personal situation in life may be.

Their words are so powerful and inspirational, you just have to listen to their stuff on a daily basis. So it brings me to this post.

I’ve been enjoying a lot of motivational videos recently, have been creating my own, and have ended up listening to a lot of wonderful speeches.

Top 10 Best Motivational Speakers

But who are the best motivational speakers in the world?

Here’s my list of the top 10 motivational speakers in the world.

These are the people you need to be following, listening to and watching on YouTube. They have transformed many people’s lives including mine.

10. Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic was born on December 4th 1982 in Melbourne, Australia. Vujicic was born with Tetra-Amelia syndrome, a very rare disorder whereby someone is born with an absence of all four limbs.

This no doubt ably, made things incredibly tough for Nick growing up, as he struggled both mentally and physically.

It led to him founding his very own non-profit organization called ‘Life Without Limbs’ . Nick Vujicic is a true inspiration to us all, and if you’ve watched some of his motivational speeches on YouTube, you’ll realize just how much he’s been able to adapt to a life without limbs.

Many people with this disorder might not be willing to work hard in order to truly push their abilities.

He can type 43 words a minute on a computer. That’s right, you heard me correctly. This is a guy who has an absence of all four limbs, but can type 43 words per minute on a computer.

I encourage you to watch some of his videos on YouTube, and see exactly what I’m talking about.

“It’s a lie to think you’re not good enough. It’s a lie to think you’re not worth anything.” – nick Vujicic

9. Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy was born on January 5th 1944 in Vancouver, Canada, and is the CEO of Brian Tracy International , a company that specifically sets out to help individuals and organizations develop, train and grow.

Brian’s ultimate goal is to help other people achieve their goals more efficiently and be able to achieve their full potential.

That definitely sets the foundation for being one of the best motivational speakers in the world.

His lifetime achievements are phenomenal, consulting huge numbers of businesses, hosting huge numbers of seminars and conducting  years and years of research in Business, Economics, Psychology and Philosophy.

There’s no more to say other than the title given on his website: Professional Speaker, Best Selling Author, Entrepreneur and Success Expert. Check out some of the best Brian Tracy quotes .

“No one lives long enough to learn everything they need to learn starting from scratch. To be successful, we absolutely, positively have to find people who have already paid the price to learn the things that we need to learn to achieve our goals.” – Brian Tracy

8. Robin Sharma

Robin Sharma was born in 1964 in Nepal, and straight out of the Dalhousie University School of Law, became a professional lawyer. But he went much further in his career than being a fully qualified and successful lawyer.

Sharma has written a total of 15 published books, from 1995 – 2011, on the subjects of self-help and leadership. One of his most popular books written; ‘The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari’ , has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

The book is all about a character called Julian, who decides to sell his home and Ferrari to go on a spiritual journey, after being the victim to a sudden heart attack.

Some may say that Robin Sharma’s more of a motivational author rather than speaker, but he deserves to be on this list. He’s written 12 global best sellers, and is an expert author in the world of leadership and self development.

“Dreamers are mocked as impractical. The truth is they are the most practical, as their innovations lead to progress and a better way of life for all of us.” –  Robin S. Sharma

7. Wayne Dyer

Dr. Wayne Dyer was born on May 10th 1940 in Detroit, and spent the majority of his childhood in an orphanage.

Dyer was in the U.S Navy after graduating high school, from 1958 to 1962. He then received his degree in counselling, a profession that he chose to work in for a while before taking it one step further.

Dyer left his teaching job and started pursuing a career in motivational speaking, holding various lectures across the states and becoming an incredibly popular author.

The first book that Dyer ever wrote has now had over 35 million copies sold and he’s proceeded to continue with his lecture tours, release various audio tapes and publish a regular stream of books .

“Passion is a feeling that tells you: this is the right thing to do. Nothing can stand in my way. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. This feeling is so good that it cannot be ignored. I’m going to follow my bliss and act upon this glorious sensation of joy.” –  Wayne Dyer

6. Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar was born on November 6th, 1926 in Alabama, and passed away on November 28th in 2012.

Ziglar has 11 siblings, and at the age of five years old, his father died of a stroke, and his sister passed away two days later. Zig actually served in the army from 1935 – 1946 during World War II.

Ziglar met his wife Jean when he was just 17 years old, and after the war began to work as a salesman for many different companies, eventually becoming the vice president for the Automotive Performance company .

He started taking part in motivational seminars, and also wrote his first book in 1975 titled: ‘See You at the Top’ . This was the first of at least 15 books he’d written during the period of 1975 and 2012.

A lot of wisdom has come from Zig Ziglar over the years and he is definitely one of the best motivational speakers in the world.

“You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness.” – Zig Ziglar

5. Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30th 1947, in Austria. We all know him as the world famous professional bodybuilding champion, and there’s a very inspirational story behind Arnie’s bodybuilding success.

Schwarzenegger served in the Austrian army at the age of 18 years old for 1 year, which at the time was compulsory for all 18-year-old males.

During this time, he would still manage to fit in his workouts between all the training and drills, whilst most people were resting. He snuck out of the camp to compete in the Junior Mr. Europe contest , which he ended up winning.

Arnold’s discipline towards his training was incredible, and the fact that he was willing to disobey the rules of the army and sneak out of the camp to compete in the contest, just goes to show how badly he wanted it.

Nowadays, he’s an inspiration to many bodybuilders and a great source of motivation for anyone wanting to be successful.

“For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger

4. Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn was born September 17th, 1930 in Yakima, Washington, and passed away on December 5th, 2009. He was a very successful entrepreneur, at one time being a Vice President of a very successful sales company, Nutri-Bio.

However, after the company eventually went out of business, he was invited to speak at a meeting of one of his clubs.

After this meeting, he was invited to speak at many other events and began making a name for himself. Rohn was a wise businessman and managed to impart much of this wisdom to others.

He’s definitely earned the right to be on this list of the best motivational speakers in the world.

“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” – Jim Rohn

3. Les Brown

Les Brown was born on February 17th, 1945 in Miami, Florida. He was adopted by Mamie Brown, and whilst in grade school, was declared “educably mentally retarded” .

Despite this and the emotional issues, it brought upon him; he was encouraged by others to continue to learn and be the best he could be. Leading him to unlock his full potential.

Les is another motivational speaker who is incredibly popular among the motivational video compilations that others create. Because his speeches are so deep and meaningful that they really get through to people.

His top-selling books: ‘It’s Not over until You Win!’  and ‘Live Your Dreams’ are truly inspirational and well worth the read.

“When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up.” – Les Brown

2. Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins was born on February 29th, 1960 in Los Angeles. His life at home when he was young was described by him as abusive and chaotic. It was because of this that he left home at the age of 17.

Originally when starting out in the world of motivational speaking, Robbins was promoting seminars for Jim Rohn. He later decided to begin his own journey by hosting his own seminars.

Tony has affected and changed so many people’s lives in a positive way through his seminars, motivational speeches, inspirational quotes and best-selling books.

Search for him on YouTube and several videos will pop up showing him change someone’s life.

The favorites of mine that I’ve watched, are where he cures a young man’s stutter in 7 minutes and saves another guy’s marriage in 8.

“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” – Tony Robbins

1. Eric Thomas

Eric Thomas, born and raised in Detroit, was homeless at the age of 16 years old. But Eric decided that he wanted to make a better life for himself, to become someone with a life he could be proud of.

E.T did just that, and you can now check out powerful advice from Eric Thomas on YouTube. Including his “Thank God It’s Monday” series.

He also managed to get the education he missed out on whilst he was homeless and pushed himself further to achieve all the qualifications he dreamed of being able to achieve.

Eric Thomas has become one of the best motivational speakers in the world. His YouTube videos are legendary and his best-selling books have taken in millions of dollars in revenue.

E.T’s speeches are so popular, that you’ll find he’s featured in roughly 90% of the motivational videos that others create and upload to YouTube, using compilations of clips, speeches, and music.

“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.” – Eric Thomas

I hope you enjoyed this list of the top 10 best motivational speakers in the world. Many of these speakers are featured within some of the videos we included in our new list of ultimate gym motivation . Take a look and see what you think.

Here’s a quick recap on the list of the best motivational speakers in the world::

• Eric Thomas
• Tony Robbins
• Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Dr. Wayne Dyer
• Robin Sharma
• Brian Tracy
• Nick Vujicic

Who’s your favorite of the 10 best motivational speakers? Do you still agree with the current order of this list? Leave a comment below.

The 10 Most Inspirational Short Stories I’ve Heard

Short Inspirational stories are powerful reads;

The great thing about them is that they’re so easy to digest, and there’s always a moral at the end of the story.

Whether they’re true stories or not is another thing, as many of them are legends supposedly hundreds of years old.

However, the stories that I’m talking about are so powerful and inspirational that many of them really do get you thinking and even leave you speechless at times.

The 10 Best Inspirational Short Stories

I’ve been reading plenty of these short stories in the past couple of weeks and found the lessons behind them truly wonderful. So I’ve decided to write out this article highlighting the 10 most inspirational short stories I’ve heard.

Next to the subheadings, in brackets, I’ve put what the story’s lesson is all about, with a short description of the moral of the story at the end of each section.

10. The Elephant Rope (Belief)

A gentleman was walking through an elephant camp, and he spotted that the elephants weren’t being kept in cages or held by the use of chains.

All that was holding them back from escaping the camp, was a small piece of rope tied to one of their legs.

As the man gazed upon the elephants, he was completely confused as to why the elephants didn’t just use their strength to break the rope and escape the camp. They could easily have done so, but instead, they didn’t try to at all.

Curious and wanting to know the answer, he asked a trainer nearby why the elephants were just standing there and never tried to escape.

The trainer replied;

“when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”

The only reason that the elephants weren’t breaking free and escaping from the camp was that over time they adopted the belief that it just wasn’t possible.

No matter how much the world tries to hold you back, always continue with the belief that what you want to achieve is possible. Believing you can become successful is the most important step in actually achieving it.

9. Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking)

In a small Italian town, hundreds of years ago, a small business owner owed a large sum of money to a loan-shark. The loan-shark was a very old, unattractive looking guy that just so happened to fancy the business owner’s daughter.

He decided to offer the businessman a deal that would completely wipe out the debt he owed him. However, the catch was that we would only wipe out the debt if he could marry the businessman’s daughter.

Needless to say, this proposal was met with a look of disgust.

The loan-shark said that he would place two pebbles into a bag, one white and one black.

The daughter would then have to reach into the bag and pick out a pebble. If it was black, the debt would be wiped, but the loan-shark would then marry her. If it was white, the debt would also be wiped, but the daughter wouldn’t have to marry the loan-shark.

Standing on a pebble-strewn path in the businessman’s garden, the loan-shark bent over and picked up two pebbles.

Whilst he was picking them up, the daughter noticed that he’d picked up two black pebbles and placed them both into the bag.

He then asked the daughter to reach into the bag and pick one.

The daughter naturally had three choices as to what she could have done:

• Refuse to pick a pebble from the bag.
• Take both pebbles out of the bag and expose the loan-shark for cheating.
• Pick a pebble from the bag fully well knowing it was black and sacrifice herself for her father’s freedom.

She drew out a pebble from the bag, and before looking at it ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the midst of the other pebbles. She said to the loan-shark;

“Oh, how clumsy of me. Never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

The pebble left in the bag is obviously black, and seeing as the loan-shark didn’t want to be exposed, he had to play along as if the pebble the daughter dropped was white, and clear her father’s debt.

It’s always possible to overcome a tough situation throughout of the box thinking, and not give in to the only options you think you have to pick from.

8. The Group of Frogs (Encouragement)

As a group of frogs was traveling through the woods, two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was, they told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them.

However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to try and jump out of the pit . 

Despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were still saying that they should just give up. That they would never make it out.

Eventually, one of the frogs took heed to what the others were saying and he gave up, falling down to his death. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die.

He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?”

The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

People’s words can have a big effect on other’s lives. Think about what you say before it comes out of your mouth. It might just be the difference between life and death.

7. A Pound of Butter (Honesty)

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to a baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting the right amount, which he wasn’t. Angry about this, he took the farmer to court.

The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure to weight the butter. The farmer replied, “Honor, I am primitive. I don’t have a proper measure, but I do have a scale.”

The judge asked, “Then how do you weigh the butter?”

The farmer replied;

“Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker.”

In life, you get what you give. Don’t try and cheat others.

6. The Obstacle In Our Path (Opportunity)

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. He then hid himself and watched to see if anyone would move the boulder out of the way. Some of the king’s wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many people loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none of them did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

A peasant then came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to push the stone out of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

After the peasant went back to pick up his vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been.

The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King explaining that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway.

Every obstacle we come across in life gives us an opportunity to improve our circumstances , and whilst the lazy complain, the others are creating opportunities through their kind hearts, generosity, and willingness to get things done.

5. The Butterfly (Struggles)

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Until it suddenly stopped making any progress and looked like it was stuck.

So the man decided to help the butterfly. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The butterfly then emerged easily, although it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings.

The man didn’t think anything of it and sat there waiting for the wings to enlarge to support the butterfly. But that didn’t happen. The butterfly spent the rest of its life unable to fly, crawling around with tiny wings and a swollen body.

Despite the kind heart of the man , he didn’t understand that the restricting cocoon and the struggle needed by the butterfly to get itself through the small opening; were God’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings. To prepare itself for flying once it was out of the cocoon.

Our struggles in life develop our strengths . Without struggles, we never grow and never get stronger, so it’s important for us to tackle challenges on our own, and not be relying on help from others.

4. Control Your Temper (Anger)

There once was a little boy who had a very bad temper. His father decided to hand him a bag of nails and said that every time the boy lost his temper, he had to hammer a nail into the fence.

On the first day, the boy hammered 37 nails into that fence.

The boy gradually began to control his temper over the next few weeks, and the number of nails he was hammering into the fence slowly decreased.

He discovered it was easier to control his temper than to hammer those nails into the fence.

Finally, the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father the news and the father suggested that the boy should now pull out a nail every day he kept his temper under control.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

“you have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.”

Control your anger, and don’t say things to people in the heat of the moment, that you may later regret . Some things in life, you are unable to take back.

3. The Blind Girl (Change)

There was a blind girl who hated herself purely for the fact she was blind. The only person she didn’t hate was her loving boyfriend, as he was always there for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry him.

One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her – now she could see everything , including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”

The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying:

“Just take care of my eyes dear.”

When our circumstances change, so does our mind. Some people may not be able to see the way things were before, and might not be able to appreciate them . There are many things to take away from this story, not just one.

This is one of the inspirational short stories that left me speechless.

2. Puppies for Sale (Understanding)

A shop owner placed a sign above his door that said: “Puppies For Sale.”

Signs like this always have a way of attracting young children, and to no surprise, a boy saw the sign and approached the owner; 

“How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.  

The store owner replied, “Anywhere from $30 to $50.”

The little boy pulled out some change from his pocket. “I have $2.37,” he said. “Can I please look at them?”

The shop owner smiled and whistled. Out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his shop followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur.

One puppy was lagging considerably behind. Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?”

The shop owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. “That is the puppy that I want to buy.”

The shop owner said, “No, you don’t want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I’ll just give him to you.”

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said;

“I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The shop owner countered, “You really don’t want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies.”

To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the shop owner and softly replied, “Well, I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

1. Box Full of Kisses (Love)

Some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.

Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”

The man became embarrassed by his overreaction earlier, but his rage continue when he saw that the box was empty. He yelled at her; “Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?”

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried;

“Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.”

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.

Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child.

Her father kept the gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

Love is the most precious gift in the world.

Summary of the 10 Best Inspirational Stories

Here’s a quick summary of the 10 best short inspirational stories:

• Box Full of Kisses (Love)
• Puppies for Sale (Understanding)
• The Blind Girl (Change)
• Control Your Temper (Anger)
• The Butterfly (Struggles)
• The Obstacle in Our Path (Opportunity)
• A Pound of Butter (Honesty)
• The Group of Frogs (Encouragement)
• Thinking Out of the Box (Creative Thinking)
• The Elephant Rope (Belief)

Thanks for reading these inspirational short stories. Some of them left me speechless for a minute or two, and it really does make us think.

If you know of any other inspirational short stories that you think should be featured on the list, then let me know in the comments below or drop me an email and I’ll feature them in part two later on in the year.

Which are your favorite inspirational short stories? Leave a comment below.

Top 20 best personal development authors of all time.

Ever wanted to start reading self-development books, but you’re not sure who the best personal development authors to follow are?

You’re in luck…

I’m about to give you the names of what I believe to be the top 20 best self-development authors to be reading up on. These are names to remember when you’re looking for your next book to buy.

Top 20 Best Personal Development Authors

Here are, in no particular order, the names of the 20 best authors to start reading up on. I would have loved to include a few other names on this list, but the top 20 is what it is!

1. Jack Canfield

Jack Canfield is the legend behind the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ series; one of the most popular self-development book series of all time.

Over 250+ books have been published by the company, and Canfield has gone on to become a leading motivational speaker and trainer.

2. Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill is the author behind the notorious ‘Think & Grow Rich’, one of the most popular self-development books of all time.

Hill teaches the principles of attaining any riches you desire in life, and there is so much valuable information within this book, that it’ll always be remembered.

3. Dale Carnegie

Another self-development author you have to check out, and one you’ve probably already heard of, is Dale Carnegie. Carnegie lived from 1888 to 1955, and within his life, published a considerable number of self-help books.

Two of those books, specifically the best selling ones, were ‘How to Win Friends & Influence People’ and ‘How to Stop Worrying & Start Living’.

4. Robert B. Cialdini

You probably know Cialdini as the author of ‘Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion’. This book is highly regarded as one of the best self-development books of all time, as well as one of the best psychology books to read.

5. Tim Ferriss

If you’re not following Tim Ferriss , I don’t know what you’re doing. There are four best selling books that every Tim Ferriss fan will have read, and they’ve helped change the lives of millions.

Those four books are:

• The Four Hour Work Week
• The Four Hour Body
• Tools For Titans
• Tribe of Mentors

6. Dr. Wayne Dyer

Sadly, Wayne Dyer passed away several years ago. He was an American philosopher, self-help author and motivational speaker. Dyer wrote over 40 books in the field of personal development, and they have sold in tens of millions.

7. John C. Maxwell

John Maxwell is an American author, speaker and pastor. He focuses solely on leadership, and training other to become wise and wonderful leaders.

Maxwell has written a ton of incredible books, however these are some the most popular books he’s written:

• The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership
• Developing The Leader Within You
• The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
• How Successful People Think
• Failing Forward

8. Tony Robbins

Tony Robbins , what a guy! Tony has helped people all over the world to transform their lives, and there’s so much wisdom we can all gain from listening to his speeches, and reading his content.

If you want to learn more about Tony Robbins and his work, you can check out these books:

• Awaken the Giant Within
• Unlimited Power
• Unshakeable

9. Paulo Coelho

You probably know Paulo Coelho for his best selling book, ‘The Alchemist’. Coelho is a best selling author, lyricist and novelist, and has received many awards for his work over the years.

The Alchemist is definitely a book you should read if you’re an ambitious individual trying to pursue your dreams and overcome any obstacles in your way.

10. Deepak Chopra

Deepak Chopra is an American author, public speaker, alternative medicine advocate, and a prominent figure in the New Age movement.

Chopra has become one of the most influential figures in the area of spiritual healing and alternative medicine. Some of his best selling books you should be adding to your reading list are:

• Re-inventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul
• Creating Affluence
• The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

11. Peter F. Drucker

Peter Drucker was an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of the modern business corporation.

You probably know him as the author behind ‘Managing Oneself’, and if you don’t, then you should.

12. Martha Beck

Martha Nibley Beck is an American sociologist, life coach, best-selling author, and speaker who travels the world helping people achieve personal and professional goals.

Some of Martha’s most popular books are:

• Finding Your Own North Star
• Find Your Way In A Wild New World
• The 4-Day Win

13. Stephen R. Covey

I first encountered Stephen Covey’s work when I purchased ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’, which at the time had sold over 15 million copies!

Covey was an American educator, speaker and author. He sadly passed away 5 years ago, but his work has lived on to be some of the best reading material anybody could ever purchase.

14. Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is a Canadian-born American motivational public speaker and self-development author. He is the author of over 70 books that have been translated into dozens of languages.

Some of his most notorious books are:

• No Excuses: The Power of Discipline
• Eat That Frog!

15. Les Brown

Les Brown is one of my favorite motivational speakers of all time. Les was labelled educable mentally retarded when he was younger, and was born on the floor of an abandoned building.

Some of his most popular and best selling books are ‘Live Your Dreams’ and ‘It’s Not Over Until You Win’.

16. Jim Rohn

Emanuel James “Jim” Rohn was an American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. He was responsible for changing many people’s lives, and even mentored Tony Robbins once upon a time.

These are some of the most popular self-development books by Jim Rohn:

• 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness
• My Philosophy for Successful Living
• The Keys to Success

17. Gary Keller

Gary Keller is an American entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is the founder of Keller Williams Realty International, which is the largest real estate company in the world by agent count.

You’ve probably heard Keller’s name come up when people talk about ‘The ONE Thing’, his best selling self-help book.

18. Gabrielle Bernstein

Gabrielle Bernstein is an American motivational speaker, life coach, and author. Bernstein teaches primarily from the metaphysical text A Course In Miracles.

Some of here most popular books are:

• Miracles Now
• Spirit Junkie
• May Cause Miracles
• The Universe Has Your Back

19. Brendan Burchard

Brendon Burchard is an American author on motivation and the use of digital and affiliate marketing to sell “info products” based on whatever expertise a person has.

He is most commonly known for his book: The Motivation Manifesto, however he has written several other useful and recommended books on the subject of motivation, such as:

• The Millionaire Messenger
• Life’s Golden Ticket

20. Joel Osteen

Joel Scott Osteen is an American preacher and televangelist. He is the Senior Pastor of Lakewood Church, in Houston, Texas. Osteen’s televised sermons are seen by over 7 million viewers weekly and over 20 million monthly in over 100 countries.

Some of his most popular books are:

• Think Better, Live Better Study Guide
• The Power of I Am
• Fresh Start

That concludes the list of the best personal development authors of all time:

• Jack Canfield
• Napoleon Hill
• Dale Carnegie
• Robert B. Cialdini
• John C. Maxwell
• Anthony Robbins
• Paulo Coelho
• Deepak Chopra
• Peter F. Drucker
• Martha Beck
• Stephen R. Covey
• Gary Keller
• Gabrielle Bernstein
• Brendan Burchard
• Joel Osteen

Who are your favorite personal development authors? Leave a comment below.

Latest posts.

Max Holloway Net Worth

What is Max Holloway’s net worth? Introduction  Max Holloway is a Polynesian American mixed martial artist, former UFC Featherweight Champion...

DeAndre Hopkins Net Worth

What is DeAndre Hopkins’ net worth? Introduction  As of , DeAndre Hopkins’ net worth is roughly .  DeAndre Hopkins is...

Young Dolph Net Worth

What is Young Dolph’s net worth? Introduction  As of , Young Dolph’s net worth is estimated to be . Young...

Baker Mayfield Net Worth

What is Baker Mayfield’s net worth? Introduction  Baker Mayfield is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of...

Luke Kuechly Net Worth

What is Luke Kuechly’s net worth? Introduction  Luke Kuechly is a former American football linebacker for the Carolina Panthers of...

Mobb Deep Net Worth

What was Mobb Deep’s net worth? Introduction  Mobb Deep was an American hip-hop duo from Queens, New York. The group...

Jesse Jane Net Worth

What is Jesse Jane’s net worth? Introduction  Jesse Jane was an American adult film actress and model from Texas. Jane...

Emily Fernandez Net Worth

What is Emily Fernandez’s net worth? Introduction  As of , Emily Fernandez’s net worth is roughly .  Emily Fernandez is...

Leighton Vander Esch Net Worth

What is Leighton Vander Esch’s net worth? Introduction  Leighton Vander Esch is a former American football linebacker who played his...

Grant Hill Net Worth

What is Grant Hill’s net worth? Introduction  As of , Grant Hill’s net worth is .  Grant Hill is a...

The 30 Richest People in the World

The 50 Richest Rappers in the World

The 50 Richest Singers in the World

The 50 Richest Actors in the World

The 50 Richest Athletes in the World

Jeff Bezos Net Worth

The 50 Richest DJs in the World

37 Best Inspirational & Motivational Short Stories [2024 Update]

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

Have you ever watched a movie or read a book that had a lasting impact on you?

Stories are one of the most powerful ways to guide, teach, and inspire people. Storytelling is effective because it helps to establish connections among people, as well as between people and the ideas that unite humanity.

Inspirational stories move past creating a sense of connection, and allow the listener to identify with the story wherever they are in their own life , which makes them more receptive to learning.

Some of the best stories contain several different meanings or lessons so they’re effective in communicating complex ideas in ways that are easy to understand.

Finally, storytelling has characteristics that benefits the three main types of learning: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Visual learners benefit from the mental pictures that stories evoke.

Auditory learners are able to focus on the words and voice of the storyteller.

And kinesthetic learners can retain the emotional connections that they feel were created in the story.

No matter what type of learner you are , you can benefit from an inspirational story that comes with a moral.

In this article, I will share 23 short inspirational stories that can teach you valuable lessons .

Table of Contents

23 Best Inspirational Short Stories with a Motivating Moral

1. three feet from gold.

Watch the Video of This Story:

During the gold rush, a man who had been mining in Colorado for several months quit his job, as he hadn’t struck gold yet and the work was becoming tiresome.  He sold his equipment to another man who resumed mining where it had been left off.

The new miner was advised by his engineer that there was gold only three feet away from where the first miner stopped digging.

The engineer was right, which means the first miner was a mere three feet away from striking gold before he quit.

When things start to get hard, try to persevere through the adversity.

Many people give up on following their dreams because the work becomes too difficult, tedious, or tiresome–but often, you’re closer to the finish line than you may think , and if you push just a little harder, you will succeed.

2. Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand

A philosophy professor once stood up before his class with a large empty mayonnaise jar. He filled the jar to the top with large rocks and asked his students if the jar was full.

His students all agreed the jar was full .

He then added small pebbles to the jar, and gave the jar a bit of a shake so the pebbles could disperse themselves among the larger rocks. Then he asked again, “Is the jar full now?”

The students agreed that the jar was still full.

The professor then poured sand into the jar to fill up all the remaining empty space.

The students then agreed again that the jar was full .

The Metaphor:

In this story, the jar represents your life and the r ocks, pebbles, and sand are the things that fill up your life .

The rocks represent the most important projects and things you have going on, such as spending time with your family and maintaining proper health. This means that if the pebbles and the sand were lost, the jar would still be full and your life would still have meaning .

The pebbles represent the things in your life that matter, but that you could live without.

The pebbles are certainly things that give your life meaning (such as your job, house, hobbies, and friendships), but they are not critical for you to have a meaningful life.

These things often come and go, and are not permanent or essential to your overall well-being.

Finally, the sand represents the remaining filler things in your life, and material possessions. This could be small things such as watching television , browsing through your favorite social media site , or running errands.

These things don't mean much to your life as a whole, and are likely only done to waste time or get small tasks accomplished.

The metaphor here is that if you start with putting sand into the jar, you will not have room for rocks or pebbles.

This holds true with the things you let into your life. If you spend all of your time on the small and insignificant things, you will run out of room for the things that are actually important.

In order to have a more effective and efficient life, pay attention to the “rocks,” because they are critical to your long-term well-being .

3. The Elephant Rope

When walking through an elephant camp, a man noticed that the elephants were only secured with a small rope that was tied around one ankle. He wondered why the elephants didn’t break free from the rope, as the elephants were certainly strong enough to do so.

He asked a trainer why the elephants didn’t try to break free, and the trainer responded by saying that they use the same size rope for baby elephants all the way up to adulthood.

Because they’re too small when they’re babies to break free from the rope, they grow up being conditioned that the rope is stronger than they are . As adults, they think the rope can still hold them, so they don’t try to fight it.

The elephants in this case are experiencing learned helplessness . This phenomenon occurs when someone has been conditioned to anticipate discomfort in some way without having a way to avoid it or make it stop.

After enough conditioning, the person will stop any attempts to avoid the pain, even if they see an opportunity to escape.

If you go through life thinking that you can’t do something just because you have failed at doing it in the past, you’re living with a fixed mindset .

You have to let go of your limiting beliefs in order to make the breakthroughs that are required for your ultimate success.

Don’t let other people tell you that you can’t do something, and don’t hold onto an assumption that you can’t grow and learn from past failures.

4. A Wise Man’s Jokes

A wise man once faced a group of people who were complaining about the same issues over and over again. One day, instead of listening to the complaints, he told them a joke and everyone cracked up laughing.

Then, the man repeated the joke. A few people smiled.

Finally, the man repeated the joke a third time– but no one reacted .

The man smiled and said, “You won’t laugh at the same joke more than once. So what are you getting from continuing to complain about the same problem?”

You’re not going to get anywhere if you keep complaining about the same problem but do nothing to fix it.

Don’t waste your time complaining, expecting other people to continue to react to your complaints. Instead, take action to make a change.

5. It’s Never Too Late

In the 1940s, there was a man who, at the age of 65, was living off of $99 social security checks in a small house, driving a beat-up car.

He decided it was time to make a change , so he thought about what he had to offer that other people may benefit from. His mind went to his fried chicken recipe, which his friends and family loved.

He left his home state of Kentucky and traveled throughout the country, trying to sell his recipe to restaurants. He even offered the recipe for free, asking for only a small chunk of the money that was earned.

However, most of the restaurants declined his offer. In fact, 1,009 restaurants said no .

But even after all of the rejections, he persisted. He believed in himself and his chicken recipe.

When he visited restaurant #1,010, he got a YES .

Colonel Hartland Sanders.

There are a few lessons that you can take away from this story.

First, it’s never too late in life to find success . In a society that often celebrates young, successful people, it’s easy to start to think you’re never going to be successful after a certain age.

However, Colonel Sanders is an example that proves that argument wrong.

This story also demonstrates the power of persistence. You have to have confidence in yourself and believe in your work for other people to believe it also.

Disregard anyone who tells you “no” and simply move on.

6. The Boulder and the Gold

There once was a king who decided to do a little experiment. He had a giant boulder put right in the middle of the street. He then hid near the boulder to see who, if anyone, would try to move it out of the way.

First, some wealthy merchants walked by. They walked around the boulder, complaining that the king hasn’t been maintaining the roads very well.

Next, a peasant walked by, heading home with his arms full of food for his family. When he noticed the boulder, he put his groceries down and attempted to move it out of everyone’s way. It took him a while to move it, but he eventually succeeded.

After the peasant gathered up his groceries to carry on home, he noticed a bag lying in the middle of the road, just where the boulder once was.

He opened the bag to find that it was stuffed full of gold coins , along with a letter from the king saying that the bag’s gold was a reward for the peasant to keep.

The king gave this gift because the peasant had taken the time and energy to move the boulder out of the road for the convenience of others who would be traveling the road in the future.

The peasant in this story was taught by the king that every obstacle you face offers an opportunity to improve.

If you’re able to push through moments that are challenging, you may end up being much better off than you were before you started trying.

This story also offers a lesson of personal responsibility.

If you see a job ahead of you, don’t leave it for the next person to do. Rather, step up and get the job done to help the people who come after you.

(To learn more about this concept, here are 8 key ingredients of personal responsibility .)

7. Dirty Money

A well-respected speaker began a seminar by showing an audience of 150 people a crisp $20 bill.

He asked, “Who wants this $20 bill?”

All 150 people nodded.

He said, “I am going to give this money to someone, but first….”

Then he proceeded to crumple the bill up.

He asked the crowd again if anyone wanted it.

All 150 hands went up in the air.

The speaker then dropped the money on the floor and stomped all over it.

He then raised it in the air to show the crowd. The money was filthy.

“Does anyone want it now?”

Every hand went up.

The speaker proceeded to tell the crowd that no matter what he did to ruin the money, people still wanted it because its value remained the same .

It was still worth $20.

Life often beats us up to the point where we feel inadequate. We deal with bad circumstances and make bad choices that we have to deal with later. However, no matter what you go through, your value will remain the same .

You have something special to offer that no one can take away from you.

8. The Ultimate Test

One night, four college students stayed up late partying, even though they knew they had a test the next day. The next morning, they came up with a plan to get out of having to take their test.

Each student rolled around in dirt and then went to the teacher’s office.

They told the teacher that they had gotten a flat tire the night before, and they spent the entire night pushing their car back to campus.

The teacher listened, and to the students’ delight, he offered a retest three days later.

On the day of the test, the students went to their teacher’s office. The teacher put all four of the students in separate rooms to take the test. The students were okay with that because they had been given a chance to study.

The test had 2 questions:

1) Your Name __________ (1 Points)

2) Which tire was flat? __________ (99 Points)

• Front Right

Aside from making wise decisions, you always need to take responsibility for your actions .

This means not blaming other people for your mistakes, not complaining about the reality of the present moment, and not giving in to other people’s pressure.

9. What a Waste

A mother camel and her baby were lying down, soaking up the sun.

The baby camel asked his mom, “Why do we have these big bumps on our back?”

The mom stopped to think and then said, “We live in the desert where there is not much water available. Our humps store water to help us survive on long journeys.”

The baby camel then stopped to think and said, “Well, why do we have long legs with rounded feet?”

His mother replied, “They are meant to help us walk through sand.”

The baby asked a third question, “Why are my eyelashes so long?”

The mother replied, “Your long eyelashes offer you protection from sand when it blows in the wind.”

Finally, the baby said, “If we have all of these natural abilities given to us to walk through the desert, what’s the use for camels in the Zoo?”

The skills and abilities that you possess won’t be useful if you’re not in the right environment.

You’ve probably heard of a professional who ditched his or her career to follow their dreams–or the person who remains unfulfilled in their job, but doesn’t try to make a change .

If you’re stuck in a career that isn’t the right fit, you have to do some self-reflection to realize where you strengths lie that are going to waste. ( Here is a five-step process to identify your personal strengths .)

Turn to people that you know the best as well as professionals in any given market so you can start thinking about what may be better for you.

Think big and remain open to new ideas.

10. Breathing With No Air

A boy once asked a wise old man what the secret to success is.

After listening to the boy’s question, the wise man told the boy to meet him at the river in the morning and he would be given the answer there.

In the morning, the wise man and the boy began walking toward the river. They continued on into the river, past the point of the water covering their nose and mouth.  At this time, the wise man ducked the boy into the water.

As he struggled to get out, the wise man continued to push him further down. The boy felt a fish slip by his leg and squirmed to get up even harder. The man eventually pulled the boy’s head up so he could get air. The boy gasped as he inhaled a deep breath of air.

The wise man said, ‘What were you fighting for when you were under water?”

The boy replied, “Air!”

The man said, “There you have the secret to success. When you want to gain success as much as you wanted air when you were under water, you will obtain it. That’s the only secret.”

Success starts with the desire to achieve something.

If your motivation is weak , your results will follow suit.

Think about what you desire the most in life and work towards getting it. Don’t allow your environment or other people to influence the things that you truly want.

Just because the fish swimming by is comfortable with being under water doesn’t mean that you are.

11. Sweet Dreams

A young boy and girl were enjoying a pleasant afternoon playing outside in their neighborhood together.

The boy showed the girl his collection of beautiful, unique marbles. In turn, the girl showed the boy the handful of candy that she had just gotten for her birthday.

The boy proposed that the two of them switch–he would give her all of his marbles if she handed over all of her candy.

The girl agreed, as she found the marbles to be beautiful as well.

The boy handed over all of his marbles, but kept one–the most exquisite one of them all–in his pocket.

The girl kept her promise and gave the boy all of her candy.

That night, the girl was happy with the exchange and peacefully went to sleep.

The boy, however, couldn’t sleep, as he was up wondering if the girl had secretly kept some of her candy, just like he did with the marble.

If you don’t give 100% in your relationships, you will always assume your partner isn’t giving 100% either.

If you want your relationships to be built on trust, you have to be a participating factor in that.

Honesty grows your character.

By being honest in relationships, you’re holding your partner accountable to do the same. It allows both you and your partner to continuously think about your choices and how you can help (or hurt) your partner and your relationship.

12. Teamwork

There was once a man who lived with his three sons. His sons were hard workers, but they constantly fought with each other .

Even though the man continuously tried to help his sons make peace with each other, he was never successful. In fact, their fighting got to a point where their neighbors would make fun of them.

Eventually, the father became ill. He begged his sons to learn how to work together because of his impending death, but they didn’t listen. The father then decided to teach his sons a practical lesson to help his sons forget their differences and become a united team.

The father called his sons and said, “I’ll give you each an equal collection of sticks to break in half. Whoever breaks the sticks the fastest will be rewarded.”

After agreeing to the task, the father gave each of his sons 10 sticks and instructed them to break each stick in half.

This task took the sons mere minutes to complete, but once they were finished, they started to fight about who finished first.

The father said, “Dear sons, the task isn’t finished. Now I’ll give each of you 10 more sticks, however, you must break the sticks in half as a bundle rather than snapping each one separately.”

His sons agreed and attempted to do what he had asked. They each tried their best, but none could break the bundle in half.

They told their father that they had failed.

In response, their father said, “See, it was easy to break the sticks in half individually, but you couldn’t break all 10 of them at the same time.

Similarly, if the three of you stay united as a team, nobody will be able to harm you. However, if you fight all the time, anyone will be able to defeat you. Please come together as a united team.”

This lesson helped the man’s sons understand the power of being a team and promised their father that, moving forward, they would work together as a team, no matter what the situation was.

Being an effective member of a team helps contribute to the overall moral and motivation of the team.

Strong teams are naturally aligned to work harder, support each other, and be cooperative with working toward a mutual goal.

Individuals each have diverse talents, strengths, and weaknesses to contribute to teamwork, so staying focused on the task at hand rather than allowing personal disputes to get in the way will help you achieve your desired results. 

13. Frogs for Dinner

A lady was once heating up a pot of water on a gas stove with the intent of cooking pasta for her family for dinner.

A frog fell into the pot while it was sitting on the stove. While it wasn’t his intention to be stuck in a pot of water, he didn’t try to escape. He was comfortable enough as he was.

The lady soon turned on the flame to begin boiling the water.

As the water’s temperature began to rise, the frog was able to adjust his body temperature accordingly, so he remained in the pot without trying to do anything to change the situation.

However, as the water approached its boiling point, the frog’s body temperature could no longer keep up. He finally tried to jump out of the pot, but with water temperature continuing to increase, he didn’t have it in him to make the leap.

It was too late for the frog to save himself.

Things don’t always go as planned in life, and they certainly don’t always go the way we want them to. But, no matter how bad a situation is, it’s critical to be proactive and face the problem head-on.

Unlike the frog, who waited until the last minute to try to do anything about the problem he was clearly facing, it’s important to project the future outcomes of the obstacles that hinder you and mediate them before they get past the point of no return .

You have to avoid wasting time and take appropriate action before problems get out of hand or become too much to handle.

14. Will You Marry Me?

Centuries ago, in a small Italian town, there was a business owner who was in a great amount of debt.

His banker, who was an old, unattractive man, strongly desired the business owner’s younger beautiful daughter.

The banker decided to offer the businessman a deal to forgive the debt that he owed the bank completely. However, there was a bit of a catch.

In order for the businessman to become debt-free, he was to have his daughter marry the banker.

The businessman didn’t want to concede to this agreement, but he had no other choice, as his debt was so extreme.

The banker said he would put two small stones into a bag–one of which was white, and the other black .

The daughter would then need to reach into the bag and blindly choose a stone.

If she chose the black stone, the businessman’s debt would be cleared and the daughter would have to marry the banker.

However , if she chose the white stone, the debt would be cleared and the daughter would not have to marry him.

While standing in the stone-filled path in the businessman’s yard, the banker reached down and chose two small stones, not realizing that the businessman’s daughter was watching him. She noticed that he picked up two black stones and put them in the bag.

When it came time for the daughter to pick a stone out of the bag, she felt she had three choices:

• Refuse to do it.
• Take out both stones and expose the banker’s cheating.
• Pick a stone, knowing it would be black, and sacrifice herself to get her father out of debt.

She picked a stone from the bag, and immediately ‘accidentally’ dropped it into the abundance of stones where they were all standing.

She said to the banker, “I’m sorry, I’m so clumsy! Oh well. Just look in the bag to see what color stone is in there now so you will know what color stone I picked.”

Of course, the remaining stone was black . Because the banker didn’t want his deceit to be exposed, he played along, acting as if the stone that the businessman’s daughter dropped had to have been white.

He cleared the businessman’s debt and the daughter remained free from having to spend the rest of her life with the banker.

While you may have to think outside of the box sometimes, it’s always possible to conquer a difficult situation.

You don’t have to always give in to the options you’re presented with.

Challenge the status quo.

Think creatively.

Engage in productive nonconformity when possible.

Don’t be afraid to question the things that are expected to be true. In order to overcome challenges, you have to think in ways that you’ve never thought before.

15. Wait…What?

A carpenter who was nearing retirement told his boss that he was ready to end his career and spend his time with his wife and family. He would miss his work, but he felt it was time to spend his time with the people who were important to him.

His boss was saddened by this news, as this carpenter had been a good, reliable employee for many years. He asked the carpenter if he could do him a favor and build just one more house.

The carpenter reluctantly conceded, even though his passion for building had faded.

While he was building this last house, his normal work ethic faded and his efforts were mediocre, at best. He used inexpensive and inferior materials and cut corners wherever he could. It was a poor way to finish such a dedicated career that he once had.

When the carpenter was finished, his boss came to look at the house. He gave the key to the carpenter and said, “This house is my gift to you for all of the hard work you have done for me over the years.” 

The carpenter was astonished.

What a generous gift this was to receive from his boss, but if he had known he was building a house for himself, he would have made his usual efforts to create a high-quality home.

The same idea applies to how you build your life.

Every day that you wake up offers an opportunity for you to put your best foot forward, yet we often do mediocre work, saving the more important things for “another” day .

Then one day, we find ourselves shocked that our lives aren’t what we had hoped they would be. The “house” we built to live in has a lot of flaws due to a lack of effort.

However, you can’t go back and rebuild it in a day or two.

As people say, “Life is a do-it-yourself project.”

Your attitude and choices help build the life you will live tomorrow. So…build carefully.

16. Toothpaste Recant

One night in July at an all-girls summer camp, the campers were gathered around in a circle for their nighttime devotions.

The counselor asked if any of the girls wanted to share something that had happened that day that impacted them.

One camper raised her hand and said a girl from another camp cabin had said something that hurt her feelings and she was really upset about it.

The camp counselor went to the bathroom to grab a tube of toothpaste.

She took the tube and squeezed it just a bit so some toothpaste came out. She then tried to put the toothpaste back in the tube, but it just created a mess. Then she squeezed the tube even more, pushing more toothpaste out and creating even more of a mess, but none of it would go back into the tube.

The counselor then told the campers, “this toothpaste represents the words you speak. Once you say something that you want to take back, it’s impossible and it only creates a mess. Think before you speak, and make sure your words are going to good use before you let them out.”

Speaking is a fundamental social skill required for living a successful life.

However, many are careless with their words, but they hold so much power. They can have a direct impact on the outcome of a situation, creating a helpful or hurtful reaction in our world. T

he problem is, once words come out of your mouth, no amount of “I’m sorrys” will make them go back in: blurting something out and then attempting to take it back is like shutting the gate after the horse has taken off. 

Thinking before you speak allows you the time to consider the potential impact of your words.

Be careful when choosing where and when you let your words out. You can easily hurt other people, and once you do, you can’t take it back.

Words define who we are by revealing our attitudes and character, giving people an indication of our intellect or ignorance. 

Stop for a minute before you speak and question yourself about why you’re saying what you are. Are you trying to relay information? Relate to someone else?

Make sure you’re able to take responsibility for whatever you’re about to say.

17. Just Be

One evening, after spending several days with his new wife, a man leaned over and whispered into her ear, “I love you.” 

She smiled – and the man smiled back – and she said, “When I’m eighty years old and I’m thinking back on my entire life, I know I will remember this moment.”

A few minutes later, she drifted off to sleep.

The man was left with the silence of the room and the soft sound of his wife’s breathing.

He stayed awake, thinking about everything they had done together, from their first date to their first vacation together and ultimately to their big wedding. These were just some of the life choices that the couple had made together that had led to this very moment of silence in the presence of each other.

At one point, the man then realized that it didn’t matter what they had done or where they had gone. Nor did it matter where they were going.

The only thing that mattered was the serenity of that very moment.

Just being together. Breathing together. And resting together.

We can’t let the clock, calendar, or pressure from external sources take over our lives and allow us to forget the fact that every moment of our lives is a gift and a miracle – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant it is.

Being mindful in the special moments that you spend in the presence of the ones that you love are the moments that truly give your life meaning. (For more on this, here are 71 mindfulness exercises you can use to live in the present moment .)

18. The Weight of the World

Once, a psychology professor walked around his classroom full of students holding a glass of water with his arm straightened out to the side.

He asked his students, “How heavy is this glass of water?”

The students started to shout out guesses–ranging anywhere from 4 ounces to one pound.

The professor replied, “The absolute weight of this glass isn’t what matters while I’m holding it. Rather, it’s the amount of time that I hold onto it that makes an impact.”

“If I hold it for, say, two minutes, it doesn’t feel like much of a burden. If I hold it for an hour, its weight may become more apparent as my muscles begin to tire.

If I hold it for an entire day– or week –my muscles will cramp and I’ll likely feel numb or paralyzed with pain, making me feel miserable and unable to think about anything aside from the pain that I’m in. “

“In all of these cases, the actual weight of the glass will remain the same, but the longer I clench onto it, the heavier it feels to me and the more burdensome it is to hold.”

The class understood and shook their heads in agreement.

The professor continued to say, “This glass of water represents the worries and stresses that you carry around with you every day.  If you think about them for a few minutes and then put them aside, it’s not a heavy burden to bear.

If you think about them a little longer, you will start to feel the impacts of the stress. If you carry your worries with you all day, you will become incapacitated, prohibiting you from doing anything else until you let them go.”

Put down your worries and stressors. Don’t give them your entire attention while your life is passing you by.

Let go of things that are out of your control.

Don’t carry your worries around with you everywhere you go, as they will do nothing but bring you down.

Put your “glass down” each night and move on from anything that is unnecessarily stressing you out.

Don’t carry this extra weight into the next day.

19. Cherish Your Struggles

One day, a girl came upon a cocoon, and she could tell that a butterfly was trying to hatch.

She waited and watched the butterfly struggle for hours to release itself from the tiny hole. All of a sudden, the butterfly stopped moving–it seemed to be stuck.

The girl then decided to help get the butterfly out. She went home to get a pair of scissors to cut open the cocoon. The butterfly was then easily able to escape, however, its body was swollen and its wings were underdeveloped. 

The girl still thought she had done the butterfly a favor as she sat there waiting for its wings to grow in order to support its body. However, that wasn’t happening.

The butterfly was unable to fly, and for the rest of its life, it could only move by crawling around with little wings and a large body.

Despite the girl’s good intentions, she didn’t understand that the restriction of the butterfly’s cocoon and the struggle the butterfly had to go through in order to escape served an important purpose.

As butterflies emerge from tight cocoons, it forces fluid from their body into their wings to prepare them to be able to fly.

The struggles that you face in life help you grow and get stronger .

There is often a reason behind the requirement of doing hard work and being persistent. When enduring difficult times, you will develop the necessary strength that you’ll need in the future.

Without having any struggles, you won’t grow–which means it’s very important to take on personal challenges for yourself rather than relying on other people to always help you. 

20. Seeking Happiness

There were 200 people attending a seminar on mental and physical health.

At one point, the speaker told the group they were going to do an activity. He gave each attendee one balloon and told them to write their name on it. Then, the balloons were collected and moved into a very small room.

The participants were then asked to go into the other room and were given 2 minutes to find their balloon.

It was chaos…

People were searching frantically for their balloon, pushing each other and running into one another while they grabbed a balloon, looked at it, and inevitably tossed it to the side.

At the end of the 2 minutes, no one had found the balloon that had their name on it.

Then, the speaker asked the participants to go back in the room and pick up one balloon at random, look at the name, and return it to its owner. Within minutes, everyone had been reunited with their original balloon.

The speaker then told the group, “This is what it’s like when people are frantically searching for their own happiness in life .

People push others aside to get the things that they want that they believe will bring them happiness. However, our happiness actually lies in helping other people and working together as a community.”

You will get your happiness if you help other people find theirs. The Dalai Lama says, “If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

Helping others makes us happy because it gives us a sense of purpose.

In fact, a study from the London School of Economics found that the more you help other people, the happier you will be.

The researchers compared the variance in happiness levels of people who don’t help others on a regular basis to the happiness of weekly volunteers. They found that the participants had the same variance in happiness as those who make $75,000 – $100,000 annually vs $20,000.

Helping others brings us happiness for three reasons:

• Diversion : When you worry less about your own needs–in this case, finding your own balloon–the stress of that hunt decreases.

Taking your focus away from the fact that you can’t find your own balloon lets you divert your attention away from your own problem.  The feeling of compassion replaces the feeling of need.

• Perspective : Having concern for other people helps us remember that we are all facing similar problems in life–no matter what the individual severity of the issue is.

Sometimes when we are focused on our own issues, they get put into perspective when we encounter the true suffering of others (for example, bereavement or a  severe disability ).

It’s easy to then realize the excess amount of attention we’ve been giving our own problems.  Having compassion helps us put our problems into perspective.

• Connection :  Connecting with others by helping them   can bring happiness into your life.

Humans are social beings that need to have positive connections with other people in order to be happy. Connecting with other people enriches our lives and gives us a sense of fulfillment.

21. There Was Once a Boy…

There was once a boy who was growing up in a very wealthy family.

One day, his father decided to take him on a trip to show him how others lived who were less fortunate. His father’s goal was to help his son appreciate everything that he has been given in life.

The boy and his father pulled up to a farm where a very poor family lived. They spent several days on the farm, helping the family work for their food and take care of their land.

When they left the farm, his dad asked his son if he enjoyed their trip and if he had learned anything during the time they spent with this other family.

The boy quickly replied, “It was fantastic, that family is so lucky!”

Confused, his father asked what he meant by that.

The boy said, “Well, we only have one dog, but that family has four–and they have chickens!

We have four people in our home, but they have 12! They have so many people to play with!

We have a pool in our yard, but they have a river running through their property that is endless.

We have lanterns outside so we can see at night, but they have the wide open sky and the beautiful stars to give them wonder and light.

We have a patio, but they have the entire horizon to enjoy–they have endless fields to run around in and play.

We have to go to the grocery store, but they are able to grow their own food . Our high fence protects our property and our family, but they don‘t need such a limiting structure, because their friends protect them.”

The father was speechless.

Finally, the boy added, “Thank you for showing me how poor people live, they’re so lucky.”

True wealth and happiness aren’t measured by material belongings .

Being around the people you love, enjoying the beautiful, natural environment, and having freedom are much more valuable.

A rich life can mean different things to different people. What are your values and priorities?

If you have whatever is important to you , you can consider yourself to be wealthy.

22. A Pound is a Pound

There was once a farmer who, each week, sold a pound of butter to a baker.

After several weeks of buying a pound of butter from the farmer, the baker decided to weigh the butter that he was receiving to ensure it was indeed a full pound.

When the baker weighed it, he learned that the butter was under a pound , which enraged him. He felt he was being cheated and he decided to take the farmer to court.

When in court, the judge asked the farmer how he was weighing the butter.

The farmer said, “Your Honor, I am poor. I do not own an exact measuring tool. However, I do have a scale.”

The judge then asked if the farmer uses the scale to measure the butter.

The farmer said, “Your Honor, I have been buying a one-pound loaf of bread from the baker since long before he began purchasing butter from me.

Whenever the baker brings bread for me, I put it on the scale and then measure out the exact same weight in butter to give him in return. So, if the baker is not getting a pound of butter, he is also not giving a pound of bread like he promised.”

You get what you give. If you try to cheat others out of what you promise them, you will be cheated in return. The more honest you are, the easier it is to trust other people and not suspect they may be cheating you in some way.

When you’re honest, not only will other people trust you, but you will also feel more confident in your trust with others.

Honesty is always the best route–especially if you want others to be honest with you as well.

23. Jumping Frogs

A group of frogs was hopping through the forest when two of them accidentally hopped into a deep pit. The other frogs stood around the pit, and, seeing how deep it was, they told the two frogs that they couldn’t help them–there was no hope.

However, fighting for their lives, the two frogs ignored the others and started to try jumping out of the pit.

The frogs at the top continued to tell the frogs in the pit to give up, as there was no way they would be able to jump out.

After trying over and over, one of the frogs listened to the others and gave up, accepting his fate and falling to his death. But the other frog continued to jump with all of his might. The crowd of frogs yelled down the pit for the frog to just stop–he wouldn’t make it.

But the frog jumped even harder and persisted until he finally got out. Upon reaching the top, the other frogs said, “We thought there was no way any frog could jump that high–couldn’t you hear us?”

The frog then signaled to the others that he was deaf, and he thought that the frogs standing around the pit were encouraging him the whole time.

Others’ words can greatly impact your attitude and actions. Ignore the naysayers. Only engage with those who encourage you and believe in your ability to succeed.

Furthermore, think about what you say to people before speaking so you can make sure what you’re saying is supportive. Your support (or lack thereof) could make the difference between success and failure.

24. The Ultimate Gift

There was once a little girl who desperately needed an emergency blood transfusion to save her life. 

Her only chance of surviving would be to get a transfusion from her younger brother, who had miraculously overcome the same disease she had, and therefore had antibodies in his blood that were needed to fight the illness.

The doctor explained to the little boy that it would save his sister’s life if he were to give her his blood. The boy hesitated for a moment before agreeing to give his blood if it would help his sister. At the age of 5, this was scary, but he would do anything to save his big sister’s life.

As the blood transfusion was happening, he lay next to his sister in the hospital and was overcome with happiness as he saw the color coming back to her cheeks. Then he looked up at the doctor and quietly asked, “When will I start to die?”

The boy had assumed that he was giving his life in order to save hers. The little boy’s parents were astonished over the misunderstanding that led the boy to think they were choosing his sister over him–and even more astonished that he had agreed to do so.

The doctor replied, explaining that he was not going to die, he was just going to allow his sister to live a long, healthy life alongside him.

This is an example of extreme courage and self-sacrificing love from a young boy that we can all learn from. The love and care that he showed for his sister relays an inspiring message about selflessness.

While we may not be faced with such a life or death decision, being selfless in general can help us connect with others, which is rewarding and fulfilling.

25. Angry Nails

There was once a boy who became angry so frequently with his friends at school that he was constantly getting sent home.

His temper was disruptive to the class and hurtful to other students.

His father came up with a strategy to try to deter the boy from getting angry so easily. He gave his son a hammer and some nails and told him to hammer a nail into the family’s fence every time the boy got angry in the future.

The following day, the boy got angry 37 times, and had to hammer as many nails into the fence.

Over the next few weeks, the boy got tired of hammering nails into the fence and he gradually started to control his temper. Slowly, the number of nails he was hammering into the fence started to decrease.

The boy realized that it was easier to remain calm when he started to feel angry than to gather the tools, go outside, and start hammering.

Eventually, the boy stopped losing his temper altogether. His dad noticed, and told the boy to remove a nail from the fence every day that he was able to keep his temper under control.

Eventually, as the weeks went by, all of the nails had been taken out of the fence. The father and son then stood in front of the broken fence, which was completely scattered with holes.  

The father turned to his son and said, “You have done well, but look at the holes in the fence. They cannot be repaired. When you get angry at other people, it leaves a scar just like the holes you see in front of you. It doesn’t matter if you say I’m sorry one hundred times, the injury is still there.”

Control your anger toward other people. While you may not see the damage that it does, it can leave irreparable wounds that can eventually break them.

Be kind to others and think before you let your emotions get the best of you.

26. Walking on Water

Once there was a boy who lived with his family on a farm.

They had a beautiful dog who would go down to the pond for hours every day in the spring and summer with the boy to practice retrieving various items.

The boy wanted to prepare his dog for any scenario that may come up during duck season because he wanted his dog to be the best hunting dog in the whole county.

The boy and his dog had vigorous training sessions every day until the dog was so obedient, he wouldn’t do anything unless he was told to do so by the boy.

As duck season rolled in with the fall and winter months, the boy and his dog were eager to be at their regular spot down at the pond near their house.

Only a few minutes passed before the two heard the first group of ducks flying overhead. The boy slowly raised his gun and shot three times before killing a duck, which landed in the center of the pond.

When the boy signaled his dog to retrieve the duck, the dog charged through the duck blind and bushes toward the pond. However, instead of swimming in the water like he had practiced so many times, the dog walked on the water’s surface, retrieved the duck, and returned it to the boy.  

The boy was astonished. His dog had an amazing ability to walk on water–it was like magic. The boy knew no one would ever believe this amazing thing that he had just witnessed. He had to get someone else down there to see this incredible phenomenon.

The boy went to a nearby farmer’s house and asked if he would hunt with him the next morning. The neighbor agreed, and met up with the boy the following morning at his regular spot by the pond.

The pair patiently waited for a group of ducks to fly overhead, and soon enough, they heard them coming. The boy told the neighbor to go ahead and take a shot, which the neighbor did, killing one duck.

Just as the day before, the boy signaled to his dog to fetch the duck. Miraculously, the dog walked on the water again to retrieve the duck.

The boy was bursting with pride and could hardly contain himself when he asked his neighbor, “Did you see that? What do you think?!”

The neighbor responded, “I wasn’t going to say anything, but your dog doesn’t even know how to swim.”

The boy sat in disbelief as his neighbor pointed out a potential flaw of the dog rather than recognizing the fact that what he had just done was a miracle.

People will often downplay others’ abilities or achievements because they’re unable to accomplish the same thing. Don’t let this bring you down. Just move on and keep working on improving yourself. Maintaining a positive mindset is a key part of being successful.

Furthermore, be conscious of instances in which you may be tempted to not give credit where it is deserved. Pointing out other people’s shortcomings does not make you a superior person.

27. It’s Not That Complicated

There was once a very wise man living in ancient times. He was elderly and educated and held knowledge and books to the highest regard.

One day while on a walk, he realized that his shoes were really starting to wear out. Because he spent a lot of time walking on a daily basis, he knew he had to find the best shoes to support and protect his feet.

But, back then, this wasn’t such an easy task, as he couldn’t jump online to do some research and have shoes delivered to his door.

The man didn’t want to make things worse by purchasing the wrong shoes and having inadequate protection, which would lead to injuries and the inability to leave his home and walk to find new books to read.

The man gathered all of the books he could that were written by only those that he admired the most to search for the answer to his question, “What do I do if my shoes have fallen apart?”

He read through several books for many hours before finding out that he had no choice but to go buy a new pair of shoes. He then spent a lot of time reading about how to know if a pair of shoes fits properly.

Once he was satisfied with the answers he found, he was proud of himself for doing the research and he felt confident in his ability to buy a high-quality replacement for his old shoes.

He figured if he hadn’t done his research, he probably would have gone barefoot for the rest of his life, as he had no one to tell him how to fix his shoes.

Following the books’ instructions, the man took a stick and measured his foot with it. He then went to the market and finally came upon a pair of shoes that he liked. However, he realized he had left the stick back at home, which was far away from the shop.

By the time the man returned to the market, the shop was closed. And, by that point, his shoes were completely split, so he had to return home barefoot.

The next morning, he walked back to the market with bare feet, but the shoes that he had chosen the day before had been sold. The wise man explained what had happened to the shopkeeper, who reacted with a sense of surprise, asking, “Why didn’t you buy the shoes yesterday?”

The wise man replied, “Because I forgot the stick that I had used to measure my feet back home. And anyone who knows anything about shoes knows that you have to have the correct measurements of your feet before you can buy shoes. I didn’t want to buy the wrong size, and I was following the normal instructions.”

Even more confused, the shopkeeper asked, “But your foot was with you, why didn’t you just try the shoes on?”

The wise man was equally confused in return and responded, “All the books say shoes must be bought with the exact same measurements of the shoes you already own.”

Laughing, the shop owner replied “Oh, no! You don’t need the advice from books to buy shoes. You just need to have your feet, some money, and some common sense to not complicate things.”

Sometimes you need to take action without overthinking things. Knowledge often comes in handy, but in some circumstances, if you lack experience or common sense , your knowledge will only get you so far. In fact, it could make things seem a lot more complicated than they actually are.

If you’re facing an issue, don’t forget to use your reasoning skills in addition to anything you’ve learned in a formal learning environment.

28. Don’t Hold Back

There was once a company whose CEO was very strict and often disciplined the workers for their mistakes or perceived lack of progress.

One day, as the employees came into work, they saw a sign on the door that read, “Yesterday, the person who has been holding you back from succeeding in this company passed away. Please gather for a funeral service in the assembly room.”

While the employees were saddened for the family of their CEO, they were also intrigued at the prospect of being able to now move up within the company and become more successful.”

Upon entering the assembly room, many employees were surprised to see the CEO was, in fact, present. They wondered among themselves, “If it wasn’t him who was holding us back from being successful, who was it? Who has died?”

One by one, the employees approached the coffin, and upon looking inside, each was quite surprised. They didn’t understand what they saw.

In the coffin, there was simply a mirror. So when each employee looked in to find out who had been “holding them back from being successful” everyone saw themselves. Next to the mirror, there was a sign that read:

The only person who is able to limit your growth is you .

You are the only person who can influence your success. Your life changes when you break through your limiting beliefs and realize that you’re in control of your life.

The most influential relationship you can have is the relationship you have with yourself.

Now you know who has been holding you back from living up to your true potential. Are you going to keep allowing that person to hold you back?

You can’t blame anyone else if you’re not living up to your potential. You can’t let other people get you down about mistakes you make or their negative perception of your efforts.

You have to take personal responsibility for your work –both the good and the bad–and be proactive about making any necessary adjustments.

29. The Chef’s Daughter

Once there was a girl who was complaining to her dad that her life was so hard and that she didn’t know how she would get through all of her struggles. She was tired, and she felt like as soon as one problem was solved, another would arise.

Being a chef, the girl’s father took her into his kitchen. He boiled three pots of water that were equal in size. He placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in another, and ground coffee beans in the final pot.

He let the pots sit and boil for a while, not saying anything to his daughter.

He turned the burners off after twenty minutes and removed the potatoes from the pot and put them in a bowl. He did the same with the boiled eggs. He then used a ladle to scoop out the boiled coffee and poured it in a mug. He asked his daughter, “What do you see?”

She responded, “Potatoes, eggs, and coffee.”

Her father told her to take a closer look and touch the potatoes. After doing so, she noticed they were soft. Her father then told her to break open an egg. She acknowledged the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he told her to take a sip of the coffee. It was rich and delicious.

After asking her father what all of this meant, he explained that each of the three food items had just undergone the exact same hardship–twenty minutes inside of boiling water.

However, each item had a different reaction.

The potato went into the water as a strong, hard item, but after being boiled, it turned soft and weak.

The egg was fragile when it entered the water, with a thin outer shell protecting a liquid interior. However, after it was left to boil, the inside of the egg became firm and strong.

Finally, the ground coffee beans were different. Upon being exposed to boiling water, they changed the water to create something new altogether.

He then asked his daughter, “Which are you? When you face adversity, do you respond by becoming soft and weak? Do you build strength? Or do you change the situation?”

Life is full of ups and downs, wins and losses, and big shifts in momentum, and adversity is a big part of this experience.

And while many of us would rather not face adversity, it doesn’t have to always be a negative thing. In fact, handling adversity can be a positive experience that can lead to personal development .

You choose how you respond to adversity, whether you let it break you down or you stand up in the face of it and learn from it. In many instances, facing adversity gives you a chance to learn important lessons  that can help you grow as a person.

When facing adversity, it’s important to recognize your freedom to choose how you respond. You can respond in a way that ultimately limits you, or you can choose to have a more productive response that could potentially open windows of opportunity that we didn’t know existed.

30. Cleaning Turtles

There was once a man who walked his dog every Sunday morning around a lake near his house. Week after week, he saw the same elderly woman sitting at the edge of the water with a small metal cage next to her.

The man’s curiosity finally got the best of him and he approached the woman one day. He noticed that the cage was actually a small trap and she had three small turtles in it. In her lap, there was a fourth turtle that she was carefully wiping down with a sponge.

The man greeted her and said, “If you don’t mind my asking, what do you do with these turtles every week?”

She smiled and explained to him that she was cleaning their shells because any algae or scum that builds up on a turtle’s shell reduces its ability to absorb heat and slows down their swimming. It can also corrode their shell and weaken it over time.

The man was impressed as the woman continued, “I do this every Sunday morning to help the turtles.”

“But don’t most turtles live their entire lives with algae on their shells?” the man asked.

The woman agreed that was true.

He replied, “Well then, you’re kind to do this, but are you really making a difference if most turtles don’t have people around to clean their shells?”

The woman laughed as she looked down at the small turtle on her lap. “Young man, if this little turtle could talk, he would say I’m making all the difference in the world.'”

“To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.” — Dr. Seuss

Just because you may not be able to change the world or help everyone, you can still make a huge difference in one person’s life by offering them any help that you can. Don’t choose to not do anything because you can’t do everything .

The actions of one person can make a world of difference to someone else. When you see someone in need, you may never know how much of a difference your help can make in their life.

31. Puppy Love

A pet shop owner got a new litter of puppies and was ready to sell them to their “forever” families. A young girl walked by the shop and noticed a sign saying, “Puppies for Sale” and of course was very eager to go inside.

She asked the owner, “How much do the puppies cost?” The owner replied, “They are all around $50.”

The girl emptied her pocket change and told the store owner that she only had about $2, but she still wanted to look at them.

The shop owner whistled for the dogs, who came running down the hall of his shop. Five tiny furballs, followed by one, limping behind the rest. The girl immediately singled out the lagging puppy and asked the store owner what was wrong with him.

The owner explained that the puppy was born with a deformity– he was missing a hip socket. He would walk with a limp for the rest of his life.

The girl got excited, saying, “I want that puppy!”

The owner replied, “You don’t want to buy that puppy. If you really want him, you can have him for free.”

The girl became upset. She looked at the owner and said, “I don’t want to have him for free. That puppy is worth just as much as the others. I’ll give you the change I have now and a dollar a month until I have paid for the puppy entirely.”

The owner continued, “This dog is never going to be able to run and play like all of the other dogs, I think you’re going to regret this decision.”

To his surprise, the girl reached down and rolled up her pant leg to reveal a crippled leg that was supported by a large metal brace. She looked up at the owner and softly replied, ‘Well, I’m not much of a runner, and this puppy needs someone who understands.”

Don’t make assumptions about other people’s wants, needs, or abilities. Every one of us has our own weaknesses, whether it’s physical or mental.

The trick is to not allow your weaknesses to slow you down, and instead, find others in the world who can support you. Find and surround yourself with people who challenge you to reach your potential.

32. The Gift of the Magi

The Story :

There was once a young couple who was struggling to make ends meet during the holiday season. But despite their financial troubles, they both wanted to buy a special gift for the other.

After crying about their situation, the wife stood by the window and looked out with no interest. The next day was Christmas, and she had only $10 to buy her husband a gift. She had been saving as much as she could, but bills always cost more than expected.

But there was one thing that the wife had that would be valuable enough to sell: her long, flowy hair. She contacted a wig maker and asked them how much money she could earn if she gave them her hair. They said $100.

With that money, she quickly went from shop to shop looking for the perfect gift. And then she found it: a gold watch chain for his beloved gold watch that had been passed down for generations.

With 82 cents in change, she ran home, excited about the gift she had gotten for her husband.

While waiting for him to get home from work, the wife became nervous that he would no longer find her attractive with her new, short hair.

When he walked in, he stopped inside the door. He was as quiet and his eyes looked strangely at his wife with an expression in them that she did not understand.

She said to him, “Honey, don’t look at me like that. I sold my hair. I couldn’t live through Christmas without giving you a gift. My hair will grow back. Let’s be happy. You don’t know what a beautiful gift I got for you.”

He put his arms around her. And then from inside his coat, he took something out that was tied in paper and threw it on the table. “Listen,” he said. “Nothing like a haircut could make me love you any less. But open this.”

There lay two beautiful combs that she had seen in a shop window and loved for a long time. Combs with jewels–perfect for her beautiful hair. She knew they cost too much for them to afford. And now they were hers, but her hair was gone. She held them to her heart and said, “My hair grows so fast!”

And then she jumped up and held her gift out to him in her open hands. The gold chain sparkled. “Isn’t it perfect? I hunted all over town to find it. You’ll have to look at your watch a hundred times a day now. Give me your watch. I want to see how they look together.”

He sat down and smiled. “Honey,” he said, “I sold the watch to get the money to buy the combs. And now I think we should have our dinner.”

The Moral :

Appreciate what others do for you. The magi were wise men who were the first to give Christmas gifts. In this story, each person sold the most valuable thing they owned in order to buy a gift for the other.

This story shows the true meaning of gift-giving, which is about the thought and love behind the gift rather than its material value. The couple’s gifts to each other are ultimately meaningless in terms of their practical use, but their representation of love and sacrifice proves to be invaluable for both of them.

33. Everyone Has a Story

There was once a 24 year old boy on a train with his father. Looking out from the train’s window, he shouted…

“Dad, look, the trees are going behind us!”

His dad smiled. The young man caught a couple’s attention sitting nearby, who looked at his childish behavior with pity. Suddenly, the boy exclaimed again…

“Dad, look, the clouds are running with us!”

Annoyed by the commotion, the couple looked at the old man and said, “You should take your son to see a good doctor.”

The old man smiled at the couple and said, “I just did. We are going home from the hospital, my son was blind from birth, and he just got his eyes today.”

Everyone on the planet has a story. Don’t judge people before you truly know them. The truth might surprise you.

34. A Dish of Ice Cream

In the days when ice cream sundaes cost much less, a 10 year old boy entered an ice cream shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.

“How much is an ice cream sundae?”

“50 cents,” replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket that had several coins in it.

“How much is a dish of plain ice cream?” he asked.

“35 cents,” she replied impatiently.

The little boy again counted the coins. “I’ll have a plain ice cream,” he said.

The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left.

When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then was surprised at what she saw.

There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were 15 cents – her tip. The boy had enough money for a sundae, but he had ordered plain ice cream so he could leave her a tip.

In a world that constantly tells us we need to have more, it’s important to be reminded of the power of a person’s generosity.

35. A Very Special Bank Account

Let’s say you had a bank account that deposited $86,400 every morning. However, the account carries over no balance from day to day, doesn’t allow you to keep a cash balance, and every evening cancels whatever part of the amount you didn’t use during the day. What would you do?

Probably draw out every dollar every day!

We all have this bank–it is called Time. Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds. Every night it writes off whatever time you have failed to use wisely. It carries over no balance from day to day.

It allows no overdraft so you can’t borrow against yourself or use more time than you have. Each day, the account starts fresh. If you fail to use the day’s deposits, it’s your loss and you can’t appeal to get it back.

There is no such thing as borrowing time. You can’t take a loan out on your time or against someone else’s. The time you have is the time you have. Just as it is with money, time management is yours to decide how you spend it.

It is rarely the case of us not having the time to do things, but the case of whether we want to do them and where they fall in our priorities.

36. Hunting Monkeys

A man once asked a child, “Do you know how hunters used to trap monkeys?”

“Instead of chasing them up a tree or shooting arrows at them, they’d lay a heavy glass jar with a narrow neck on the ground with the monkeys’ favorite food inside.

Then they would hide a short distance away, waiting for the unsuspecting monkey to approach.

When it did, the monkey would reach inside and try to grab the snack. But the narrow neck of the jar would prevent the monkey from being able to get its hand out!

It would pull and pull, but it was stuck! There was no way to get its hand out of the jar without letting go of the food.

But instead of letting go, the monkey would keep trying, refusing to drop its dinner.

It was at this moment that the hunters would approach the monkey to catch it.”

“Don’t be like that monkey,” the man warned the child. “In life, to keep fighting another day and grow, you have to know when to quit, when to move on, and when to let go of whatever’s holding you back.”

Sometimes you have to let go and give up what you have now in order to receive something better in the future. Don’t let stubbornness get in your way to success.

37. The Fisherman and the Businessman

Once there was a businessman sitting on the beach in an Italian village.

As he sat and relaxed from his day, he saw a fisherman rowing a small boat full of fish back into the harbor.

Impressed, the businessman yelled out to the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?” To which the fisherman replied “Oh, not so long.”

Confused, the businessman asked, “Then why don’t you fish for longer to catch even more?”

“Because this is enough to feed my family and even offer some to my neighbors,” the fisherman replied.

“So what do you do for the rest of your day?” Asked the businessman.

The fisherman said, “Well, I’ve usually caught my fish by late morning, so I go home, kiss my wife, and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap and read. In the evening, I go to the village to have a drink with my friends, play guitar, sing, and dance into the night!”

Being an entrepreneur, the businessman offered a suggestion.

“I have a PhD in business! I can help you become much more successful. From now on, you should spend longer at sea and catch as many fish as possible. When you’ve saved enough money, buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish.

From there, you’ll soon be able to buy more boats, set up your own company, build a production plant that will package the fish and control distribution, and move to the city to control your other branches.”

To this, the fisherman asks, “And after that?”

The businessman laughs, “After that, you’ll be able to live like a king, you will be rich!”

“And after that?” Asks the fisherman again.

“Well, then you can retire, move to a house by the ocean, wake up early in the morning to go fishing, then return home to play with your kids, kiss your wife, take a nap in the afternoon and join your friends in the village to drink, play guitar and dance into the night!”

Puzzled, the fisherman replies, “But isn’t that what I’m doing already?”

Be happy with the things that you have. Will having more in life bring you more happiness? Stress is often a choice. There’s joy and peace in simplicity.

Final Thoughts on Inspirational Stories

Some of these inspirational stories of success and hope left me astounded for a minute because of their strong impact, and I hope they had the same impact on you. They truly do make you think, and the images in your mind that they create are memorable.

Share these stories with friends who you think could benefit from the morals that they offer.

I’m hoping that from now on, when you’re tempted to cut corners, restrict your thinking to social conformity, remain comfortable with mediocrity, or anything else that may be holding you back in life, you will come back to these stories for a bit of a motivational boost.

And if you're looking for more inspiration, be sure to check out these other roundups:

• 15 Inspirational Poems About Life You Must Read Today
• 13 Famous Stories About Success & Overcoming Challenges
• 35 Best Songs About Success and Achievement

Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals .

Connie Mathers is a professional editor and freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Social Work. When she is not writing, Connie is either spending time with her daughter and two dogs, running, or working at her full-time job as a social worker in Richmond, VA.

8 Standout Short Stories With Moral Lessons

Nov 22, 2023

Sometimes, I want a short story to simply be a moment of escape. I don’t want to experience an important life lesson; I just want to be entertained like in Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” or Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Other times, however, I want to soak in short stories with moral ideals!

A moral, or theme, teaches us something about ourselves and others. We get to learn and grow in some tangible way, and stories that provide this offering are necessary in the literary canon.

Keep reading below for 8 Standout Short Stories With Moral Lessons that you can use in ANY secondary classroom!

Need help with Reading Test Prep? Check out this  FREE Pack of 3 Test Prep Activities  to help students achieve success on standardized tests!

Table of Contents

A moral, for all intended purposes, is another word for THEME. A theme is the message of a text. Because it is a message, it MUST be written in a complete sentence and contain a connection to a topic or idea from the text. A simple phrase is not quite enough for a thematic statement .

Developing themes for short stories with moral lessons would be a fantastic focus while reading any of the texts below!

1. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

I love “To Build a Fire” so much! It mirrors my own life in so many ways, which is why it is one of my favorite short stories with moral lessons!

The protagonist, a man with an overabundance of pride and confidence, ultimately fails in an extreme fight for survival. Like me, he believes he can defy the odds and escape an impossible situation.

Teaching this story with passages from  The Call of the Wild or  White Fang might help in rounding out similar ideas regarding the conflict of Man vs. Nature !

Click below for easy-to-teach activities for To Build a Fire by Jack London!

2.  “The Cactus” by O. Henry

One of my favorite things about this short story by O. Henry is its clever twist ending! Many short stories with moral lessons have similar twist endings, which could be why they make such great additions to thematic units !

O. Henry’s “The Cactus” tells the story of a budding romance. A young man tries to charm a young woman, but his boastful nature leads to an unfortunate misunderstanding.

Personally, I think we have all been there, at least when it comes to boastfulness. We all have something we get a little prideful about, to our own detriment most of the time.

You could teach a simple plot activity or examine how the characters change and/or develop over the course of the story!

Click to get teaching ideas here>>> The Cactus Lesson BUNDLE

3.  “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry

Loyalty is a concept students are extremely focused on in middle and high school, so including short stories with moral ideas connected to loyalty is a great way to encourage students to engage with certain texts!  How can a student even navigate the school hallways without friends to help along the way? Loyalty is vital!

But all friendships change over time as any adult knows. The main characters, an officer and a criminal, experience this situation in the story “After Twenty Years” by O. Henry !

Breaking down this easy-to-read plot through a focus on comparing and contrasting the two main characters will help your students get to the moral (theme) of the story quite easily, as you really feel for both characters (even the criminal one).

Click to buy this BUNDLE to make teaching this short story SIMPLE & EASY!

4.  “The Pedestrian” by Ray Bradbury

The story “The Pedestrian,” like its title, is incredibly unassuming. A man in a not-far-off future walks his neighborhood alone. Unlike others who sit in front of screens day and night, the protagonist chooses to go for a stroll, a seemingly innocuous activity.

While on his walk, he encounters an unmanned, robotic police vehicle. Because of its programming, it cannot understand Leonard’s (protagonist’s) intentions and labels him mentally incapable, carting him off to an asylum.

This dark tale teaches about the dangers of reliance on and addiction to technology, a moral we can all learn from! If you need help teaching characterization and theme for “The Pedestrian,” go here !

Need some ideas for teaching scary short stories? Click below!

5.  “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry

If you are anywhere near the holiday season, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry is one of the best short stories with moral attributes woven throughout!

This short story depicts a couple lamenting their slightly impoverished state. They want to give each other gifts to celebrate the Christmas season; however, they have limited means, like most people in the world today.

Instead of sitting around moping, they both choose to sacrifice the little they have in an interesting way in order to surprise the other for Christmas. The moral, or theme, involving sacrifice will encourage anyone who reads this short story to think beyond oneself during the holiday season.

Want an easy way to teach characterization, reading comprehension, and visualization for The Gift of the Magi ? Click the image below!

6.  “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst

I don’t know about you, but if you have read “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst , I know you MUST have shed a tear or two. Good short stories with moral elements tend to do so unexpectedly.

Two brothers, one of whom experiences a disability, interact with each other as many siblings do. There is a constant tug of war between brotherly love and annoyance that most people with brothers or sisters can readily understand.

By the end of the story, we cry with the protagonist as he weeps for his brother who dies a tragic death. This story may be difficult to read for some, but it is completely worth it.

We need to be reminded once in a while that life is not just about us and what makes us happy. It also involves investing in the lives of others, especially in the lives of those less fortunate than we are. Ultimately, patience regarding family must take center place in our lives, which the protagonist learns too late. If you need step-by-step activities to teach this classic story, see this link !

7.  “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant

I have yet to teach a student who did not like “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant . And engagement is super important when choosing short stories with moral concepts!

Unlike the female protagonist in “The Gift of the Magi,” Mathilde Loisel in the story “The Necklace” is self-focused. She cannot see the beauty of the comfort and security of her middle-class life.

Instead, she always thinks about the finer things in life she cannot attain. I think we have all been there a time or two. We may not envision the same “finer” things, but we all pretty much want more than we currently have.

When Mathilde Loisel is invited to a party, she borrows her friend’s necklace, a symbol to her of wealth. At some point, she loses the “expensive”  diamond necklace and replaces it without telling her friend about its loss. Now, deep in debt, she and her husband become embittered and worn down through extremely difficult physical work. The resolution of the story involves the revelation that the necklace was, in fact, a cheap fake.

Can you imagine the impact of this knowledge on your psyche? Sometimes, it is simply better to tell the truth, even if it hurts your pride to do so. Clearly, this story shines as a prime example of classic short stories with moral concepts everyone should read!

8.  “Thank You, Ma’am” (also known as “Thank You, M’am”) by Langston Hughes

During or around the week of Thanksgiving, “Thank You, Ma’am” (also known as “Thank You, M’am”) by Langston Hughes is one of THE BEST short stories with moral lessons to teach!

Let me give you a quick recap: A young boy attempts to steal a person from an older woman. Interestingly, she does not call the police and demand immediate punishment but invites the young man into her home, feeds him, and demonstrates love and care towards him.

Everyone could learn a thing or two from the older woman, Mrs. Jones.

Here are some thematic statements/morals one could learn from this story:

• Sometimes it is difficult to fathom someone’s kindness.
• Certain moments in life can change how you see someone.

Why teach short stories with moral lessons?

So often, our English curricula are rife with death, destruction, and despair. Think  Romeo and Juliet, “The Raven,”   or “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Don’t get me wrong; I love a good scare or death scene.

Sometimes, however, I want to feel hope in the human experience. We need to read about life, love, freedom, and other ideals that are important to us. Foremost, we must offer more short stories with moral lessons to our students, so they too can experience what can be!

If you want to make teaching short stories with moral lessons or other entertaining tales an EASY feat, get the BUNDLE below!

Need more help with teaching short stories with moral lessons? Check out my store  Kristin Menke-Integrated ELA Test Prep !

Hi, I’m KRISTIN!

I primarily focus on  integrating multiple disciplines and subjects. The goal is to make teaching simplified and effective!

Let's Connect

• Follow Follow

Click below to download “13 Simple Strategies to make test prep a breeze!”

Struggles and Ideas

Last Updated: January 23, 2024

15 Short Inspirational Stories with a Moral [Motivational stories]

Looking for some short inspirational stories with a moral message to motivate you in life? Check out these 15 awesome motivational stories.

Danny Newman

Looking for some short inspirational stories? I hope this post helps!

Inspiration can come from all sorts of sources.

A song on the radio might spur you into action.

Seeing somebody accomplish something extraordinary, defy the odds, or overcome adversity can do the same.

And sometimes all it takes is a simple inspirational quote !

However, when you’re truly desperate for a dose of inspiration, there’s one particular source that never disappoints:

Short motivational stories.

Humans have told each other tales of one kind or another for millennia, so it’s no surprise that inspiring stories pack such a punch!

In my experience, in a few paragraphs, these inspirational short stories can shift our thinking and compel us to make positive life changes.

Are you on the hunt for some of the best short inspirational stories with a moral message behind them?

Keep reading for 15 of my favourites!

Here we go then: 15 awesome stories for motivation, starting with one about how to catch a monkey…

Looking for motivational stories? You might like these…

• Best Books on Finding your Purpose
• Short Inspirational Thoughts For the Day
• The Story of the Thirsty Crow
• 100 Quotes on Believing in Yourself
• Insights on How to Encourage Someone
• 10 Tips on Growing Through What You Go Through
• 150 Encouraging Words for Friends
• 100 Great Quotes About Missing Friends
• 10 0 Quotes About Smiling Through Pain
• 100 Unforgettable Quotes about Happy Vibes

15 Epic Short Inspirational Stories with a Moral

Feeling in need of inspiration?

Here are 15 of my favourite short stories about motivation that should do the trick!

1. How to Hunt a Monkey (Inspirational Short Story about Letting Go)

“Do you know how hunters of old used to trap monkeys?” A man asked his child.

“Rather than chasing them up a tree or shooting arrows from below, they’d put a heavy glass jar with a narrow neck on the floor, which had the monkeys’ favourite food inside.

They’d then step back and hide, waiting for the unsuspecting animal to approach.

When it did, the monkey would reach inside, clench a fist around the food, and try to pull it out. However, the narrow neck of the jar would stop the poor monkey from getting its hand out!

It’d pull and pull, but to no avail. There was simply no way to get its hand out of the jar without releasing the food.

Rather than letting go, though, the monkey would persevere, refusing to drop its dinner.

The hunters would then approach and catch it to enjoy a meal of their own.”

“Don’t be like that monkey,” warned the man, “In life, to fight another day and grow as person, you must know when to quit, when to move on, and when to let go of whatever’s holding you back.”

Moral of the story:

Sometimes you have to let go and give up what you have now in order to receive something better in the future. Don’t let stubbornness be your downfall!

The best short motivational stories with a moral often remind us of our own self-worth. This one about a $100 bill does exactly that…

2. The Value of Money (Inspiring Short Story about Self-Worth)

At the beginning of a new school year, a class teacher stands up in front of her students holding a $100 bill.

She tells them, “Put your hands up if you want this money”.

Every hand in the room goes up, to which the teacher says, “I am going to give this money to someone here, but first, let me do this…”

She takes the bill and crumples it up in her hands, before asking, “Who still wants it?”

The hands stay up.

The teacher then drops the bill on the floor, stomps and grinds it into the ground, and picks it back up. “How about now?” she asks again.

“Class, I hope you see the lesson here. It didn’t matter what I did to this money, you still wanted it because its value stayed the same. Even with its creases and dirtiness, it’s still worth $100.”

She continues, “It’s the same with us. There will be similar times in your life when you’re dropped, bruised, and muddied. Yet no matter what happens, you never lose your value.”

Life’s hardships are inevitable and we’ll all be put through the ringer at some point, often through no fault of our own.

Don’t let these challenges alter your feelings of self-worth. You’ll always be enough; you have something unique and special to give and offer the world.

Next up: an inspiring story about two competing wolves.

3. The Two Wolves (Inspiring Short Stories about Life)

An old Cherokee chief sat down to teach his grandson about life.

“There’s a fight going on inside me,” he tells the young boy, “a fight between two wolves.”

“One wolf is evil. It’s full of malice, anger, greed, self-pity and false pride. The other is good. It’s full of peace, love, joy, kindness, and humility.”

“This same fight is going on inside you and everyone else on the face of the earth.”

The grandson was quiet, pondering this revelation for a moment before asking, “Grandfather, which wolf will win?”

The old man smiled and replied, “The one you feed.”

Good and evil exist within each of us. It’s our responsibility to own that reality and do whatever we can to nurture the good.

Motivational stories don’t get much better than this one about starfishes!

4. The Story of the Grateful Starfishes (Inspiring Story about Attitude)

One morning, an elderly man was walking along the beach when he noticed a young boy picking something off the sand and throwing it into the sea.

As he got closer, the man realized the child was throwing stranded starfishes that had washed up on the shore back into the breaking waves.

Approaching the boy, the man asked what he was doing.

“The starfish will die if they’re still on the shore when the sun rises,” he replied.

Perplexed, the old man said, “But that’s pointless! There are countless miles of beach and thousands of starfish. It doesn’t matter how many you return to the water, you can’t make a difference.”

Unfazed, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and tossed it into the sea.

“It matters to this one,” he said.

No matter the odds of success or the scale of the challenge, your actions can make a difference. It’s better to light a candle than curse the dark.

Every little counts. Doing something to make a positive change is always better than nothing!

This motivational story is a little sad, but it contains an invaluable lesson on self-belief…

5. The Elephant and the Rope (Best Inspirational Short Stories about Life)

One day a man walked past a camp of elephants.

Looking closer, he was surprised to see that these mighty animals weren’t held in cages or kept in chains.

The only thing stopping them from escaping?

A thin rope tied from one of their legs to a simple pole in the ground.

Confused as to why they didn’t use their strength to break the rope, he asked the trainer why they weren’t attempting to run away.

To this the trainer replied,

“As baby elephants, we use the same system. But, at that age, the rope is strong enough to stop them from escaping. They grow up like this, believing they can never break the rope, so even as adults they stay put.”

In other words, these powerful, magnificent and intelligent elephants didn’t believe they could free themselves, so they never tried.

Our personal beliefs are powerful beyond measure and often dictate our outcomes. They can work for or against us.

Identify your limiting beliefs so you can push against them.

These confidence affirmations should help!

Here’s another of my favourite inspirational short stories! This one’s about an exchange between a fisherman and a businessman…

6. The Fisherman and the Businessman (My Favourite Motivational Story)

Once upon a time there was a businessman who was sitting on the beach in a small Italian village.

As he sat, taking a brief break from the stress of his daily schedule, he saw a fisherman rowing a small boat back into the harbour. In the boat were a few large fish.

Impressed, the businessman asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?” To which he replied “Oh, not so long.”

The businessman was confused, “Why don’t you fish for longer to catch even more?”

“More? This is enough to feed my entire family and even offer some to my neighbours,” the fisherman said.

“So what do you do for the rest of your day?” Enquired the businessman.

The fisherman replied, “Well, I’ve usually have caught my fish by late morning, at which point I go home, kiss my wife, and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap and read. In the evening, I go to the village to have a drink with my friends, play guitar, sing, and dance into the night!”

Putting his entrepreneurial hat on, the businessman offered a suggestion.

“I have a PhD in business! I can help you become much more successful. From now on, you should spend longer at sea and catch as many fish as possible. When you’ve saved enough money, buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish. From there, you’ll soon be able to buy more boats, set up your own company, build a production plant to can the fish and control distribution, and move to the city to control your other branches.”

To this, the fisherman asks, “And after that?”

The businessman laughs, “After that, you’ll be able to live like a king, take your company public, float your shares and be rich!”

“And after that?” Asks the fisherman once more.

“After that, you can retire, move to a house by the sea, wake up early in the morning to go fishing, then return home to play with your kids, kiss your wife, take a nap in the afternoon and join your friends in the village to drink, play guitar and dance into the night!”

Puzzled, the fisherman replies, “But isn’t that what I’m doing already?”

Be content with what you have. Do you really need to keep pushing for more ? Stress is often a choice. There’s joy and peace in simplicity.

Want a short story about motivation and karma? This one about a baker and some butter may do the trick…

7. The Baker and the Butter (Short Story about Motivation and Fairness)

A long time ago, a baker and a farmer lived in the same small English village.

These two men had a friendly arrangement in place, where the farmer would sell a pound of butter to the baker each day.

One morning, the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he’d received the correct amount.

To his surprise, he discovered that the farmer had sold him less butter than he’d paid for.

Angry about the unfairness, he took the farmer to court.

At the hearing, the judge asked the farmer whether he used any measure to weigh the butter.

“Your honour, I am but a lowly farmer and do not own a proper measure. I simply use an old-fashioned scale,” he replied.

“How do you weight the butter then?” Enquired the judge.

To this the farmer answered:

“Your honour, long before the baker started buying butter from my farm, I’ve been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when he brings me the bread, I place it on my scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it’s the baker.”

Karma’s a bitch! Be kind and fair to others and you’ll enjoy the rewards.

If you’ve ever read The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath, you may have already come across this next inspirational short story…

8. The Story of the Fig Tree (From “The Bell Jar”, by Sylvia Plath)

I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.

One fig was a husband and a happy home and children, and another fig was a famous poet and another fig was a brilliant professor, and another fig was Ee Gee, the amazing editor, and another fig was Europe and Africa and South America, and another fig was Constantin and Socrates and Attila and a pack of other lovers with queer names and offbeat professions, and another fig was an Olympic lady crew champion, and beyond and above these figs were many more figs I couldn’t quite make out.

I saw myself sitting in the crotch of this fig tree, starving to death, just because I couldn’t make up my mind which of the figs I would choose.

I wanted each and every one of them, but choosing one meant losing all the rest, and, as I sat there, unable to decide, the figs began to wrinkle and go black, and, one by one, they plopped to the ground at my feet.

Decide! Take action.

There’s no right or wrong answer when you’re choosing between two positive routes or outcomes. Wait too long and the decision will be made for you.

Searching for inspirational stories with a moral about happiness? Check out this next one…

9. The Pursuit of Happiness (Stories for Inspiration and Happiness)

There was once a group of 100 people attending a seminar on personal development.

In the middle of their talk, the speaker stops and decides to run an impromptu group activity. He hands out a balloon to each attendee and tells them to write their name on it.

The balloons are then collected and placed in an adjacent room.

The speaker then instructs the 100 attendees to enter that room and, within 5 short minutes, find the balloon with their name on it.

Pandemonium breaks loose as they charge in, pushing and colliding with each other as they desperately search for their name.

The 5 minutes pass and nobody succeeds.

The speaker then tells each person to pick up any random balloon and give it the person whose name is written on it. Within a few minutes everyone has their balloon back.

He then said, “What just happened with those balloons is exactly what happens in our search for happiness. We frantically look for it all around us, not knowing where it is.”

“Yet our happiness lies in the happiness of others. By giving them their happiness, you get yours.”

Moral of the story :

Happiness and fulfilment rarely come from selfish pursuits, but almost always come from doing good deeds for others. By helping others we help ourselves.

Next up: an inspiring short story about an indecisive ass!

10. Buridan’s Ass (Motivational Short Story about Decision Making)

A hungry ass finds himself between two equally large and delicious-looking bales of hay.

He looks from one to the other and back again, unsure which to choose.

This goes on for a long while until, unable to make a decision, the poor old donkey dies of starvation.

Once again, take action! Don’t linger too long on the precipice of a big (or small) decision when the outcomes are positive.

Save yourself a headache, take a leap of faith, commit, and enjoy whatever rewards that come your way, refusing to look back at what could have been.

If you’re trying to find true stories for inspiration, then this one about an Ancient Chinese army general could fit the bill…

11. The Clever General (A True Motivation Story!)

Thousands of years ago there was a famous Chinese general with a reputation for being an astute and cunning leader.

One day, at the end of a long campaign, this general decided to stop in a stronghold with a small battalion of soldiers, sending his main fighting force ahead to rest elsewhere.

Meanwhile, one of his enemies catches wind of this and decides to march his army of hundreds of thousands of soldiers on the general’s all-but defenceless position.

In the middle of the night, the general’s awoken by one of his men, who breaks the news:

The enemy’s close. They’ll be there before daybreak and the tiny band of soldiers in the stronghold will be no match for their numbers.

Hearing this, the general stops and pauses.

Understanding his predicament, he instructs his men to stand down, open the gates, take down the banners from the walls, and hide.

The general then removes his armour, dons a cloak, and sits on the battlements playing a mandolin as he looks out at the approaching army.

The enemy leader soon arrives. He recognizes the general immediately.

And orders his forces to halt.

He stops to think. He knows this general better than anyone, including his reputation for wily deeds and setting deadly traps. He waits some more.

The presence of this infamous general, sitting there with such nonchalance, makes him question himself. Was the information he received false? Is the general luring him into a trap?

Or is it a double bluff?

Is this a ploy to make him question himself and the general is, in fact, as defenceless as he seems?

He waits some more…And then he orders his forces to retreat.

First, your reputation is crucial and can deliver all sorts of positive outcomes.

Second, there’s often a cleverer, more strategic way to achieve your goals. Never assume it takes sweat, blood and tears. Look for a method of attaining the same results with less effort.

The plotline of many motivational short stories involves slaying a proverbial dragon!

12. The Dragon and the Treasure

In many ancient myths and stories the hero has to go on a long and perilous journey to complete their mission. A classic example?

The sleepless dragon that guards its treasure, breathing fire on anyone who so dares to steal it.

To get the gold, the knight in shining armour must, through guile or force, first defeat this beast.

Success lies on the other side of effort, which makes suffering part of the process.

Rather than avoid discomfort then, the ambitious must pursue it at all costs. Only by butting heads and pushing through such suffering will they ever attain the proverbial gold.

Feeling lazy? The next tale on this list of short stories for motivation should help!

13. The Queen’s Boulder (Short Stories about Motivation and Effort)

In ancient times there was a queen who ordered her soldiers to manoeuvre a boulder into the middle of the main road to and from town.

The queen then hid, watching to see who would stop to do the right thing and move it out of the way again.

Wealthy merchants and courtiers passed the boulder, barely giving it a second thought. A few of them blamed their queen for not keeping the roads clear. Yet none stopped to do anything.

One day, a peasant walked along with a sack of vegetables to sell at market.

He stopped, laid these down, and then pushed, tugged, huffed, and heaved the stone away.

Upon picking up his vegetables, the peasant saw a large purse full of gold and a handwritten note from the queen herself where the boulder had been.

The gold was a reward for whoever removed it from the road.

Laziness will never get you anywhere in life. Success almost always takes humility and hard work. Read these quotes about laziness for more insights on this topic!

Short stories about life don’t get much better than this one about a pear tree.

14. The Pear Tree and the Seasons of Life (Short Motivational Stories with a Moral)

There was once a man who had four young sons.

Wanting to teach them about the dangers of judging things too rapidly, he decided to send each of them on a journey, one after the other, to a distant pear tree.

Each son when in a different season, the first in winter, the second in spring, and so on.

At the end of the year he brought his children together and asked them what they’d seen.

The son who’d travelled in winter described a gnarled, twisted, and barren tree that stood stark and ugly against the land.

The son who went in spring disagreed. No, he said, the tree seemed full of hope and promise, with green buds along its branches.

The third son, who’d travelled in summer, disagreed once more. The pear tree he’d seen was covered in beautiful blossom that looked and smelled divine.

Finally, the last son, who’d made the journey in fall, disagreed again, describing a tree laden with sweet and delicious pears that tasted better than any he’d eaten before.

When each son had spoken, the father said they were all correct, because they’d only seen but one season of the pear tree’s life.

He explained to his sons that it’s foolish and impossible to judge something in this manner.

The essence of something, whether it’s a tree or their fellow man, can only be measured as a whole, at the end of the year, having seen it in its fullness. To make your judgment in winter is to miss the promise of spring, the beauty of summer, and the fruit in fall.

Refuse to judge yourself, life, or other people based upon a single mistake or challenging time. Refuse to let the pain of one season destroy the joy of those to come.

Last but not least on this list of inspiring short stories about life, we turn to a story about lumberjacks to teach us something about working smart as well as hard.

15. The Story of the Lumberjacks (Stories about Inspiration and Productivity)

Two lumberjacks of equal skill, experience, and stature work side by side, chopping down trees together every single day.

However, one lumberjack works non-stop, without taking a break, whereas the other takes an hour-long lunch break every afternoon.

Despite working for less time, both lumberjacks inevitably chop the same number of trees by the end of each working day.

Puzzled and frustrated, the lumberjack who works all day long asks the other how he manages to chop just as much as him while still taking a break.

To this, he responds:

“It’s simple. I spend that hour at home sharpening my axe.”

Breaks are vital to productivity. Work smart not hard!

Don’t Forget These Short Stories for Motivation!

Short motivational stories are some of the best sources of inspiration out there.

For me, personally, something about these memorable and emotive tales never ceases to shift my thinking, spark newfound enthusiasm, and convince me to do things differently in my life!

Have you been searching for inspiring stories of this nature recently?

Well, having covered 15 short inspirational stories with a moral on a variety of important topics, I hope this post has helped.

Looking for more ideas on inspiration? Click here !

2 thoughts on “15 Short Inspirational Stories with a Moral [Motivational stories]”

This is wonderful! I.m glad I found This sight.

This is so inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

Comments are closed.

30 Best Moral stories in English with Good Moral

In the mesmerizing world of storytelling, where every word builds a colourful fabric of lessons and inspiration, we present “30 Engaging Moral Stories in English.” These aren’t simply stories, they’re lights of knowledge, each with a significant lesson at its centre.

These stories provide vital insights into the human experience and the values that define our lives, from the uplifting experiences of loving animals to the journeys of outstanding men. Join us on an unforgettable journey through these engaging stories, each story indicated to leave you with a useful lesson that you may keep with you throughout your life’s chapters.

1. The Kind Elephant

In a lush jungle, there lived a wise and kind elephant named Ellie. Animals from all around sought her advice because she was known for her gentle wisdom.

One day, Leo, a young and boastful lion, challenged Ellie to a strength contest. But Ellie proposed a different challenge: to make the most animals smile in a day.

Leo roared at the animals, trying to make them smile, but they were too scared. Ellie, on the other hand, listened to their problems and shared her wisdom, bringing smiles to their faces. By the end of the day, Ellie had won the contest.

Leo realized that true greatness was not just about strength but also about kindness and wisdom. He asked Ellie to teach him, and from that day on, he became a wiser and kinder king.

Moral: True greatness comes from kindness and wisdom, not just physical strength.

2. The Magical Paintbrush

In a small village, there lived a poor but talented artist named Mia. She dreamed of a magic paintbrush that could bring her paintings to life. One day, an old man gave her a magical paintbrush.

Mia began to create beautiful paintings, and every stroke of the brush made her creations come alive. She used this power to help her village, making food and shelter for those in need.

But word of her magic paintbrush reached a greedy king who demanded it for himself. Mia refused, and the king grew angry. He sent his soldiers to take the brush by force. When they tried, the brush painted a fierce storm, and the soldiers fled.

Mia, realizing the brush’s potential for misuse, decided to hide it where no one could find it. She continued to use her art to bring happiness and prosperity to her village, teaching them that true magic lies in kindness and creativity.

Moral: True magic is found in kindness and creativity, not in material possessions.

3. The Three Seeds of Hope

Once, there was a boy named Sam who found three different seeds. He decided to plant them in his garden.

The first seed grew into a tall, strong tree that bore delicious fruits. Sam shared the fruits with the hungry villagers, and they were grateful.

The second seed grew into a small but sturdy bush covered in colourful flowers. Sam used these flowers to make perfumes and oils, creating a successful business that supported his family.

The third seed, however, yielded only thorns and weeds. Sam considered uprooting it, but he decided to give it another chance. He removed the thorns and took good care of it. Over time, the patch turned into a beautiful garden with fragrant flowers and herbs, becoming a place of peace for the villagers.

Moral: With patience and care, even seemingly unpromising situations can turn into something beautiful.

4. The Kind Swan and the Crow

In a serene pond, there was a beautiful white swan named Sarah. She was known for her grace and kindness to all the creatures in the pond.

One winter, a poor injured crow named Cody asked Sarah for help. Despite their differences, Sarah allowed Cody to share her nest and fed him with her beak. She nursed him back to health.

As Cody regained his strength, he became greedy and wanted Sarah’s nest for himself. He tricked Sarah into leaving by telling her about a supposedly better lake. When she arrived, she found it was polluted and inhospitable.

Sarah returned to her old pond, tired and weak, but the other animals had seen her kindness and Cody’s betrayal. They chased Cody away, and Sarah was welcomed back with open wings.

Moral: Kindness and gratitude are rewarded with true friendship and support.

5. The Boy and the Starfish

On a vast beach, a young boy named Liam spent his days picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. A man passing by asked, “Why bother? You can’t save them all. What difference does it make?”

Liam picked up another starfish, tossed it into the water, and replied, “It made a difference to that one.”

He continued his mission, saving as many starfish as he could, one at a time, while the man watched in silence.

Moral: Small acts of kindness can make a big difference, even if we can’t help everyone.

6. The Greedy Squirrel

In a peaceful forest, there lived a squirrel named Sammy. Sammy was known for being very greedy. He would collect far more acorns than he needed, leaving his fellow animals with fewer to gather.

One day, a wise old owl named Olivia noticed Sammy’s behaviour and decided to teach him a lesson. She offered Sammy a deal. She would give him a magical bag that could hold as many acorns as he wanted, but it came with a catch. For every acorn he put in, he had to give one to his friends.

At first, Sammy grumbled but agreed to the deal. As he began sharing with his friends, he noticed something amazing. The more he gave, the more his friendships grew, and the happier he felt. In the end, he realized that being greedy had never brought him happiness, but sharing and kindness did.

Moral: Sharing and kindness lead to true happiness, while greed leaves you empty.

7. The Caring Sunflower

In a sunny garden, there was a beautiful sunflower named Sunny. She was the tallest and brightest in the garden, and all the other flowers looked up to her.

One day, a tiny daisy named Daisy was struggling to grow because she wasn’t getting enough sunlight. Sunny noticed Daisy’s predicament and leaned her head to provide shade and warmth. Daisy began to thrive with Sunny’s help.

As the days passed, Sunny’s stem grew weaker, and her petals began to droop. She sacrificed her own well-being to help Daisy. When the other flowers saw what Sunny had done, they rallied around her, providing support and nourishment.

Sunny may have lost some of her bright petals, but she gained something more valuable: the love and gratitude of her fellow flowers.

Moral: True beauty lies not in appearances but in the kindness and care we show to others.

8. The Little Engine That Could

In a busy toyland, there was a little blue engine who loved to help others. She wasn’t the biggest or the strongest, but she had a determined spirit. One day, a big toy train needed to be pulled over a high mountain, but the strong engines refused, saying it was too heavy.

The little blue engine stepped forward and said, “I think I can.” With great effort and determination, she started pulling the heavy load up the steep mountain, repeating to herself, “I think I can, I think I can.”

Despite the challenge, the little blue engine persevered and successfully carried the load over the mountain. She had shown that determination and a positive attitude could accomplish great things.

Moral: With determination and a positive attitude, even the smallest can achieve great feats.

9. The Fox and the Crow

In a forest, a clever fox named Felix watched a crow perched on a tree branch with a delicious piece of cheese in its beak. The crow felt proud of its prized possession.

Felix wanted the cheese and hatched a cunning plan. He praised the crow’s beautiful voice, saying, “I’m sure your singing is as lovely as your appearance. Please, sing a song for me.”

Flattered, the crow opened its beak to sing, and the cheese fell to the ground. Felix quickly grabbed it and ran away.

The crow learned a valuable lesson: beware of flattery and vanity, for they can lead to one’s downfall.

Moral: Don’t be easily swayed by flattery and always stay humble.

10. The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a meadow, there were two insects, an ant and a grasshopper. The ant was diligent and spent the summer gathering food, preparing for the coming winter. The grasshopper, however, spent the summer singing and playing, believing there was plenty of time.

When winter arrived, the ant had a cosy burrow filled with food. The grasshopper, on the other hand, had nothing and was cold and hungry.

The ant shared some of its food with the grasshopper, but the grasshopper had learned the importance of preparation the hard way.

Moral: Hard work and preparation pay off in the long run, while procrastination leads to difficulties.

11. The Helpful Firefly

In a dark forest, there was a little firefly named Finn. Finn had a unique gift – he could light up the night with his glowing tail. One day, he noticed a group of lost animals struggling to find their way in the dark.

Finn decided to help them by lighting up their path. He guided them safely back to their homes. Word of Finn’s kindness quickly spread, and soon, animals from all over the forest would seek his assistance.

Finn realized that his gift was meant to be shared with others to make their lives brighter. He spent his nights helping those in need, bringing warmth and comfort to the forest.

Moral: Sharing your unique talents and helping others can brighten not only their lives but also your own.

12. The Lonely Sunflower

In a vast field of wildflowers, there stood a tall and vibrant sunflower named Sam. Sam was so proud of his height that he looked down on the smaller flowers and refused to mingle with them.

As time passed, Sam grew lonely, and his surroundings became dull. The other flowers thrived in the community and enjoyed each other’s company, sharing the beauty of the field.

One day, a little girl visited the field and picked a sunflower to take home. She chose a small, humble flower rather than the tall, proud Sam. Sam realized that it was his arrogance that kept him from being chosen.

Moral: True beauty is not in how tall or big you are but in how you treat others and the community you build.

13. The Brave Little Turtle

In a serene pond, there lived a timid turtle named Timmy. He was always afraid of trying new things and facing challenges. Timmy’s friends often played games and explored the pond, but he hesitated.

One day, the pond experienced a severe drought, and the water level dropped dangerously low. Timmy realized he needed to be brave and find a way to save the pond and his friends.

He set out on a journey, confronting his fears along the way. Timmy met other animals, and together, they dug channels to bring water back to the pond. Timmy had learned that being brave was not about being fearless but about facing your fears when it mattered.

Moral: True bravery is not the absence of fear but the ability to overcome it when needed.

14. The Clever Monkey and the Crocodile

In a lush jungle, a clever monkey named Max and a crocodile named Clyde were best friends. They shared many happy moments together. But one day, Clyde’s wife, Clara, craved a monkey’s heart as a special treat.

Clyde didn’t want to harm his friend, Max, but he was afraid to tell his wife. So he invited Max to visit his home on the other side of the river. Max, being clever, suspected something was amiss and devised a plan.

Max told Clyde he left his heart on the tree. When they reached the middle of the river, Max pointed to the tree and said, “My heart is there, on that branch.” Clyde, wanting to please Clara, swam back to the tree, and Max escaped.

Max learned that cleverness could save him from even the trickiest situations, and Clyde realized the importance of being honest with his loved ones.

Moral: Cleverness, when used wisely, can help you out of challenging situations, but honesty is essential in any friendship.

15. The Two Builders

In a busy town, there were two builders, Rick and Chris. Rick always took shortcuts and used cheap materials to build his houses quickly. Chris, on the other hand, put in time and effort to create sturdy, high-quality homes.

People were initially drawn to Rick’s houses because they were cheaper and built faster. However, over time, the houses began to crumble and needed constant repairs. Chris’s houses, though more expensive, stood strong and lasted for generations.

Chris’s reputation grew, and people realized that quality was more important than speed or cost. Chris taught them that taking the time to do things right was always worth it in the end.

Moral: Quality and craftsmanship should always take precedence over shortcuts and quick fixes.

16. The Grateful Sparrow

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a kind sparrow named Sally. Sally loved to share her food with other birds and animals in the village. She would pick grains from the fields and drop them near her nest for her friends.

One day, a fierce storm hit the village, and the rain washed away all the grains in the fields. The other birds and animals couldn’t find food, and they were hungry.

Sally decided to help her friends. She flew far and wide, searching for any leftover grains or seeds. She found some and shared them with her friends. They were grateful to Sally for her kindness.

From that day on, the birds and animals in the village always helped each other, remembering how Sally had been there for them in their time of need.

Moral: Helping others in their time of need creates lasting friendships and a sense of togetherness.

17. The Curious Kitten

In a cosy neighbourhood, there was a curious little kitten named Kitty. Kitty loved to explore and discover new things. One sunny day, Kitty noticed a shiny ball of yarn in the corner of the room.

Kitty couldn’t resist the temptation and pounced on the yarn. The more Kitty played, the more tangled the yarn became. No matter how much Kitty tried, the yarn was in a big mess.

Kitty’s owner saw the mess and gently helped untangle the yarn. Then, the owner placed the yarn in a neat basket for Kitty to play with. Kitty learned that curiosity was wonderful, but it was essential to be careful with things that weren’t hers.

Moral: Curiosity is a great trait, but it’s important to handle things with care and respect.

18. The Patient Little Seed

In a vast garden, there was a tiny seed named Sam. Sam was impatient and wanted to grow into a big plant quickly. Sam would push and pull, trying to sprout right away.

But no matter how hard Sam tried, nothing happened. The other seeds around Sam were growing, and it made Sam even more impatient.

One day, Sam noticed a wise old tree in the garden. The tree said, “It takes time to grow. You can’t rush it. Just be patient, and you’ll become a strong plant.”

Sam listened to the tree’s advice and stopped rushing. Over time, Sam grew into a tall and healthy plant. Sam realized that good things come to those who wait.

Moral: Patience is a virtue, and some things take time to grow and develop.

19. The Lost Teddy Bear

In a cheerful neighbourhood, there was a little girl named Lily who had a beloved teddy bear named Teddy. Teddy went everywhere with Lily and was her best friend.

One day, Lily and her family went on a picnic in the park. While they were enjoying their time, Lily left Teddy behind. She didn’t realize it until they returned home.

Lily was heartbroken and cried for her lost friend. Her parents comforted her and promised to help find Teddy. They retraced their steps to the park, and after a thorough search, they found Teddy under a tree.

Lily was overjoyed to have her teddy bear back and learned the importance of taking care of her things. She promised never to leave Teddy behind again.

Moral: Taking care of your belongings is important, and it’s always good to have responsible adults to help when things go wrong.

20. The Grateful Rainbow

In a colourful meadow, there lived a cheerful rainbow named Roy. Roy’s beautiful colours stretched across the sky after the rain, bringing joy to all who saw it.

One day, Roy noticed a group of children playing in the meadow. They laughed and danced under the rainbow’s vibrant colours. Roy was so happy to see their joy and decided to stay longer.

The children, amazed by the extended rainbow, clapped and cheered. Roy realized that making others happy was the most beautiful thing of all.

From that day on, Roy often stayed longer, spreading happiness and making people smile.

Moral: Bringing joy to others is the most beautiful thing you can do.

21. The Helpful Little Bee

In a sunny meadow, there lived a little bee named Benny. Benny loved collecting nectar from flowers and making sweet honey for the hive. Benny was known for being the most helpful bee in the entire colony.

One day, while Benny was collecting nectar, a ladybug named Lucy approached him, asking for help. Lucy was lost and couldn’t find her way back to her family. Benny immediately flew to her rescue, guiding her back to her family.

Lucy was extremely grateful and promised to help Benny whenever he needed it. Benny had learned that being helpful not only made others happy but also earned him wonderful friends.

Moral: Being helpful not only benefits others but also brings you friendship and gratitude.

22. The Joyful Raindrop

Up in the sky, there was a cheerful raindrop named Ricky. Ricky loved to fall from the clouds and bring life to the earth by watering the plants. Ricky had a special ability to make the rainbows appear with vibrant colours after a rain shower.

One day, Ricky noticed a sad little flower named Daisy. Daisy was drooping because she hadn’t received enough rain. Ricky decided to give extra care to Daisy and showered her with gentle rain.

Daisy’s petals perked up, and she started to bloom with bright colours. Ricky’s kindness and care not only made Daisy happy but also brought joy to the entire garden.

Moral: Small acts of kindness can brighten up someone’s day and make the world a more joyful place.

23. The Brave Little Fish

In a clear, sparkling stream, there was a tiny fish named Finn. Finn was always scared and never left his safe hiding spot beneath a rock. He watched the other fish swimming freely in the stream with envy.

One day, a big bird swooped down to catch some fish. Finn’s hiding spot was the only safe place. But when Finn saw his friends in danger, he mustered up the courage to warn them about the bird.

Finn’s bravery saved the other fish from the bird’s clutches. The other fish cheered for Finn and encouraged him to swim freely with them. Finn realized that bravery could overcome fear, and he started exploring the stream with his friends.

Moral: Being brave can lead to great adventures and help you overcome your fears.

24. The Respectful Rabbit

In a peaceful forest, there lived a respectful rabbit named Rosie. Rosie had many friends from different animal families, including squirrels, deer, and birds.

One day, the animals gathered for a big feast to celebrate their friendship. They all contributed to the feast with delicious food. Rosie noticed a young owl named Oliver who was feeling left out.

Rosie approached Oliver and invited him to join the feast. The other animals welcomed Oliver, and they all had a wonderful time together.

Rosie’s respectful and inclusive behaviour not only made Oliver’s day but also strengthened the bond between the animals in the forest.

Moral: Respecting and including others can create stronger friendships and a sense of unity.

25. The Grateful Sun

In a clear blue sky, there was a warm and bright sun named Sunny. Sunny shone every day, providing light and warmth to the world. People and animals loved to bask in Sunny’s rays.

One day, a little girl named Mia was feeling cold and sad. She wished for some sunshine to cheer her up. Sunny heard Mia’s wish and decided to stay a little longer, even though it was getting late.

Mia’s face lit up with joy as she played in the sunshine. Sunny’s kindness brought happiness to Mia and showed her that wishes can come true.

Moral: Acts of kindness can bring happiness to others and make the world a brighter place.

26. The Wise Owl’s Gift

In a peaceful forest, there lived a wise old owl named Oliver. Oliver was known for his wisdom and knowledge, and animals from all around the forest came to seek his advice.

One day, a curious young squirrel named Squeaky approached Oliver. Squeaky admired Oliver’s wisdom and asked him how he had become so wise. Oliver smiled and told Squeaky that his wisdom had come from a special gift – the gift of listening.

Oliver explained that he had spent many years not just speaking but also listening carefully to the stories and experiences of other animals in the forest. He had learned valuable lessons and gained insights by paying attention to others.

Squeaky was inspired by Oliver’s wisdom and decided to follow in his footsteps, learning that sometimes the greatest knowledge comes from being a good listener.

Moral: Listening is a valuable skill that can lead to wisdom and understanding.

27. The Painted Rocks

In a quaint village, there lived a little girl named Emily. Emily loved to paint and would often create colourful paintings on rocks she found by the river. She would then place the painted rocks along the village path for others to see.

One day, a man passing through the village noticed Emily’s painted rocks and was amazed by their beauty. He asked Emily if he could buy them to sell in a far-off city where people would appreciate her talent.

Emily agreed, and her painted rocks soon became famous and sold for a high price. But as she earned money, Emily noticed that her village became dull without her colourful rocks.

She decided to return and continued to paint her rocks, sharing them with the villagers. The joy and smiles they brought to her community were worth more to her than any riches from the city.

Moral: The true value of your talents lies in the joy they bring to your community and the people you love.

28. The Lost Balloon

At a grand carnival, there was a little girl named Lily who clutched a red balloon tightly. She loved her balloon and couldn’t bear to let it go, even when she saw another child looking sad without one.

The wind grew stronger as the day went on, and Lily’s grip on her balloon slipped. She watched in dismay as her beloved balloon soared into the sky and out of her reach.

Seeing the sad child from earlier, Lily decided to share her remaining balloon. The other child’s face lit up with joy. Lily learned that sometimes, sharing and making others happy is even better than holding on to something for yourself.

Moral: Sharing can bring happiness to others and warm your heart.

29. The Generous Baker

In a small town, there was a bakery owned by a kind baker named Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson was known for his delicious bread and pastries, but he was even more renowned for his generosity.

Every day, he would set out a tray of fresh, warm bread outside the bakery with a sign that read, “Take what you need, pay what you can.” People who were hungry but couldn’t afford the bread could still enjoy a warm meal.

Mr. Thompson’s act of kindness inspired the whole town, and others started to follow his example, helping those in need.

Moral: Acts of generosity can inspire kindness in others and create a compassionate community.

30. The Lost Treasure Map

In a coastal village, there lived a curious boy named Timmy. One day, while exploring the beach, he found an old, crumpled map. It looked like a treasure map, and he was thrilled at the thought of finding hidden riches.

Timmy followed the map’s clues and markers diligently, digging holes in the sand along the way. He didn’t find any treasure, but he did meet a friendly old sailor named Captain Jack.

Captain Jack explained that the map wasn’t leading to gold but to a hidden message. It was a reminder that the real treasure in life is the people we meet and the adventures we have.

Timmy realized that the treasure was the lessons he had learned and the friendships he had made during his journey.

Moral: The real treasures in life are the experiences, lessons, and friendships we gather along the way.

FAQs on Moral Stories in English

What is a short moral story.

A short moral story is a little storyline that gives a lesson that teaches a valuable life principle.

Which is the best moral story?

“Ant and Grasshopper” is widely regarded as one of the best moral story classics and lasting stories, with a powerful moral lesson about the value of hard work, responsibility, and planning. It’s a well-known narrative that teaches the importance of hard work and saving for the future, making it a popular option for many.

How to write a good story

01-Engaging Beginning: Start with a captivating opening. 02-Well-Developed Characters: Create relatable and interesting characters. 03-Strong Plot Structure: Follow a clear plot structure. 04-Theme and Moral: Convey a meaningful theme or moral.

How to write a love story?

01-Develop believable characters. 02-Create tension and conflict. 03-Show love through actions and emotions. 04-Connect with readers’ emotions.

What is moral of the story

The moral of the story is its essential lesson or message, which is typically provided through the characters’ experiences. It provides direction or knowledge about life, beliefs, and conduct. In brief, it’s the story’s key point or lesson.

Share this:

Leave a comment cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Inspirationfeed

Inspiring and educating bright minds.

20 Best Moral Short Stories For Kids (Impactful Lessons)

Last Updated on February 22, 2024

Table of Contents

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afLeOefHKG4

Storytime is a powerful gift you can give your children. Tales of adventures, cute animals, and friends teach kids empathy , equality, and thinking outside of the box. This is also a special bonding experience for only you and Junior, among other benefits . Since times are busy these days, short bedtime stories will still give your child a valuable lesson and quality time with you.

Pick the moral lesson you want to share and enjoy the story!

1. Greed is Destructive

The golden touch of midas.

A king named Midas did a good deed and the god Dionysus offered him one wish. Midas asked that whatever he touched would turn to gold.

Excited about his newly-earned powers, Midas started touching all kinds of things, turning them into pure gold. But when Midas became hungry, the food he touched became gold and he couldn’t eat.

Hungry, Midas groaned, “I’ll starve!” Seeing his dismay, Midas’ beloved daughter threw her arms around him to comfort him, and she turned to gold. “The golden touch is no blessing,” Midas cried.

2. Pride is Useless

The Rose and the Cactus

Once there was a rose in a desert. She was proud of her beautiful looks and her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus. Every day, the rose mocked the cactus about his looks.

One scorching summer, the desert became dry, and there was no water left for the plants. The rose quickly began to wilt. Her beautiful petals dried up, losing their lush color.

She saw a sparrow dip his beak into the cactus to drink some water. The rose asked the cactus if she could have some water. The kind cactus agreed, helping them both through the tough summer, as friends.

3. Acting Before You Think

The golden eggs.

A farmer had a goose that laid one golden egg every day. This made the farmer happy for a long time. But, one day, the farmer thought to himself, “Why should I take just one egg a day? Why can’t I take them all at once and make a lot of money?”

The next day, the farmer killed the goose and cut its stomach open, hoping to find lots of golden eggs. The only thing he found was guts and blood. The farmer realized his mistake and cried. As the days went on, the farmer became poorer and poorer.

4. Dealing with Adversity

The cooking lesson.

Asha was getting frustrated with life, so she asked her father what to do. He told her to bring an egg, two tea leaves, and a potato. He then boiled them. After 10 minutes, he asked Asha to peel the egg, peel the potato, and strain the leaves.

Her father explained, “Each item was placed into the same circumstance, boiling water. See how each responded differently? The egg was soft but is now hard. The potato was hard but is now soft. And the tea leaves, they changed the water itself.”

The father then asked, “When adversity calls, we respond in the same manner as they have. Now, are you an egg, a potato, or tea leaves?”

5. Good Deeds

The Boy and the Glass of Milk

A poor boy sold newspapers to pay for school. One day, he started to feel weak from hunger. The boy asked for food but was denied every time until he reached the door of a girl. He asked for a glass of water, but seeing his poor state, the girl came back with a glass of milk. The boy asked how much he owed but she refused payment.

Years later, the girl, now grown, fell sick. She went from doctor to doctor, but no one was able to cure her. Finally, she went to the best doctor in town. The doctor spent months treating her until she was finally cured. Despite her happiness, she was afraid she couldn’t afford to pay the bill. But, when she got the bill, it read, ‘Paid in full, with a glass of milk.’

6. Work and Play

The grasshopper.

One autumn day, ants were busy drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer when a starving grasshopper came up. With his fiddle under his arm, the grasshopper begged for a bite to eat.

“What!” cried the ants, “Haven’t you stored any food for the winter? What did you do all summer?”

“I was too busy making music that the summer flew by,” said the grasshopper.

The ants shrugged their shoulders and said, “Making music? Very well, now dance!” The ants then turned their backs on the grasshopper and returned to work.

7. Good Friends

One day, two friends were walking through the forest. They knew the forest was a dangerous place. So, they promised to remain close to each other in case of any danger. But when a big bear appeared, one boy quickly climbed a tree, leaving his friend behind.

The other friend did not know how to climb, and instead, pretended to be dead. The bear smelled his ear and wandered off.

The friend who hid in the tree came down. He asked, “What secret did the bear whisper to you?” The friend replied, “The bear told me never to believe a false friend.”

8. Perseverance is Better than Overconfidence

The Tortoise and the Hare

There was once a hare who was friends with a tortoise. One day, he challenged the tortoise to a race.

Seeing how slow the tortoise was going, the hare thought he’ll win this easily. So he took a nap while the tortoise kept going. When the hare woke up, he saw that the tortoise was already at the finish line. Much to his chagrin, the tortoise won the race while he was busy sleeping.

9. Every Problem has a Solution

The thirsty bird.

After flying a long distance, a thirsty crow was searched for water in a forest. He saw a pot half-filled with water. He tried to drink from it but his beak wasn’t long enough to reach the water inside.

Then he saw pebbles on the ground and one by one, he put them in the pot until the water rose to the brim. The crow then drank the water and quenched his thirst.

10. No Excuses for Hard Work

The fox and the grapes.

A hungry fox stumbled upon a vineyard. After seeing juicy grapes hanging in a bunch, the fox jumped to reach them. But no matter how high he jumped, he failed. So he told himself that it was probably sour and left. That night, he had to sleep on an empty stomach.

11. Don’t Lie

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There was once a shepherd boy who got bored while watching sheep. He decided to play a trick and cried “wolf! wolf!”. The people who heard rushed over to help him. But they were disappointed when they saw no wolf and the boy laughing at them.

The next day, he did it again and people rushed to his aid only to be laughed at. On the third day, the boy saw a wolf devouring one of his sheep and cried for help. But the people who heard him thought it was another of the boy’s pranks. No one came to help him.

12. A Happy Home is Better than a Mansion

The bird and the tortoise.

One day, a tortoise mocked a bird. “What a shabby home you have! It is made of broken twigs and you had to build it yourself. You must be so jealous of my house, which is my shell.”

“On the contrary”, the bird replied. “My home has space for my family and friends; your shell cannot accommodate anyone other than you. Maybe you have a better house. But I have a better home.”

13. Unity is Strength

The Tiger and the Cows

Four cows lived in a forest near a meadow. They were good friends. Because they grazed together no tiger could kill them for food.

But one day, the friends fought and each cow went to graze in a different direction. A tiger saw this and killed the cows, one by one.

14. Boasting is Foolish

The lying traveler.

A man came back from a tour and boasted about his adventurous journeys. He talked at length about his amazing feats that got him fame and praise from people everywhere. He went on to say that he went to the Rhodes where he had leapt such distances that no man could ever match his feat.

A smart bystander said, “Imagine this place to be Rhodes and leap for us”. The lying traveller didn’t know what to do and went away quietly.

15. Judging Others for Mistakes We Make

The wolf and the shepherd.

One day a wolf was chased away for trying to steal a sheep for food. Later that week, the wolf came back to the farm hoping to find some food. He peeped inside the house and found the farmer feasting on lamb roast.

“Aha!”, he thought. “If I were to do the same thing that the farmer and his family are doing now, I would be killed for killing a weak, innocent lamb.”

16. Don’t Put High Expectations on Others

The Mother Crab

One day, a young crab and his mother were on the beach. The young crab could only walk sideways. His mother scolded him and told him to walk forward. The young crab responded, “I would like to walk forward, but I don’t know how”.

His mom got up to show him how but realized she could only go sideways too. Grasping that she was being unfair, she apologized.

17. Listen to Your Elders

The puppy and the well.

A mother dog once told her pups not to go near a well. One puppy disobeyed and peeked inside the well. He saw his own reflection and thought it was another dog.

He decided to fight his reflection and jumped into the well. Finding no dog, he barked and swam until he was rescued. The pup had learned his lesson.

18. Don’t Judge Those Who are Smaller

The mouse and the lion.

A lion was once sleeping in the jungle when a mouse started running up and down his body for fun. This disturbed the lion’s sleep, and he became angry. He was about to eat the mouse when the mouse said, “If you let me go, I will be of great help to you someday.” The lion laughed but let him go.

One day, hunters captured the lion. They tied him up against a tree. The lion couldn’t free himself. Soon, the mouse walked past and noticed the lion’s troubles. Quickly, he ran and gnawed on the ropes and set the lion free.

19. Money Doesn’t Always Bring Happiness

Nasir’s Crystal Ball

Nasir, a small boy, found a crystal ball in his garden. A tree told him that it would grant him a wish. He couldn’t decide on what he wanted, so he kept the ball in a bag.

Then his best friend stole the crystal ball and showed everyone in the village. They all asked for palaces and riches, but could not make more than one wish. In the end, everyone was angry because no one could have everything they wanted.

They became very unhappy and decided to ask Nasir for help. Nasir wished that everything would go back to how it was before the villagers had tried to satisfy their greed. The palaces and gold vanished and the villagers became happy and content.

20. Honesty is the Best Policy

The golden axe.

Once upon a time, a hard-working woodcutter lost his axe in a river. He sat at the bank of the river and wept. The god of the river arose and asked him what happened. The woodcutter told him the story. The god offered to help by looking for his axe.

He disappeared into the river and retrieved a golden axe, but the woodcutter said it was not his. He disappeared again and came back with a silver axe, but the woodcutter said that was not his either. The god disappeared into the water again and came back with an iron axe – the woodcutter smiled and said it was his.

The god was impressed with the woodcutter’s honesty and gifted him both the golden and silver axes.

Posted by: Igor Ovsyannnykov

Igor is an SEO specialist, designer, photographer, writer and music producer. He believes that knowledge can change the world and be used to inspire and empower young people to build the life of their dreams. When he is not writing in his favorite coffee shop, Igor spends most of his time reading books, taking photos, producing house music, and learning about cinematography. He is a sucker for good coffee, Indian food, and video games.

Learn and Grow

32 Moral Stories in English That Will Touch Your Heart

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase, I earn a small commission. Affiliate links cost you nothing to use and help keep my content free. For more info, see the Disclosure Policy.

There is a reason why moral stories have been around for centuries. They teach us a lot about life and remind us of what is truly important.

Today we will share 32 moral stories in English that will inspire your child to be a better person. These stories will surely warm their hearts and make them think about the world in a new way.

These stories deal with different aspects of life, such as love, family, friendship, and more. We hope you enjoy them!

Screen time you feel good about? Build reading, math, creativity, and thinking skills with Homer. Increase Early Reading Scores by 74% in children aged 2-8, all while having fun! Try it free for 30 days.

Moral Stories in English

1. the lion and the mouse.

Moral:  Kindness is never wasted.

A well-known fable by Aesop is “The Lion and The Mouse.” This story is about a lion who spared the life of a mouse. The mouse then returns the favor by helping the lion when he is in danger. This story shows us that life is full of surprises, and kind deeds get rewarded.

Read the short version.

2. The Ant and the Grasshopper

Moral:  There is a time for work and a time for play.

“The Ant and the Grasshopper” is another popular moral story. This tale is about a grasshopper who spends his days singing and playing instead of preparing for winter. The ant works hard all summer to store up food. When winter comes, the grasshopper has nothing to eat, while the ant is warm and well-fed. This story teaches us the importance of hard work and planning ahead.

3. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Moral:  Liars aren’t believed even when they tell the truth.

“The Boy Who Cried Wolf” is a classic story that has been around for centuries. This story is about a shepherd boy who tricks the villagers by crying “wolf” when there is no danger. The villagers eventually get tired of his games and don’t believe him when he cries “wolf” for real. This story teaches us the importance of telling the truth.

4. The Hare and the Tortoise

Moral:  You can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily rather than quickly and carelessly.

The fable is about a hare who mocks a tortoise for being slow. The tortoise then challenges the hare to a race. The hare runs fast at first but then takes a nap in the middle of the race. The tortoise slowly but surely passes the hare and wins the race. Slow and steady wins the race!

5. The Blue Jackal

Moral:  Don’t be too greedy.

“The Blue Jackal” is a moral story about a jackal that jumps into a large pool of blue dye. When he returned to the jungle, all the animals were confused to see such a strange-looking animal. Then he had a clever idea. He pretended that he was sent there by the creator of the universe and announced himself as king. Everyone believed him until they soon later figured out he was just a jackal.

6. The Goose and the Golden Egg

Moral:  Those who have plenty want more and so lose all they have.

In the tale “The Goose and the Golden Egg,” a farmer finds a golden goose. He is so excited about his new discovery that he kills the goose to get all the gold. However, when he opens up the goose, he finds that it is just like any other goose. This story teaches us that greed does not pay off in the end.

7. A Wise Old Owl

Moral:  When you speak less and listen more, you become wiser and smarter

“A Wise Old Owl” teaches us about being wise and the virtue of silence. The story is about an owl who is wise and hears many things. He spoke less and less and heard more and more. This is available as both a nursery rhyme and a moral story.

8. Jack and the Beanstalk

Moral:  Take advantage of the opportunities life provides for you.

“Jack and the Beanstalk” is a classic moral story passed down for generations. In this tale, Jack trades his cow for some magic beans. His mother is very angry with him but decides to plant the beans anyway. The following day, Jack wakes up to find a giant beanstalk growing outside his window. He climbs the beanstalk and finds a giant’s castle in the clouds.

Read it here.

9. The Ugly Duckling

Moral:  Don’t judge a person by outward appearance.

“The Ugly Duckling” is a celebrated Hans Christian Andersen story that teaches us about inner beauty. In this tale, an ugly duckling is born into a family of beautiful ducks. The other ducks make fun of him, and he feels very alone. He eventually grows up to be a beautiful swan. This story teaches us what ‘s on the inside counts and raises questions about bullying and discrimination.

10. The Brahim’s Dream

Moral:  Do not build castles in the air.

In the tale, a man called Brahim receives so much rice and is so happy he can’t keep his eyes off the bowl. That night, he has a dream in which he trades rice for money, and a series of events lead to him becoming a wealthy farmer and having his own wife and son. When he wakes up, he realizes that it is only a dream.

11. The Gingerbread Man

Moral:  Be careful when dealing with strangers.

In the tale, a gingerbread man comes to life and runs away from the people who want to eat him. He meets many animals along the way, but none of them can catch him. Eventually, he meets a fox who tricks him into coming close enough to eat him. This story teaches us to be careful of strangers.

12. The Three Little Pigs

Moral:  Hard work pays off.

“The Three Little Pigs” is a classic moral story that has been told for generations. In this tale, three little pigs build houses out of straw, sticks, and bricks. The big bad wolf comes and blows down the first two houses, but he can’t blow down the third house. This story teaches us the importance of hard work and doing things the right way.

13. The Fox and the Goat

Moral:  Look before you leap.

“The Fox and the Goat” is a tale about a fox who falls into a deep well. A thirsty goat comes by the well. The fox comes up with a plan to get out of the well. He tells the goat that the water is the finest. The goat jumps in, and the fox jumps on its horns to escape. This story teaches us to think before we act.

14. The Camel and the Pig

Moral:  It is always best to be yourself.

“The Camel and the Pig” examines the question: is it better to be short or tall? In this Indian fable, a camel and pig are arguing about which is better. They were both hungry. The camel could reach over a low wall and eat the plants from the garden. The pig could not. They came to another garden, this time with a high wall. The pig could squeeze his short body under the gate. The camel couldn’t.

15. The Emperor’s New Clothes

Moral:  Speak up for the truth and what’s right.

“The Emperor’s New Clothes” is a fun story that teaches us about bravery, vanity, truth, wisdom, and naivety. In this tale, an emperor is tricked by two weavers who say they can make him a magical suit of clothes. The emperor agrees to wear the clothes, but in reality, he is wearing nothing at all. It takes a brave little boy to point out that the emperor is naked, and everyone finally sees the truth.

16. The Midas Touch

Moral:  You should never be greedy in life.

“The Midas Touch” is a moral story that teaches us about being greedy. In this tale, King Midas is granted a wish by a fairy. He wishes that everything he touches turns into gold. At first, he is excited but realizes he can’t even touch his daughter without turning her into gold. This story teaches us that greed is not good.

17. Elephant and Friends

Moral:  Friends come in all shapes and sizes.

“Elephant and Friends” is a moral story that teaches us about being kind. In this tale, an elephant is not accepted because he cannot do anything the other animals can do. One day, a tiger comes to eat the animals, and the elephant helps his friends who are in danger. This story teaches us the importance of being kind to others and that friends come in all shapes and sizes.

18. The Fox and the Stork

Moral:  Don’t play tricks on your neighbor unless you can tolerate the same treatment.

“The Fox and the Stork” teaches us about being kind. In this tale, a fox invites a stork over for dinner . The fox serves soup but only gives the stork a shallow bowl, so he can’t eat any of it. The stork gets revenge by inviting the fox over for dinner and serving him food that he can’t eat.

19. Be Wise While Counting

Moral:  A witty answer will serve its purpose.

“Be Wise While Counting” is about an emperor called Akbar who often asked strange questions and riddles. Once, he asked a question, and his courtiers couldn’t think of the answer. One man named Birbal, who knew the emperor’s nature, gave a witty answer that served its purpose.

20. Three Billy Goats Gruff

Moral:  Don’t be greedy.

“Three Billy Goats Gruff” is a moral story that teaches us about bravery and greed. In this tale, three billy goats must cross a bridge to get to the other side. A troll lives under the bridge and wants to eat them. The first two goats trick the troll into waiting for a bigger meal, and the third goat is brave and charges at the troll. The lesson is not to be greedy for the biggest prize and appreciate what you have.

21. The Dog at the Well

Moral:  Always do what your elders say. Question them, but don’t defy them.

“The Dog at the Well” is about a pup who is told by his mother not to go near the well. One day, the puppy goes to the well and falls in. He barks until the farmer rescues him.

Moral:  Life still moves on after death.

“Bambi” is about a young deer named Bambi who is born in the forest. He makes friends with all the animals and learns important life lessons from them. One day, a hunter kills Bambi’s mother. His father, the old stag, eventually dies, and Bambi becomes the Great Prince of the Forest, and he falls in love with a young doe. This story teaches us how to cope with loss and devastation.

23. The Elves and the Shoemaker

Moral:  Be thankful for the help from others and try to help others when they need it.

“The Elves and the Shoemaker” teaches us the importance of hard work. In this tale, two elves voluntarily come to help a shoemaker make shoes. The elves do all of the work while the shoemaker sleeps. In the morning, the shoemaker wakes up to find that his shoes are finished. This continues every night until the shoemaker is rich. In the end, the shoemaker returns the favor.

24. The Clever Monkey Rides Again

Moral:  Don’t be a bully.

“The Clever Monkey” is a classic story from West Africa about a lion who is a bully to the other animals in the jungle. A clever monkey tricks and ridicules the lion, and he never returns to that part of the jungle again. Readers learn the importance of courage and not bullying others.

25. The Parable of the Prodigal Son

Moral:  God is willing to forgive us for our sins.

“The Parable of the Prodigal Son” is a bible story that teaches us about forgiveness. In this parable, a man has two sons. The younger son asks for his inheritance and then leaves home. He squanders all of his money and ends up penniless. He returns home, and his father forgives him. This story teaches us the importance of forgiveness and second chances.

26. The Needle Tree

Moral:  Remember to be thankful and kind, and you will be rewarded.

“The Needle Tree” is a story about a mean boy who mistreats his brother. The mean brother finds a magical tree that produces golden apples. He threatens to cut down the tree if it doesn’t make more golden apples. The tree showered him with needles, and the caring younger sibling of the boy helped him. The boy apologizes for mistreating him, and the tree begins to give them both golden apples again.

27. The Milkmaid and Her Pail

Moral:  Don’t count your chickens before they have hatched.

“The Milkmaid and Her Pail” is about a milkmaid walking to town with a pail of milk. She’s daydreaming about all of the things she’ll buy with the money she gets from selling the milk. She is so caught up in her daydreams that she tosses her head and spills all the milk.

28. The Bear and the Two Friends

Moral:  A friend who does not help his friend in times of need is not a true friend.

In this tale, two friends need to get to the village, but they must cross the forest first. They come across a wild bear. One friend climbed up the tree and refused to help his other friend. The other friend pretended he was dead until the bear went away.

29. Pinocchio 

Moral:  Honesty is the best policy.

“Pinocchio” is a story about a wooden puppet who comes to life. Pinocchio lies, and his nose grows longer each time he tells a lie. In the end, Pinocchio learns that honesty is the best policy.

30. The Frog Prince Story

Moral:  Don’t judge a book by its cover.

“The Frog Prince Story” is about a frog who fetches the princess’s golden ball. The princess agrees to take care of the frog, even though she doesn’t want to. She grew fond of him. One day, the frog turns into a prince. In the end, she learns never to judge by first glance.

Read the extended version.

31. Robin Hood Story

Moral:  It is better to give than to receive.

“Robin Hood Story” is about a man who takes from the rich and gives to the poor. He wants to do the “right thing” and doesn’t want to let the oppressive laws stop him. Many believed he was a thief and a wrongdoer of the law.

32. Peter Pan Story

Moral: Everyone has to grow up and embrace the adventure

“Peter Pan Story” is about a boy who never wants to grow up and is eternally youthful. He lives in a world of make-believe and fantasy. Peter Pan needs to rescue the children from Captain Hook . He takes his friend back to Neverland every year until she grows up and can no longer go with him.

How To Make Reading More Interesting For Kids?

There are many ways to make reading more interesting for kids.

• One way is to read aloud to them with expression. This will help them to understand the emotions behind the story.
• You can let them choose their own books to read . This will help them to find stories that they are interested in.
• Ask them questions about the story as they are reading it. This will help them to think critically about what they are reading.

Using these methods, you can help your child develop a love for reading.

In Conclusion

These are just some of the many moral stories in English that have been passed down for generations. These stories teach us important lessons about life , love, and friendship. What’s your favorite moral story? Share it with us in the comments below!

Language Pack

6-day english challenge.

Sign up for my free 6-day challenge + English vocabulary planner to improve your English skills. Practice for just 10 minutes per day and see the results! Sign up here.

One-on-One and Group Classes (Free Trial!)

Language lessons and targeted rapid learning at Lingoda to improve confidence. Classes are available 24/7 in English, Business English, German, French, and Spanish. Get a 7-day trial here.

Learn to READ AND WRITE

Learn how to write the letters of the alphabet and common English words with my printables available here . Improve early reading scores by 74% with the early learning program Homer.

Most Common Words in English

Did you know 3000 words in English make up about 95% of everyday conversation? Learn the 2000 most common words in English completely FREE when you sign up for English Class 101— no credit card required! Also, check out their monthly free gifts selection.

English Language Learning Videos

Study and learn English independently and at your own pace with the successful Building Your English Brain and English Vocabulary Launch: Upgrade your Speaking (intermediate).

Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.

Caitriona Maria

“objection, hearsay” simplified meaning and explanation, 10 best free coloring pages for kids to enjoy.

13 Inspirational Short Stories of Hope With Strong Morals

Posted on Published: April 26, 2021  - Last updated: January 9, 2024

Home » Mindful Parenting » 13 Inspirational Short Stories of Hope With Strong Morals

Motivational stories are a powerful force and great tradition for teaching strong morals to kids, and these inspirational stories of hope also include a selection to encourage and inspire a positive impact on attitude and mindset.

What You'll Find On This Page...

Inspirational Stories of Hope Are a Powerful Tool For Teaching Principles

Inspirational stories are probably the oldest and most enduring form of entertainment we have, and for good reason .

From the moment we’re able to understand, young or old we love a good plot line.

Around the world bedtime stories are enjoyed as a rite of passage, by young and old. Audio, motivational books, or played out on the big screen, we all buy into the joy of an inspired short story unfolding.

And one of the best-loved formats is a timeless parable.

The below inspirational stories of great success and hope have been around for so long in some cases that their author is unknown. Yet they live on.

Motivational Stories Reinforce Moral Values

Each of these anecdotes is either a famous and inspiring story of hope that I recall from my school days, or one I’ve heard more recently. But they all share a common theme: 

They each carry a unique moral lesson and serve as powerful metaphors for life.

And there’s something special about these messages being relayed in short motivational story form which makes them perfect for recounting their wisdom to young minds to carry into their futures, inspiring hard work, dedication, and positive change.

Short Fables and Inspiring Stories, For Children and Adults

The captivating short stories included in this article cultivate and promote the following values:

• Determination
• Thoughtfulness
• Perspective
• Graciousness

I was moved to put this list of fables together at a time when I’m needing to be reminded of the good in the world.

I hope you too will find something in this selection of inspirational life stories, which offer comfort and hope. And will hopefully leave a positive lasting impression.

13 Best Inspirational Short Stories For Kids

Perfect for young children, college students, and adults, some of the best short stories to inspire at any age, these 13 motivational short stories are bound to be enjoyable for all.

1. Socrates’ ‘triple-filter’ test – kindness

In ancient times the famous philosopher, Socrates, was visited in Greece by an acquaintance of his.

Eager to share some gossip the acquaintance asked Socrates, ‘Would you like to know what I just heard about your friend?’ Socrates replied that before the man spoke, he must first pass the ‘Triple-Filter’ test. ‘The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?’ ‘Well, no,’ the young man said, ‘actually I just heard about it and…’ ‘Alright,’ said Socrates. ‘So you don’t really know if it’s true or not. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?’ ‘Uh, no, on the contrary…’ ‘So,’ Socrates continued, ‘you want to tell me something bad about my friend, but you’re not certain it’s true. You may still pass the test though, because there’s one more filter. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?’ ‘No, not really.’ ‘Well,’ concluded Socrates, ‘if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?’

Moral of the story: be kind, always, and don’t spread gossip.

2. Potatoes, eggs, and coffee beans – mindset

Once upon a time in a small Italian town, a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn’t know how she was going to make it better.

She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed like life was one problem after the next.

The next day her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire.

Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them to sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter.

The daughter moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.

After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. 

Turning to his daughter, he asked. ‘What do you see?’

‘Potatoes, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied.

‘Look closer,’ he said, ‘and touch the potatoes.’ She did and noted that they were soft. He asked her to take an egg and break it; pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. 

Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.

‘Father, what does this mean?’ she asked. He explained that the potatoes, the eggs, and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity– the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently:

The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but the boiling water made it soft and weak.

The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior. But once placed in boiling water, the inside of the egg became hard.

However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new and wonderful.

‘Which are you,’ he asked his daughter. ‘When the face of adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean? ‘

Moral of the story: change your mindset to change your life.

3. Stop wasting your time complaining – positivity

Moral stories focus on the good instead of the bad.

A wise man received a stream of visitors complaining about the same problems over and over again. One day, he decided to tell them a joke and they all roared with laughter.

After a few minutes, he told them the same joke and only a few of them smiled.

He told the same joke a third time, but no one laughed or smiled anymore.

The wise man smiled and said: ‘You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over, so why lament the same problem?’

Moral of the story: focus on the good instead of the bad and enjoy a positive attitude.

More Stories For Motivation

4. box full of kisses – love.

A businessman scolded his three year old girl for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Tough times meant financial hardships and he became cross when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. He was not a wealthy man times were hard.

Nevertheless, the little business owner’s daughter brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, ‘Daddy, this is for you.’

The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his irritation flared again when he found the box was empty. He yelled at the young girl, stating, ‘When you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside!’

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, ‘Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty; I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.’

The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little girl and he begged for her forgiveness.

A short time later, an accident took the life of the girl.

It is told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and whenever he was discouraged by life’s challenges, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

Moral of the story: there is no possession in life greater than unconditional love.

5. The two mice – determination

Two little mice fell in a bucket of cream. The first mouse quickly gave up and drowned.

The second little mouse, wouldn’t quit. He struggled so hard that eventually he churned that cream into butter and crawled out.

Moral of the story: don’t quit.

6. Think before you speak – thoughtfulness

There once was a little boy who had a very bad temper. His father decided to teach him a valuable lesson.

He handed him a bag of nails and said that every time the boy lost his temper, he had to hammer a nail into the fence.

On the first day, the boy hammered 37 nails into that fence.

The boy gradually began to control his temper over the next few weeks, and the number of nails he was hammering into the fence slowly decreased.

He discovered it was easier to control his temper than to hammer those nails into the fence.

Eventually the fine day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all and he proudly told his father the news. The father suggested that the boy should now pull out a nail every day he kept his temper under control.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

‘You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out again. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the wound is still there.’

Moral of the story: be careful with your words.

More Inspirational Stories For Kids

7. is the jar full – priorities.

A university professor that wanted to make a point about the importance of prioritising how we spend our time.

The professor stood in front of her class with a display of items, she took a large empty jar and filled it with small rocks. She asked the class if the jar was full and they agreed yes, the jar was full.

The professor took a bowl of white pebbles, added them to the jar, and gave it a little shake to move the pebbles into the open areas around the rocks.

The professor asked the class again if the jar was full and again they agreed that yes, it was full.

Finally, the professor took a box of sand and added it to the jar, filling the spaces between the rocks and the pebbles. She asked again, is the jar full now, and they laughed and agreed yes, it’s full.

This jar represents your life. 

The big rocks signify the really important things in your life, such as physical and mental health, family, and friends. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school.  And the sand signifies the remaining small stuff, such as material possessions.

Now, if you were to reverse the order of filling the jar and add the sand first there would not be enough room for the rocks and the pebbles.

The same principle applies to your own life. If you spend too much time on the small stuff you won’t have enough space or time to focus on the things that are truly important: those little rocks.

Moral of the story: prioritise the rocks first. Practice self-care , spend quality time with the people you love. The rest is just pebbles and sand, and they will always find some space.

8. The lame dog – compassion

A small business owner had some puppies for sale. He hung a sign in his window advertising the puppies and shortly thereafter a small boy entered the shop.

‘Mister,’ said the boy, ‘I’d like to buy one of your puppies.’

‘Well,’ said the old man, ‘these puppies come from fine parents and cost a large sum of money.’

The young boy from humble beginnings reached into his pocket, pulled out a handful of gold coins and held it up. ‘I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?’

‘Sure,’ said the store owner. And with that he let out a whistle. ‘Here, girl!’ he called. A dog ran over followed by by her four puppies.

The little boy pressed his face against the glass and his eyes danced with delight. As the dogs made their way across, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse.

Slowly another little ball of fur appeared, this one noticeably smaller. In a somewhat awkward manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up.

‘I want that one,’ the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The old man knelt down at the boy’s side and said, ‘Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.’

With that the little boy stepped back, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. He revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg, and attached to a specially made shoe. 

Looking back up at the old man, he said, ‘You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.’

With tears in his eyes, the old man reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it carefully he handed it to the little boy. ‘How much?’ asked the little boy.

‘No charge,’ answered the old man.

Moral of the story: everyone deserves love and understanding.

9. Shake off your problems – perspective

Once in a small village, a man’s favourite donkey falls into a deep pit; he can’t pull it out no matter how hard he tries. He eventually decides to bury it alive.

Soil is poured onto the donkey from above. The donkey feels the load, shakes it off, and steps on it; more soil is poured. The donkey shakes it off and steps up.

The more the soil was poured, the higher it rose. By noon, the donkey was grazing in green pastures.

Moral of the story: after much shaking off (of problems) and stepping up (learning from them), one will graze in green pastures.

A Classic and Inspiring Story About Determination

10. the hare and the tortoise – humility.

A hare was making fun of a tortoise for being so slow. The tortoise, tiring of the hare’s taunts eventually challenged the hare to a race. 

‘I’ll race you, hare,’ he said; ‘and I bet I’ll win.’ The hare readily agreed to the challenge.

When the race started, the hare bounded off. He was so far ahead of the tortoise that he decided to stop and take a rest. However, the hare fell fast asleep, while the tortoise continued to plod along at his slow pace. 

After a long time, he reached the finish-line and won the race.

When the hare woke up, he was furious at himself. He ran off towards the finish line as fast as he could, but it was too late: the tortoise had already won.

Moral of the story: don’t be too quick to write somebody off, they might just surprise you. A little modesty can carry you far too!

11. The dish of ice cream – graciousness

Back when an ice cream sundaes cost far less, a young boy entered a cafe and sat at the counter. The waitress put a glass of water in front of him and asked what he’d like.

‘How much is an ice cream sundae?’ he asked.

’50 cents,’ replied the waitress.

The boy pulled a handful of change out of his pocket and studied his small collection of coins.

‘How much is a dish of plain ice cream?’ he enquired.

Some other customers were now waiting to be served and the waitress grew a bit impatient.

’35 cents,’ she said in an abrupt and frustrated tone.

The boy again counted his coins, then said, ‘I’ll have the plain ice cream please.’ The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the counter and walked away.

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and departed.

When the waitress came back, she started wiping down the counter and then began to cry at what she saw.

There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, was 15 cents – her tip.

Moral of the story: no matter what the circumstances, always treat others as you would wish to be treated. 

12. The blind girl – gratitude

A blind girl hated herself for being unable to see. She had grown resentful and bitter of the world, and the only person she didn’t hate was her loving boyfriend. He was always there for her and she said that if only she could see, she would marry him.

One day, some good fortune fell upon the young couple when someone donated a pair of eyes to her. Finally she would have the opportunity to see everything, including her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend then said, ‘Now that you can see, will you marry me?’

The girl, no longer blind, was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and she refused. Her boyfriend was crushed and walked away defeated. 

Later, he wrote a note to her that said simply… ‘Just take care of my eyes’.

Moral of the story: practice gratitude and appreciate the good in your life.

13. Footprints in the sand – judgement

One stormy night I dreamed a dream. As I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many hard times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. ‘Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You’d walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most difficult times of my life, there was only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.’

He whispered, ‘My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you.’

Moral of the story: reserve judgement and always give the benefit of the doubt.

Inspirational Stories Promote Strong Principles

They’re short and to the point, and the valuable life lessons they communicate are poignant and unmistakable.

While some of these may have heartbreaking or even shocking punchlines, the capacity of such stories to move us is undeniable.

In some cases they even be so profound and poignant as to make us want to live a better life, use our inner strength to get ourselves into a better place; perhaps even change us into a better person.

That’s why they survive telling after telling and remain so well-loved… 

They’re short and to the point, and the important lessons they communicate are poignant and unmistakable.

Which is what makes these classic short inspirational stories such great things and a wonderful way to engage young people around the often complex subject of morals and ethics.

Privacy Overview

7 Best Short Moral Stories

Short Moral Stories are a great source of entertainment along with their  learning  aspect. Some of the best stories that have been portrayed in movies or books always have a learning or moral element. It becomes extremely crucial to narrate and make your kids familiar with stories with great  morals . Stories can help in developing in kids while embedding essential values in them that they will require in the future to be great individuals and an important asset for society. Therefore, Podium brings you some of the best English short  moral stories  for kids to learn.

Clever Fish

Time is valuable, the gift of honesty, two lazy brothers, too many bananas, no smiles today, the magical cow, frequently asked questions.

A fisherman was heading to the river to catch some fish. He threw his net into the river and he just sat waiting there for fish to come into the net. He was fishing so that he could sell a lot of fish in the market and get some good money out of it. After some  time , the fisherman heard some hustle and bustle in the net. The fisherman thought he must have got a lot of fish in the net, he actually took the net out of  water . The fisherman was very disappointed because he only got a tiny little fish in the net, he was annoyed. He grabbed hold of that fish but  then  suddenly, the fish started talking to him.

Tiny little fish begged the fisherman to leave and let her go. But the fisherman did not pay any attention to the request of the fish. The fish kept on requesting the fisherman, “I can help you a lot if you think fisherman. If you leave me back in the water, I will tell all my friends about you and I will bring them near to the bank of the river. So that, when you come next time, you will have much more fish.” The fisherman thought to himself, “Wow, this is not a bad deal at all.” He was thinking if he let go of one tiny little fish today, tomorrow he will get a lot more fish because this tiny little fish will bring all her friends to me.

The Moral of the Story

The tiny little fish was able to convince the fisherman and he allowed the fish to go back into the river. The tiny little fish was really happy and swam away happily into the river never to come back. Poor fisherman, he came the next day expecting that there will be a lot of fish that this tiny little fish would bring. But that tiny little fish was very clever and because of her cleverness, she saved her life from the fisherman. So children, the moral of this story is you have to be really clever to save your life from such challenging moments.

Arjun was a very lazy boy. He always used to postpone things. He had a bad habit of procrastination. Arjun’s father was fed up with him, and that is why he emphasized the importance of time and  time management  to Arjun. He said that you should never waste time. Arjun promised his father that he would never postpone things from now on. One of Arjun’s teachers called him and told him that he had won the singing competition that was held a month ago, although, he needs to collect the winning prize the next day itself. Although as usual, Arjun didn’t care and went to take the prize the next day. To Arjun’s surprise, the prize was a ticket to the circus that was done yesterday, making the prize worthless. Thus, Arjun learnt a lesson from this incident.

The moral of the story is that time is very valuable. You should always do things on time and never procrastinate.

A long time ago in a village lived a painter named Jack. Jack was known for his honesty and nice behaviour. Although, Jack was a poor guy and he was a painter. His earnings were very less. His life was full of struggles and an entire day of hard work could only provide him two meals a day. He was wished for a bigger project so that he could earn a lot more. Jack was fully committed to small tasks as well.

One day the landlord of the village called Jack and said, “Listen to me Jack, I have called you for a very important job. Do you want to do it?” Jack replied, “Sure sir, I will definitely do it. Tell me what work is it?” The landlord then expressed his requirements and wanted Jack to  paint  his boat near the river bank. He wanted the work to be finished by today itself. Jack replied, “Okay sir, I will finish the work by today only.” Jack was very happy about getting work. Later the landlord asked Jack about his charges for the work, to which Jack replied, “I generally charge 1500 bucks for this job, rest you have to decide.” The landlord agreed to Jack’s charges of 1500 bucks and asked that the work should be good. Jack reassured the landlord and asked him not to worry.

The landlord then took Jack near the river to see his boat. After seeing the boat, Jack asked for some time from the landlord as he went away to bring his materials and stuff. As soon as Jack returned with his material, he started  painting  the boat. As Jack was painting the boat, he noticed a big hole in the boat.

Jack thought if he  paints  the boat without fixing the hole, the boat will sink and decided to first block the hole and then continue with his painting. Jack then blocked the hole and painted the whole boat later. He then went to the landlord and informed him that the work is finished. The landlord agreed and asked Jack to accompany him to the boat. They reached the shore and the landlord said to Jack as he saw the boat, “Wow Jack! You have done commendable work. Do me a favour, visit me tomorrow morning and collect your wages.” Both of them then headed straight to their homes.

The  family  of the landlord went sightseeing a day after in the same boat. Later in the evening, the servant of the landlord, Charlie, returned from vacation and enquired about everyone as he couldn’t spot anyone in the house. The landlord told him everything. On listening to the landlord, Charlie got stressed. The landlord asked Charlie after seeing him stressed, “What happened Charlie? Why do you look so tensed?” Charlie told him about the hole in the boat. The landlord freaked out after hearing this.

Within a few minutes, the family of the landlord returned back home after a day-long journey. The landlord took a sigh of relief after seeing his wife and kids completely fine. The next day, the landlord called Jack and said to him, “Here Jack, take your pay. You have done a great job. I am very happy with your work quality.” After counting the money, Jack got massively surprised. The amount was more than what he was hired for. Jack said to the landlord, “Sir, you have given me more amount by mistake.” “No Jack, I haven’t paid you any extra amount. Take it, you deserve this money, it is all yours” the landlord added. Jack questioned again, “But sir we agreed for only 1500 bucks. These are 6000 bucks. How come it is the right time.”

The landlord later explained to Jack that the increase in money is because Jack has done great work. Jack got confused. The landlord then continued, “You blocked the hole in the boat about which I was totally unaware of. If you wanted, you could have left the hole as it was or could have asked for more money but you didn’t either of them. Because of you blocking the hole, my family was able to travel safely in the boat. Had not you blocked the hole, my family could have drowned. Because of you only they are safe. This is why this money is for you, your hard work, and your honesty.”

Jack got very happy for the money and for the landlord’s kindness. Jack then thanked the landlord and happily went back to his home.

Honesty and hard work always pay off in the end.

In a state lived two brothers named Tim and George. They were slackers since childhood. The reason behind them lingering here and there was their lazy attitude. Whenever they were told to work, they used to sleep due to their lazy attitude. Tim and George’s mother was fed up with them. She couldn’t figure out what she must do to make her kids work hard. One day Tim and George were resting under a mango  tree . After some time, a mango fell in between them. Since both of them were feeling extremely lazy, none of them made efforts to pick the mango. They just kept on staring at the mango.

As they were resting, the minister of the state was passing by the same route. On seeing the minister, Tim said to the minister, “Good afternoon Minister. We need a favour from you.” The minister replied, “Are you two being serious?” Tim continued, “If possible, can you please pass me this mango?” The minister found Tim very weird. He said, “the mango is lying in front of you. You can pick it yourself.” Tim replied, “It is not possible for me sir. I will have to work very hard to grab it.” “What sort of hard work is this?” The Minister replied and added, “You can’t lean your body two inches further?” to which Geroge replied, “Yes sir, this is the only problem. Who likes to work? Please give us the mango.”

The minister got angry as he disliked their laidback attitude and went away. Tim and George remained intact in their positions. The minister then went to Tim and George’s place and met their mother. Their mother claimed she doesn’t know how to change them. The minister asked their mother to send them to his palace.

Both Tim and George went to the palace the other day and met the king. The king said to Tim and George, “I have some special work for you two. From tomorrow onwards, you two will guard one end of the palace. Since you both don’t like to do so much work, you will be able to do this task.” The minister asked both of them to be careful as there is a lot of precious material in the area that Tim and George will be guarding and we don’t want any sort of mishappening.

Tim and George then begin to guard the palace. But after some time, they sat down and slept. Due to their carelessness, that end of the palace got robbed. The next morning when they woke up, they found the minister standing in front of them. The minister yells at them and expressed his disappointment. The minister emphasized, “Because of your laziness, the minister has suffered heavy losses last night. You two are punishable for a death penalty now.” As soon as they heard the minister, both Tim and George freaked out. As soon as they are presented in front of  the lion , they bow down to the king and cry for their lives. After hearing their plea, the king forgave Tim and George.

From this story, we learned the lesson that we must never be lazy.

Shringeri Shrinivas was having a very bad day. He asked so many people to take the bananas that he had grown on his farm. “No, thank you,” they all said. “The quality of the bananas are too good, we like them but we have had too many. We cannot eat anymore.” Poor Shringeri Shrinivas! He then got the idea to take assistance from the Farmer’s Centre in Doddooru, a big town near his village. Off he went, carrying the best crop of bananas.

A few days later, Shringeri Shrinivas returned home looking very happy. He started growing bananas on his farm amusingly now. Although this time around, Shringeri did not offer  fruits  to anybody surprisingly. Not to his family, not to his neighbour, not to his friends, not to the traders, and not even to his cows! Everyone became very curious. Where were all the bananas going? Then one-day Shivanna, Shringeri’s neighbour organized a big pooja to please the Gods. The priest of the pooja requested Shivanna to gather 108 ripe bananas as they will be essential to the pooja. Shivanna ran to Shringeri Shrinivas. “I am sorry for saying no to you before but now I need 108 ripe bananas. Can you help me, please?’ Shringeri Shrinivas tapped his chin. “Well, let me see what I can do”

The pooja started. The whole village came to watch. The priest began chanting. Then the priest asked for the bananas to offer them to the gods. Just then, in came Shringeri Shrinivas carrying a big bag. From the bag, he carefully took out 27 packets. On each packet was written- “High-Quality Banana Halwa, S.S. Farms.” Shringeri Shrinivas offered one to the priest. “Each packet contains the pulp of four bananas. There are 27 packets. So here are your 108 ripe bananas!” This later cracked up the entire village and everyone started laughing at Shringeri Shrinivas. This made it clear what Shringeri has been doing with all those bananas now.

Never act too smart and become overconfident.

Shanti and Arun were good friends. Shanti was always cheerful. One day, Shanti walked into the classroom slowly. Her head was bent down. She looked sad. “Did someone scold you?” asked Arun. Shanti shook her head. She sat down and did not lookup. She did not answer ‘Present!’ when Miss Sona called her name. Miss Sona called again, louder this time, “Shanti Kumari!” Shanti raised her hand. “Do you have a sore throat?” her teacher asked. Shanti shook her head. “Are you feeling okay?” Miss Sona asked. Shanti stayed quiet.

Arun wanted to make her smile. He had an idea! He took something out from his bag. When he ran to show it to Shanti, he slipped and the item went flying towards Shanti. Shanti saw it and caught it. It was a big green rubber frog! Shanti’s eyes flew open. She opened her mouth to laugh. That is when Arun and her friends saw why she had not smiled or talked all day! Four of her front teeth were missing!

Always surround yourself with good company and friends and be there for one another in whatever way possible.

A long time ago in a small village lived two farmers named Lewis and Harry. Lewis and Harry were very rich farmers. They had a huge farm and many cows but they were not happy, they wanted more. In their neighbourhood lived another farmer named George. George was a poor farmer. He had only one cow and a small farm. But he was happy with what he had. Every night before sleeping, he used to thank god for what he had. Everything was running smoothly until one day Lewis and Harry came to George’s house to purchase his cow. But George didn’t want to sell his beloved cow, so he clearly said, “I don’t want to sell my cow, please leave my house.” Hearing George’s response, Lewis and Harry got angry. They decided to take revenge and they made a plan.

They burned George’s crop at night. George saw his farm in the morning and he was heartbroken. Even after a week, he could not think of any solution. Also, the poor cow starved as he could not feed her. So he thought it is better to sell the cow as he couldn’t feed her. The next morning, along with the cow, he took whatever little silver coins he had and left for the market. On the way to market, George thought of what if some robbers attack me on the way. Because of that, he hid his silver coins in the pocket of the cow’s jacket. After travelling for a while, he got tired and decided to rest in an inn. He tied the cow outside the inn and went inside.

Just then suddenly, a silver coin rolled out of the cow’s jacket. The owner of the inn saw this and he got amazed thinking this must be a magical cow. The owner got greedy. He approached George and asked him to sell the cow to him for a pouch of silver coins. George knew this is not the actual price but thinking this was God’s wish, George agreed to sell the cow to the inn’s owner. George took the pouch of silver coins and left happily back to his village. On reaching his house, he sat on his bed and begin to count the coins.

Just then Lewis and Harry came to his house to mock him but they found that George is surrounded by many silver coins. They were surprised. They could not believe their eyes. George told them everything and after hearing his story, Lewis and Harry couldn’t believe their plan had failed. They planned so much to take revenge but they ended up with nothing.

From this story, we learned that nothing can be gained by doing harm to another person.

In this article, we learned multiple stories and the morals that they had in them. It is important for kids to read such stories and incorporate the good values shown and portrayed in the stories as it is a major part of their development. However, we should also focus on the evil characters in the stories and learn what to not do in the future and become good human beings. 

You can also check out how to write a short story yourself here!

Question 01: Are moral stories a necessity for a kid’s development?

Answer: Yes. they are, as moral stories teach kids the difference between what is right and what is wrong.

Question 02: Name some short story authors that one should know.

Share with your friends

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Sunday, Jun 17

Best short stories and collections everyone should read.

If you are on the lookout for great storytelling but don’t want to commit to a full-length novel, then short story collections are the answer. Whether it’s just before bed, during your commute, or waiting to see your doctor, small chunks of time are perfect for reading short stories.

Here we have gathered thirty-one of the best short stories and collections , from all sorts of backgrounds and sources, to help you grow your “To Be Read” pile.

For your convenience, we've divided this post into two parts: 1. the ten best free short stories to read right now , and 2. best short story collections. Feel free to jump to the section that you prefer!

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great short stories out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized short story recommendation 😉

Which short story should you read next?

Discover the perfect short story for you. Takes 30 seconds!

Free Short Stories to Read Right Now

These individual short stories are the best of the best — and the even better news is that they're available for free online for you to peruse. From classics published in the 1900s to a short story that exploded in late 2017, here are ten of the greatest free short stories for you to read.

1. “Lamb to the Slaughter” by Roald Dahl

While not exactly a philosophical or political tale like our first two examples, this twisty short story from Dahl does delve into some shady moral territory. We are introduced to Mary Maloney: a loving wife and dedicated homemaker. In just a few short paragraphs describing how she welcomes her husband home, Dahl makes us sympathize with Mary — before a rash act turns her life upside down and takes the reader with her on a dark journey.

For those who haven’t read it, we won’t spoil the rest. However, it’s safe to say that Dahl serves up a fiendish twist on a platter.

2. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson

A perennial feature in many a high school syllabus, Shirley Jackson’s best-known short story clinically details an unusual ritual that takes place in a small town. There’s not exactly a lot of plot to spoil in The Lottery — but within a few short pages, Jackson manages to represent the mob mentality that can drive reasonable people to commit heinous acts.

3. “How to Become a Writer” by Lorrie Moore

Told in the second person point of view , this story from Moore’s debut anthology Self-Help takes an honest look at the inner life of a struggling artist. Through the use of an unusual POV, the author manages to turn her reader into a confidante — making it abundantly clear that the ‘you’ the narrator is speaking about is actually herself.

This story is a standout, but the entire collection is well worth a read for its insight, humor, and disregard for literary norms.

4. “Cat Person” by Kristen Roupenian

In the Social Media Age, no short story has gone viral the way this New Yorker contribution from Roupenian has. Arriving at the height of #MeToo, it begins with 20-year-old Margot embarking on the early stages of flirtation with an older man, Robert. As she gets to know more about this man (as well as filling in the gaps with her imagination), the power dynamic in their relationship starts to fluctuate.

Lauded for its portrayal of Margot’s inner life and the fears many modern women face when it comes to dating, it also has its fair share of detractors — many are critical of the central character, some are downright outraged by the story’s success. Still, this story undeniably struck a chord with the reading public, and will likely remain relevant for some time.

5. “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver

First published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1981, “Cathedral” is today known as one of Raymond Carver’s finest works. When it opens, we meet a narrator whose wife is expecting a visit from an old friend, a blind man. Dissatisfied and distrusting of people not like him, our narrator struggles to connect until the blind man asks him to describe a cathedral to him. 

 “Cathedral” is one of Carver’s own personal favorites, and deservedly so. His characteristic minimalist style is devastating as the story builds up to a shattering moment of emotional truth — an ultimate reminder that no-one else can capture the quiet sadness of working-class people like him. 

6. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

Innocuously titled, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is nevertheless Flannery O’Connor’s bleakest — and most famous — work. It begins unassumingly with a Southern family who’s planning to go on a road trip. Yet the journey is rudely interrupted when their car overturns on an abandoned dirt road — and they are met by an enigmatic group of three men, coming up over the far hill. 

This short story inspired some strong reactions from the public upon publication — and the conversation continues today as to its frank depiction of the nature of good and evil. Again, we won’t spoil anything for you, except to say that “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is well worth your time. 

7. “Symbols and Signs” by Vladimir Nabokov

The famous author of Lolita wrote “Signs and Symbols” in 1948. Its premise is seemingly simple: an elderly couple visits their mentally ill son in the sanatorium in America. Yet their background and trials come into sharp focus as the story develops, until an explosive ending disrupts everyone’s peace of mind. 

As you might expect, the somber “Symbols and Signs” diverges sharply from Lolita in terms of both tone and subject — but its ending will keep you awake at night thinking about its implications.  

8. “Sticks” by George Saunders

Not so much a short story as it is flash fiction, “Sticks” is written from the perspective of a young man whose father has an unusual habit: dressing up a crucifix that’s built of out a metal pole in the yard. One of America’s greatest living short story writers, George Saunders explained: "For two years I'd been driving past a house like the one in the story, imagining the owner as a man more joyful and self-possessed and less self-conscious than myself. Then one day I got sick of him and invented his opposite, and there was the story." 

The result is a masterful piece of fiction that builds something out of seemingly nothing — all in the space of only two paragraphs. 

9. “The Veldt” by Ray Bradbury

If there’s anyone who you can trust to deliver thought-provoking, terrifying science fiction on the regular, it’s Ray Bradbury. In “The Veldt,” George and Lydia Hadley have bought an automated house that comes with a “nursey,” or a virtual reality room. Worried about the nursery’s effect on the kids, George and Lydia think about turning off the nursey — but the problem is that their children are obsessed with it. 

As an ominously prescient prediction of the downside of technology, “The Veldt” is a short and shining example of how Ray Bradbury was an author before his time. 

10. “Flowers for Algernon” by Daniel Keyes

In this classic short story, we are privy to the journals of Charlie Gordon, a cleaner with an IQ of 68. ("I reely wantd to lern I wantid it more even then pepul who are smarter even then me. All my life I wantid to be smart and not dumb.”) Charlie’s luck changes when he is selected for an experiment that purports to turn him into a genius — but everything that goes up must come down in the end. 

“Flowers for Algernon” won the Hugo Award in 1960 for its groundbreaking presentation. Heartbreaking and rich with subtle poignance, it is likely to remain a staple for centuries to come.  

Best Short Story Collections to Devour

If you'd like many short stories at your fingertips all at once, short story collections are where you should look. Here, we've collected 21 of the best short story collections — along with the standout story in each volume.

11. A Manual for Cleaning Women by Lucia Berlin

Standout Story: “A Manual for Cleaning Women”

12. Blow-up and Other Stories by Julio Cortázar

Standout Story: “House Taken Over”

13. Drifting House by Krys Lee

Standout Story: “Drifting House”

Looking for something new to read?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an email address

14. Dubliners by James Joyce

Standout Story: “The Dead”

15. Everything’s Eventual: 14 Dark Tales by Stephen King

Standout Story: “Riding the Bullet”

16. Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges

Standout Story: “The Garden of Forking Paths”

17. Florida by Lauren Groff

Standout Story: “Above and Below”

18. Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders by Neil Gaiman

Standout Story: “The Flints of Memory Lane”

19. Kiss Kiss by Roald Dahl

Standout Story: “The Pig”

20. Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

Standout Story: “Samsa in Love”

21. Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger

Standout Story: “For Esme - With Love and Squalor”

22. Rashōmon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa

Standout Story: “In a Bamboo Grove”

23. Runaway by Alice Munro

Standout Story: “Runaway”

24. Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel García Márquez

Standout Story: “The Trail of Your Blood in the Snow”

25. The Collected Stories by Grace Paley

Standout Story: “A Man Told Me the Story of His Life”

26. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway by Ernest Hemingway

Standout Story: “Hills Like White Elephants”

27. The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor

Standout Story: “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

28. The Essential Tales of Chekhov by Anton Chekhov

Standout Story: “The Lady with the Dog”

29. The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Standout Story: “I’d Love You to Want Me”

30. The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Standout Story: “The Thing Around Your Neck”

31. The Youngest Doll by Rosario Ferré

Standout Story: “When Women Love Men”

Ready to write your own short story? Check out these short story ideas for all your inspiration needs.

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

20 of the Best Places to Get FREE Kindle Books

We’re all about directing you to your next glorious read at Reedsy Discovery. Looking for the next audiobooks that will turn your road trip into an epic adventure?

100 Best Adventure Books of All Time

The first adventure novel that you ever read is hard to forget: after all, we all remember the first time our imaginations were lit by whispers of buried treasure, lost worlds, and faraway jungles. As Jane Eyre says: “It is in vain to say human beings ought to be...

Flash Fiction Stories: 25 Examples of Lighting-Fast Stories

Flash fiction is one of the most fascinating creative mediums in this day and age: incredibly difficult, but also incredibly rewarding. After all, flash fiction requires writers to effectively cram...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

Bring your stories to life

Use our free writing app to finally write — and publish — that book!

Just added to your cart

20 Good Short Moral Stories for Kids You Can Read with Your Child

When it comes to teaching important life lessons, few tools are as effective — and equally entertaining — as moral stories for kids .

Not only will your little one get to flex their imagination, but they’ll also have the chance to work on their language skills, further develop their vocabulary and learn important life lessons in an engaging and relatable way.  

At ParentEducate.com, we’re dedicated to helping families like you navigate every step of parenthood, including planning a storytime that’s full of moral stories for kids .

That’s why we’re sharing our favorite moral stories for kids , and why incorporating them into your weekly routine is a must.

What are short moral stories for kids ?

Morals are lessons (usually around what is right and wrong) that can be taken from stories and experiences. Short moral stories for kids are simply brief tales that integrate morals — either explicitly or implicitly — throughout their plotlines. They’re a perfect tool for parents looking to teach their children important life lessons without making kids feel like they’re talking down to them or lecturing them on what they have to do.

When should I start reading moral stories for kids ?

The best thing about very short stories for kids with morals is that your child will never be too young or old for them! We recommend starting when your child is a toddler and then finding new stories that grow with them.

What are the benefits of very short stories for kids with morals ?

There are a number of benefits your little one can take away from short moral stories for kids , including:

• An increased vocabulary.
• Enhanced imagination and creative thinking.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Better social and emotional comprehension.
• Improved listening skills.
• Increased cultural understanding.
• A more comprehensive moral compass.

How can I make the most of storytime?

While most moral stories for kids are entertaining enough to keep your child’s attention, there are things you can do to make storytime even more memorable. Our top tips for executing very short stories for kids with morals include:

• Using voices for each character to bring the story to life.
• Doing a mid-story check-in with your kid about what they’ve learned so far.
• Incorporating props and hand gestures where possible.
• Ask your child what they think the moral takeaway was once you’ve finished.

What moral stories for kids are the best?

As we mentioned, nearly every piece of children’s literature has a moral incorporated, but some of our favorite very short stories for kids with morals include:

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There was once a young shepherd boy who tended his sheep at the foot of a mountain near a dark forest. It was rather lonely for him all day, so he thought upon a plan by which he could get a little company and some excitement. He rushed down towards the village calling out “Wolf! Wolf!” and the villagers came out to meet him, and some of them stopped with him for a considerable time.

This pleased the boy so much that a few days afterward he tried the same trick, and again the villagers came to his help. But shortly after this a wolf actually did come out from the forest and began to worry the sheep, and the boy, of course, cried out “Wolf! Wolf!” still louder than before. But this time the villagers, who had been fooled twice before, thought the boy was again deceiving them, and nobody came to his help. So the wolf made a good meal off the boy’s flock, and when the boy complained, the wise man of the village said: “A liar will not be believed, even when he speaks the truth.”

The Golden Egg

There was once a countryman who possessed the most wonderful goose you can imagine. And every day when he visited the nest, the goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg.

The countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich. But it was not long before he grew impatient with the goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough.

Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the goose and cutting it open. But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find, and his precious goose was dead.

The Wise Old Owl

There was an old owl that lived in an oak. Every day he saw incidents happening around him. Yesterday, he saw a boy helping an old man carry a heavy basket. Today, he saw a girl shouting at her mother. The more he saw the less he spoke.

As he spoke less, he heard more. He heard people talking and telling stories. He heard a woman saying that an elephant jumped over a fence. He also heard a man saying that he had never made a mistake.

The old owl had seen and heard about what happened to people. Some became better and some became worse. But the old owl had become wiser each and every day.

The Farmer and the Well

A farmer looking for a source of water for his farm bought a well from his neighbor. The neighbor was cunning, though, and refused to let the farmer take water from the well. On asking why, he replied, “I sold the well to you, not the water”, and walked away. The distraught farmer didn’t know what to do. So he went to Birbal, a clever man and one of the nine courtiers of Emperor Akbar, for a solution.

The emperor called the farmer and his neighbor and asked why the man was not letting the farmer draw water from the well. The cunning man said the same thing again, “I sold the well, not the water. So he cannot take my water”.

To this, Birbal replied, “All that sounds fine to me. But if you have sold the water and the water is yours, then you have no business keeping your water in his well. Remove the water or use it all up immediately. If not the water will belong to the owner of the well”.

Realizing that he’s been tricked and taught his lesson, the man apologized and left.

The Tortoise and the Hare

A hare was making fun of the tortoise one day for being so slow.

"Do you ever get anywhere?" he asked with a mocking laugh.

"Yes," replied the tortoise, "and I get there sooner than you think. I'll run you a race and prove it."

The hare was much amused at the idea of running a race with the tortoise, but for the fun of the thing, he agreed. So the fox, who had consented to act as judge, marked the distance and started the runners off.

The hare was soon far out of sight, and to make the tortoise feel very deeply how ridiculous it was for him to try a race with a hare, he lay down beside the course to take a nap until the tortoise should catch up.

The tortoise meanwhile kept going slowly but steadily, and, after a time, passed the place where the hare was sleeping. But the hare slept on very peacefully; and when at last he did wake up, the tortoise was near the goal. The hare now ran his swiftest, but he could not overtake the tortoise in time.

The Golden Touch of Midas

Once upon a time, there was a Greek King, Midas. He was very rich and had lots of gold. He had a daughter, who he loved a lot.

One day, Midas found an angel in need of help. He helped her and in return, she agreed to grant a wish.

Midas wished that everything he touched would turn into gold. His wish was granted

On his way home, he touched rocks and plants, and they turned into gold. As he reached home, in excitement he hugged his daughter, who turned into gold. Midas was devastated and he had learned his lesson. Upon learning his lesson, Midas asked the angel to take his wish away.

The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. One pig built a house of straw while the second pig built his house with sticks. They built their houses very quickly and then sang and danced all day because they were lazy. The third little pig worked hard all day and built his house with bricks.

A big bad wolf saw the two little pigs while they danced and played and thought, “What juicy tender meals they will make!” He chased the two pigs and they ran and hid in their houses.

The big bad wolf went to the first house and huffed and puffed and blew the house down in minutes. The frightened little pig ran to the second pig’s house which was made of sticks.

The big bad wolf now came to this house and huffed and puffed and blew the house down in hardly any time. Now, the two little pigs were terrified and ran to the third pig’s house which was made of bricks. The big bad wolf tried to huff and puff and blow the house down, but he could not. He kept trying for hours but the house was very strong and the little pigs were safe inside.

He tried to enter through the chimney but the third little pig boiled a big pot of water  and kept it below the chimney. The wolf fell into it and died.

The two little pigs now felt sorry for having been so lazy. They too built their houses with bricks and lived happily ever after

The Proud Rose

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful rose plant in a garden. One rose flower on the plant was proud of its beauty. However, it was disappointed that it was growing next to an ugly cactus. Every day, the rose would insult the cactus about its looks, but the cactus stayed quiet. All the other plants in the garden tried to stop the rose from bullying the cactus, but the rose was too swayed by its own beauty to listen to anyone.

One summer, a well in the garden dried up and there was no water for the plants. The rose slowly began to wilt. The rose saw a sparrow dip its beak into the cactus for some water. The rose then felt ashamed for having made fun of the cactus all this time. But because it was in need of water, it went to ask the cactus if it could have some water. The kind cactus agreed, and they both got through summer as friends.

Elephant and Friends

Alone elephant wandered the forest looking for friends. She came across a monkey and asked, “Will you be my friend, monkey?”

“You are too big and cannot swing on trees as I do. So I cannot be your friend,” said the monkey.

The elephant then came across a rabbit and asked him if she could be his friend. “You are too big to fit inside my burrow. You cannot be my friend,” replied the rabbit.

Then the elephant met a frog and asked if she could be her friend. The frog said, “You are too big and heavy. You cannot jump like me. I am sorry, but you cannot be my friend.”

The elephant asked a fox, and he got the same reply, that he was too big. The next day, all the animals in the forest were running in fear. The elephant stopped a bear and asked what was happening and was told that a tiger had been attacking all the animals.

The elephant wanted to save the other animals and went to the tiger and said “Please sir, leave my friends alone. Do not eat them.” The tiger didn’t listen and asked the elephant to mind her own business. Seeing no other way to solve the problem, the elephant kicked the tiger and scared it away.

She then went back to the others and told them what happened. On hearing how the elephant saved their lives, the animals agreed in unison, “You are just the right size to be our friend.”

The Young Crab and its Mother

"Why in the world do you walk sideways like that?" said a mother crab to her son. "You should always walk straight forward with your toes turned out."

"Show me how to walk, mother dear," answered the little crab obediently, "I want to learn."

So the old crab tried and tried to walk straight forward. But she could walk sideways only, like her son. And when she wanted to turn her toes out she tripped and fell on her nose.

The Monkey and the Crocodile

A monkey lived on a berry tree on the riverbank. Once he saw a crocodile under the tree who looked hungry and tired. He gave the crocodile some berries, and the crocodile thanked the monkey and became one of his friends.

The monkey would give berries to the crocodile every day. One day the monkey even gave the crocodile extra berries to take to his wife.

His wife enjoyed the berries but told her husband that she wanted to eat the monkey's heart. She was a wicked and cunning woman. The crocodile was upset, but he decided that he needed to make his wife happy.

On the next day, the crocodile went to the monkey and said that his wife had called him for dinner. The crocodile carried the monkey on his back across the river. He told this monkey his wife's plan.

The monkey had to think quickly if he wanted to save himself. He told the crocodile that he left his heart at the berry tree and that they needed to return.

On reaching the monkey climbed the tree and spoke. "I'm not getting down; you betrayed my trust and that means our friendship is over."

Be Wise While Counting

Emperor Akbar was in the habit of putting riddles and puzzles to his courtiers. He often asked questions that were strange and witty. It took much wisdom to answer these questions.

Once he asked a very strange question. The courtiers were dumb folded by his question.

Akbar glanced at his courtiers. As he looked, one by one the heads began to hang low in search of an answer. It was at this moment that Birbal entered the courtyard. Birbal who knew the nature of the emperor quickly grasped the situation and asked, "May I know the question so that I can try for an answer."

Akbar said, "How many crows are there in this city?"

Without even a moment's thought, Birbal replied "There are fifty thousand five hundred and eighty-nine crows, my lord."

"How can you be so sure?” asked Akbar.

Birbal said, "Make your men count, My lord. If you find more crows it means some have come to visit their relatives here. If you find fewer crows it means some have gone to visit their relatives elsewhere."

Akbar was pleased very much by Birbal's wit.

A Glass of Milk

Once, there was a poor boy who made a living by selling various objects from door to door. This was the way he earned money to pay for his school.

One day, as he was walking from house to house, as usual, he felt very hungry and weak. He felt that he couldn’t walk even a few steps. He decided to ask for food at a house. He knocked on the door and was stunned to see a beautiful young girl open the door. With much hesitation, he asked the girl for a glass of water.

The young girl understood his condition and offered him a huge glass of milk. With an astonished look, the boy drank the milk very slowly.

“How much do I owe you for this milk?” he asked her.

The girl replied, “I do not want any money for this.”

The boy thanked the girl from the bottom of his heart and left the place.

Years passed by. The young girl grew up. In her youth, unfortunately, she fell ill and was diagnosed with the rarest kind of nervous disorder. Many experienced doctors were baffled at her condition, and she was admitted to the city hospital with the most advanced facilities.

Dr. Kevin, a renowned neuro specialist was called in by the hospital to examine her. Even with his extraordinary expertise, Dr. Kevin found the girl’s illness very hard to cure. However, with perseverance and hard work that lasted months, he was finally able to get the disease under control. With careful medication and monitoring, the girl was completely cured in the end.

Everyone praised the doctor, but the girl was quite worried about how much the hospital bill would come to. Her family had just a little money kept away in the bank, which was by no means enough to pay for such a long treatment in that reputed hospital.

The girl was finally given the hospital bill. With trembling hands, she opened it. She was stunned to see that the bill had been crossed out and canceled, and there was a note underneath signed by Dr. Kevin.

“Bill paid years ago with a glass of milk!”

The Ant and the Grasshopper

One bright day in late autumn a family of ants was bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.

"What!" cried the ants in surprise, "haven't you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?"

"I didn't have time to store up any food," whined the grasshopper; "I was so busy making music that before I knew it the summer was gone."

The ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.

"Making music, were you?" they cried. "Very well; now dance!" And they turned their backs on the grasshopper and went on with their work.

The Dog and the Bone

Once upon a time, there lived a stray dog in a small town.

One day, the dog got a juicy bone from a butcher’s shop. All excited, he picked it up and looked for a secluded place to enjoy it at ease.

He ran to a nearby riverside to enjoy the bone all by himself. As he was chewing the bone, he happened to look down into the river. The dog was quite surprised as he saw his own reflection in the river. He mistook it for another dog with a juicy bone in its mouth.

The greedy dog wanted to snatch that bone also. So, he opened his mouth to bark at his own reflection, hoping to scare the other dog away so that he could get that bone too. But, alas! The bone fell down from his mouth into the river with a splash. The dog lost his piece of bone because of his greed and had to go away hungry.

The Ugly Duckling

A little duckling was very sad because he thought he was the ugliest amongst all his brothers and sisters. They would not play with him and teased the poor ugly duckling. One day, he saw his reflection in the water and cried, “Nobody likes me. I am so ugly.” He decided to leave home and went far away into the woods.

Deep in the forest, he saw a cottage in which there lived an old woman, her hen, and her cat. The duckling stayed with them for some time but he was unhappy there and soon left. When winter set in, the poor duckling almost froze to death. A peasant took him home to his wife and children. The poor duckling was terrified of the children and escaped. The ugly duckling spent the winter in a marshy pond.

Finally, spring arrived. One day, the duckling saw a beautiful swan swimming in the pond and fell in love with her. But then he remembered how everyone made fun of him and he bent his head down in shame. When he saw his own reflection in the water he was astonished. He was not an ugly duckling anymore, but a handsome young swan! Now, he knew why he had looked so different from his brothers and sisters. “They were ducklings but I was a baby swan!” he said to himself.

The Boys & The Frogs

Some boys were playing one day at the edge of a pond in which lived a family of frogs. The boys amused themselves by throwing stones into the pond so as to make them skip on top of the water.

The stones were flying thick and fast and the boys were enjoying themselves very much, but the poor frogs in the pond were trembling with fear.

At last one of the frogs, the oldest and bravest put his head out of the water, and said, "Oh, please, dear children, stop your cruel play! Though it may be fun for you, it means death to us!"

The Wolf & His Shadow

Wolf left his lair one evening in fine spirits and an excellent appetite. As he ran, the setting sun cast his shadow far out on the ground, and it looked as if the wolf were a hundred times bigger than he really was.

"Why," exclaimed Wolf proudly, "see how big I am! Fancy me running away from a puny lion! I'll show him who is fit to be king, he or I."

Just then an immense shadow blotted him out entirely, and the next instant a lion struck him down with a single blow.

The Man and the Cat

One day, a man was walking by a road when he heard a cat meowing from the bushes nearby. The cat was stuck and needed help getting out. When the man reached out, the cat got scared and scratched the man. The man screamed in pain but didn’t back down. He tried again and again, even as the cat continued to scratch his hands.

Another passerby saw this and said, “Just let it be! The cat will find a way to come out later.” The man didn’t pay heed but tried until he helped the cat. Once he let the cat free, he told the other man, “The cat is an animal, and its instincts make him scratch and attack. I am a human and my instincts make me compassionate and kind.”

The Sheep and the Pig

One day a shepherd discovered a fat pig in the meadow where his sheep were pastured. He very quickly captured the porker, which squealed at the top of its voice the moment the shepherd laid his hands on it. But in spite of its squeals and struggles to escape, the shepherd tucked his prize under his arm and started off to the butcher's in the marketplace.

The sheep in the pasture were astonished and amused at the pig's behavior and followed the shepherd and his charge to the pasture gate.

"What makes you squeal like that?" asked one of the sheep. "The shepherd often catches and carries off one of us. But we should feel very much ashamed to make such a terrible fuss about it like you do."

"That is all very well," replied the pig, with a squeal and a frantic kick. "When he catches you he is only after your wool. But he wants my bacon!"

Want to learn more about the benefits of moral stories for kids and how you can incorporate them into your daily routine? Our online courses can help!

We have a number of classes that focus on tools and techniques for growing your child’s literacy skills (including reading very short stories for kids with morals ).

The best part? You can access all 100+ of our courses — including the ones on short moral stories for kids — for free with a one-week trial! Visit ParentEducate.com to sign-up today.

• Share Share on Facebook
• Tweet Tweet on Twitter
• Pin it Pin on Pinterest
• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.

20 Best Short Stories With A Moral ​Lessons For Kids

stories with a moral

When it comes to teaching kids a valuable moral lesson, most parents turn to short stories. It not only piques their interest, but it also teaches children valuable life lessons.

Short stories have a unique method of imparting knowledge that makes them more accessible and engaging. Rather than simply reminding your kid not to lie, offering them a brief tale about what happens when they do will help them grasp what happens when they do. It assists individuals in becoming more conscious of their behaviors and the implications of those actions. As youngsters get older, the moral lessons from these stories assist to build their character and moral compass.

Above are 20 short stories with moral teachings from which your kids (and even some adults) can learn:

1. The Ants and the Elephant

Once upon a time, there was a haughty elephant who used to bully smaller creatures. He’d go to an anthill near his house and spray the ants with water. Because of their size, the ants could only cry. The elephant simply chuckled and threatened the ants with death by crushing them. The ants had had it and decided to teach the elephant a lesson one day. They jumped into the elephant’s trunk and began biting him. The elephant could do nothing but howl in agony. He realized his error and apologized to the ants as well as all the other animals he had harassed.

The moral to this story:

Maintain a humble demeanor and treat everyone with respect. If you believe you are stronger than others, instead of injuring them, use your strength to protect them.

2. The Poor Slave and the Lion

Once upon a time, there was a slave who was mistreated by his master. He couldn’t stand it any longer and fled to the forest to seek refuge. He came upon a lion who was unable to move due to a thorn in its paw. Despite his fear, the slave summoned his bravery and extracted the thorn from the lion’s paw. When the lion was finally free of the thorn, he dashed into the jungle, oblivious to the slave’s presence. The slave was eventually apprehended in the jungle by his master, along with some animals. The slave was then thrown into the lion’s den by the master. The slave recognized the lion as the one he had aided in the wilderness. The slave was able to flee the den without being hurt, and he was able to free all of the other animals.

Your good deeds will always find a way to come back to you. So do good things and treat others with kindness, and the world will return the favor.

3. The Ugly Duckling

This is one of the most well-known fairy stories in the world, and most of us have heard of it. The plot centres around a duckling who has always felt different from his brothers since birth. He was constantly teased since he didn’t look like the other kids. He had had enough and rushed away from the pond where he had grown up. He traveled far and wide in search of a family who would embrace him. Months passed, seasons changed, but no one wanted him because he was such an unattractive duck. Then he came across a family of swans one day. When he looked at them, he realized he had transformed into a lovely swan during the months he had spent hunting for a family to call his own. He suddenly realized why he never looked like the rest of his siblings: he is a swan, not a duck.

We should not pass judgment on others just based on their outward appearance. Just because someone doesn’t suit societal beauty standards doesn’t mean they’re unattractive. Each of us is lovely in our way, and it’s past time we accepted and celebrated our differences.

4. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Once upon a time, there was a shepherd boy who enjoyed playing tricks. While keeping an eye on the herd, the boy decided to play a joke and screamed out, “wolf! wolf!” People who had heard him hurried over to assist him. They were upset, however, when they discovered that there was no wolf and that the boy was mocking them. He did it again the next day, and many came to his rescue, only to be let down once more. The child observed a wolf devouring one of his lambs on the third day and cried out for rescue. However, many who heard him assumed it was simply another of the boy’s pranks, and no one came to his aid. The wolf took some of the boy’s livestock that day.

If you lie and cheat on other people all of the time, no one will believe you at some point.

5. The Grasshopper and the Ant

The grasshopper and the ant were best friends. During the summer, the ant works tirelessly to stock his food storage. The grasshopper, on the other hand, was taking advantage of the pleasant weather by playing all day. When winter arrived, the ant was snug in his home, surrounded by the food he had stored over the summer. While the grasshopper was hungry and cold in his home. He requested food from the ant, and the ant obliged. However, it was insufficient to see us through the winter. When he tried to ask the ant again, he was told, “I’m sorry, my friend, but my food is only enough for my family to live till the end of the winter.”

If I give you any more, we’ll all go hungry. We had the entire summer to prepare for the next winter, but you decided to play.”

In this story, winter depicts a period in our lives when food and resources are in short supply. Summer, on the other hand, is the season of abundance. So, if you have a lot today, set aside some for the winter.

6. The Grapes and the Fox

Once upon a time, a hungry fox came across a vineyard. The fox drooled as he saw the round, luscious grapes hanging in a group. But no matter how high he leaped, he was unable to reach it. So he rationalized that it was probably sour and walked away. He had to sleep on an empty stomach that night.

The majority of us have a proclivity to act like a fox. We makeup reasons when we want something but believe it will be too difficult to obtain. Instead of working hard for it, we persuade ourselves that it’s probably not that great.

7. Lazy John

John, a boy who was so sluggish that he didn’t bother to change his clothes, was one of them. He saw the apple tree in their yard was laden with fruit one day. He wanted to eat some apples but was too sluggish to climb the tree to get them. As a result, he sat down beneath the tree and waited for the fruits to fall. John waited and waited until he was ravenous, but no fruit dropped.

You can’t get anywhere by being lazy. If you desire something, you must put forth a lot of effort.

8. The Thirsty Crow

A thirsty crow wandered the woodland in quest of water after flying a long distance. Finally, he came across a half-filled water pot. He tried to drink from it, but his beak was too short to reach the interior water. He then saw pebbles on the ground and placed them in the pot one by one till the water level reached the brim. The crow quickly drank from it, satiating his thirst.

There is a way if there is a will. If we look hard enough and don’t give up, we can find a solution to any difficulty.

9. The Dog and the Bone

Once upon a time, there was a dog who roamed the streets at all hours of the day and night in quest of food. He came across a large juicy bone one day and instantly snatched it between his teeth and carried it home. He crossed a river on his way home and observed another dog with a bone in its mouth. He was also after that bone for himself. However, the bone he was biting fell into the river and sank as he opened his jaws. He went home famished that night.

If we continuously envy what others have, we, like the greedy dog, will lose what we already have.

10. The Tortoise and the Hare

Once upon a time, there was a hare who was friends with a tortoise. He challenged the tortoise to a race one day. The hare assumed that because the tortoise was moving so slowly, he would easily win. As a result, he took a nap as the tortoise continued on his way. When the hare awoke, the tortoise had already crossed the finish line. The tortoise, much to his dismay, won the race while he was napping.

This narrative can teach us a few moral lessons. Overconfidence, according to the hare, can lead to disaster. The tortoise, on the other hand, teaches us the value of tenacity. Never quit up, even if everything seems to be against you. It’s not always about who’s the quickest or strongest in life; it’s sometimes about who’s the most reliable.

SHORT MORAL STORIES FOR KIDS

Stories are an excellent technique to teach kids the difference between good and wrong. They also assist students in gaining a general awareness of human ethics and behavioral tendencies. We grew up reading and listening to Panchatantra stories, Tinkle, Amar Chitra Katha, and Jataka tales as youngsters, and we may not realize it, but those short moral stories for kids have played an important role in shaping who we are today.

These educational stories for kids instill values, ideas, and principles that form the bedrock of our characters. That is why it is critical to passing down these morally instructive short stories to help kids grow into well-rounded adults.

We’ve compiled a compilation of short moral stories for kids that are still relevant today. Plus, we’ve hand-picked a few modern stories from kidsstory.org that have symbolic, underlining meanings.

11. The Midas Touch

King Midas is the subject of this English kid’s fable. Midas, a tremendously wealthy king, lived in Ancient Greece. He had all he could have wished for and more, as well as a lovely daughter whom he cherished even more than his wealth.

Silenus, a satyr loyal to Dionysus, the God of Wine and Celebration, passed out in Midas’ garden one day. Midas went despite his family’s desires and let Silenus snooze in his palace until he awoke again, believing that satyrs brought him good luck.

When Dionysus learned of Midas’ generosity to his friend, he decided to grant the wealthy king a request. Midas wished that everything he came into contact with would turn to gold. Even though Dionysus was well aware that this was a formula for disaster, he still granted the desire. Midas was overjoyed, and he went around touching everything in the garden and palace to turn everything into gold. He transformed an apple into a gleaming gold apple when he picked it up. The courtiers were all enthralled.

Midas had never been happy in his life… He caressed his daughter, completely forgetting that anything he touched would turn to gold! As a result, his daughter became a dead gold statue. Midas hurried to Dionysus and asked God to save his daughter after realizing what he had done. Dionysus spared his daughter and took away all of Midas’ powers to fulfill his wish, claiming that it was for the best. Midas had learned his lesson and was content with what he had for the rest of his life.

Moral of the story : Don’t be greedy; be happy with what you have.

12. The Musical Donkey

Udhata, a skinny donkey who had been famished by his owner, a local fisherman, set off in quest of food with his jackal companion. In the middle of the night, the two went about the village until they came across a cucumber field. They enjoyed their supper so much that night that they resolved to visit the cucumber field every night. Udhata gradually improved her appearance and was able to carry greater weight.

The donkey insisted on singing after a delicious and nutritious dinner of cucumbers. Although the jackal warned him that this was a bad idea, the stubborn donkey refused to listen to his pal. Even when the jackal told the donkey that his voice wasn’t very lovely, Udhata rejected the jackal’s remark, supposing the jackal was jealous. He informed the jackal that he was pleased with himself, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The jackal admonished him once more about his foolish behavior and how he was causing trouble for himself by distracting the guards. The foolish donkey, on the other hand, would not budge.

The jackal halted the donkey’s singing and told him to wait till the jackal jumped over the other side of the fence for his protection. Outside, the jackal chose to wait. The guard naturally awoke from his nap when he heard the donkey’s loud braying noise. When the guard saw Udhata, he smacked him in the face hard. He didn’t hold back and directed all of his rages onto the donkey, who was sincerely remorseful for not following his friend’s advice. The donkey was scarcely able to move after he finished. Despite this, he managed to drag his limp body out of the field, where the jackal had been waiting. “I told you so,” his friend remarked with a compassionate expression on his face.

Moral of the story : Think before you act.

13. The Clever Monkey

Once upon a time, there was a wise monkey who lived on a tree that produced fresh, delectable fruit. A day came when a crocodile swam up to the tree and informed the monkey that he had traveled a great distance and was completely fatigued. The crocodile had been on the lookout for food and was ravenous. When the crocodile heard this, the friendly monkey brought him a couple of berries, which the crocodile gratefully accepted. He asked the monkey whether he may come back for some fruit soon. The monkey nodded enthusiastically.

The crocodile reappeared the next day, then the next, and so on. This became a daily practice for them, and they became excellent friends as a result. They talked about what was going on in their lives and confided in one other as all friends do. The crocodile informed the monkey about his wife, who resided on the opposite bank of the river. As a result, the crocodile was given some extra berries by the generous monkey to take home for his wife.

They ate berries together while the crocodile and the monkey grew closer as friends. The crocodiles would frequently receive additional berries from the monkey, which he would take home for his wife. The crocodile’s wife became envious of the two buddies because of their tight friendship. She was determined to end their friendship. She reasoned that if the monkey could survive on a diet of delectable fruit, his flesh must be exceptionally sweet. As a result, she requested that the crocodile invite his friend to supper. The crocodile declined because he suspected his wife was planning something nefarious. She was, nonetheless, adamant upon eating the monkey’s flesh.

She feigned to be sick and told the crocodile that her doctor said the only thing that could save her was a monkey’s heart. Hearing this, the crocodile dashed to the monkey’s branch and pretended to be his wife, telling him that she had cooked a delicious dinner for them. The monkey nodded enthusiastically and climbed onto the crocodile’s back. The monkey observed the crocodile sinking around halfway through. Fearful, the monkey inquired as to why his comrade was acting so strangely. The crocodile was straightforward in his explanation of the problem.

He was in an unpleasant situation, the wise monkey explained, because he had left his heart at home. He would gladly give his heart away to nurture the crocodile’s wife back to health if the crocodile took him back. The crocodile was fooled by the monkey’s brilliant deception and dashed back to the tree to steal the monkey’s heart. The monkey dashed up to safety as soon as they arrived, telling the crocodile to tell his wife that she had married an idiot!

Moral of the story : Stay calm and use your presence of mind to pull yourself out of a bad position.

14. The Lion Who Resurrected

This is the story of four intelligent and well-informed buddies. Subuddhi, the fourth, wasn’t very highly educated or insightful, but he did have one attribute that his scholarly peers lacked: common sense.

Three of the buddies decided to look for work in other cities and villages when the time came. They desired monetary compensation in exchange for their expertise. After all, it was pointless to be so knowledgeable about the scriptures and sciences if they weren’t going to benefit from it. The three friends did not want to bring Subuddhi because of his lack of intelligence, but they decided to invite him nonetheless because he was an old childhood friend.

The four companions embarked on a long journey, traveling from one town to the next in search of work. They came across a collection of bones under a tree while going through a deep jungle. They believed that this was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate their abilities.

The first friend put the bones together into a skeleton with his abilities. When the skeleton was finished, the second companion repeated a mantra, which caused flesh and meat to grow on it. It had the appearance of a dead lion. The fourth buddy intervened just as the third friend was ready to put an end to the performance by resurrecting the lion. Subuddhi knew the fearsome lion would not spare them once it was brought back to life.

The third friend, on the other hand, disregarded his counsel, mocked him, and pushed forward with something that was clearly a horrible idea. Subuddhi immediately climbed a nearby tree to protect himself as the third companion began to chant, resurrecting the lion. The lion killed all three of the knowledgeable friends, as predicted by the fourth friend, while Subuddhi rushed back to the hamlet alive.

That’s all there is to it, guys! We hope you enjoyed these motivational stories and that you will share them with your children. If you’re looking for additional short moral stories for kids, the kidsstory.org is a great place to start. We have books with interesting stories that are excellent for developing character and personality. In the comments, tell us about your favorite moral stories from childhood, and don’t forget to share them with your kids!

Moral of the story : Never give up.

Short Moral Stories That Teach Important Lessons

Morals and messages embedded in stories are always compelling. It’s incredible how effective a 200-word story can be.

Our first list of short stories was so popular that we decided to make another one, this time with each story having a simple moral.

Short Moral Stories

Some of these tales are brief and straightforward. Some are so simple that they’re almost certainly found in children’s books. The message’s power, however, remains unchanged.

Here are some more of the best moral stories in short form:

15. An Old Man Lived within the Village

In the village, there was an old man. He was one among the world’s most unfortunate individuals. The entire community was sick of him; he was always pessimistic, always complaining, and always in a foul attitude.

The longer he lived, the more bile he produced, and the worse his words became. People steered clear of him because his misery had spread. Being happy next to him was even unnatural and offensive.

Others were made unhappy by him.

But then, when he was eighty years old, something extraordinary happened. Almost immediately, everyone heard the rumor:

“An Old Man is cheerful today; he doesn’t complain about anything, grins, and even has a new look.”

The entire village had gathered. When the old guy was questioned, he was asked:

Villager: Can you tell me what happened to you?

“There’s nothing unique about it. I’ve been chasing happiness for eighty years, and it’s been fruitless. Then I decided to live without happiness and simply appreciate life. That is why I am now content.” – An Old Man

The moral of the story is to not seek happiness. Have fun with your life.

16. The Wise Man

People had been going to the wise man for years, talking about the same issues. He told them a joke one day, and they all burst out laughing.

He told them the same joke after a few minutes, and only a handful of them grinned.

No one laughed when he delivered the same joke for the third time.

With a smile, the wise man said:

“You can’t laugh at the same joke over and over.” So, what makes you cry over and over again about the same thing?

The moral of the story:

Worrying is a waste of time and energy that will not fix your difficulties.

17. The Foolish Donkey

Every day, a salt salesman would ride his donkey to the market with his salt sack.

Along the way, they had to cross a brook. The salt bag and the donkey both went into the water as the donkey tumbled down the creek one day. Because the salt dissolved in the water, the bag became extremely light to carry. The donkey was overjoyed.

The donkey then began to repeat the same trick every day.

When the salt vendor realized the ploy, he resolved to give it a lesson. The next day, he loaded a cotton sack onto the donkey.

It tried the same method once more in the hopes of making the cotton bag lighter.

However, the wet cotton became extremely heavy to carry, and the donkey suffered as a result. It had learned a valuable lesson. After that day, it no longer worked, and the vendor was pleased.

The moral of the story is that luck does not always favor you.

18. Having A Best Friend

Two buddies were walking through the desert, according to legend. During the journey, they got into a disagreement, and one of them slapped the other in the face.

The person who was smacked was upset, but instead of saying anything, he scribbled in the sand.

“My best friend hit me across the face today.”

They continued going till they came to an oasis and decided to take a bath. The person who had been slapped became caught in the muck and began drowning, but was rescued by a friend. He wrote on a stone once he recovered from his near-drowning.

“My best friend saved my life today.”

He was asked by the friend who had slapped and saved his closest friend:

“You wrote in the sand when I harmed you, and now you write on a stone, why?”

The other person responded,

“When someone wrongs us, we should scribble it in sand and let the winds of forgiveness sweep it away. When someone does anything nice for us, however, we must inscribe it in stone so that no wind can ever wipe it away.”

The moral of the story :

Don’t appreciate what you have in your life. However, appreciate those you have in your life.

19. The Fox & The Grapes

A fox was wandering through the woods one day when he noticed a bunch of grapes hanging from a high limb.

“Just the thing to quench my thirst,” he thought to himself.

The fox took a few paces back and leaped, just missing the dangling grapes. The fox stepped back a few yards and attempted to reach them again, but was unsuccessful.

Finally, the fox gave trying and turned up his nose, saying, “They’re probably sour anyway,” before walking away.

It’s all too simple to resent something you can’t have.

20. The Poor Slave and the Lion

A slave flees to the wilderness after being mistreated by his owner. He stumbles upon a lion who is in excruciating pain due to a thorn in his paw. The slave bravely advances and delicately removes the thorn.

Without injuring him, the lion flees.

A few days later, the slave’s master goes hunting in the forest and captures a large number of animals, which he then cages. The master’s men spot the slave and capture him, bringing him to the nasty owner.

The slave is ordered to be thrown into the lion’s cage by the master.

The slave is in the cage awaiting his death when he realizes it is the same lion he had aided. The lion and the other captive animals were rescued by the slave.

Helping those in need is a good thing to do since we reap the benefits of our good deeds.

Parents are constantly on the search for good moral stories for their children. However, at KathaKids, we think that even if the morals of stories aren’t explicitly stated, children learn them. The takeaway, or moral of the story, is apparent when a story is well-written. Lessons like these are assimilated far more readily than those that are spelled out.

We also don’t believe that children should be spoon-fed morals. Rather, we believe that stories stimulate children’s imaginations. This may prompt discussions with their parents and peers about the story and what they learned from it. (When we encouraged kids to come up with their morals for the stories they read, they were extremely enthralled!) And this is a genuine learning process.

Having said that, we recognize that parents may require assistance in finding moral stories for their children, possibly to tie to an incident that has occurred in their daily lives.

If you’re seeking moral stories for children, Kidsstory.org has a selection of them.

The Princess And The Pea Story

Choose best story for kids with moral lessons, related articles.

Cinderella | Going To Bed Stories For Children

A Caterpillar’s Voice

A Donkey to Market

The Story of the Empty Pot: Jun’s Epic Journey

• Pingback: 10 Best Short Moral Stories for Kids + Moral Lesson
• Pingback: Short Story The Last Forest – Engaging Kids’ Tale
• Pingback: Short Kids Story Donkeys | Engaging Tales for Children

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Privacy Overview

Free Bedtime Stories & Short Stories for Kids

Category archives: short moral stories.

The Thirsty Crow Story: A Tale of Ingenuity and Resourcefulness

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, there lived a clever and thirsty crow. The scorching sun had left the crow feeling parched, but luck was on its side. In this intriguing tale, we witness the crow’s remarkable problem-solving abilities as it overcomes

Hare And Tortoise Story

This is the Hare And Tortoise Story for kids. Once upon a time, there lived a hare. The hare could run very fast. It was proud of its speed. One day, the hare saw the tortoise walk very slowly. The hare laughed at the tortoise

Beaver And The Wolf – A Story With Morals

This is an amazing bedtime story with morals for kids online. Once upon a time, there was a beaver living in the forest named Furry. He had lots of friends and liked to play outside. One day a big wolf came and started saying, “This is

Monkey And The Cap Seller Story

This is the Monkey And The Cap Seller Story for kids. Once in a small town, there lived a man who used to sell caps. The cap seller used to sell caps in all the nearby towns and villages. One day, as usual, he was

The King And The Two Falcons

If you are looking for some good moral stories for your little one, then you are in the right place! Read on. This is one of the most amazing short story on birds with moral to read along with your kids. THE BEGINNING A long time ago,

The False Human Belief

This is one of the best stories for storytelling competition with moral for children. Long, long ago, a man went to see the Circus Show. Before the show began, he saw that a lot of elephants were held by only a small rope tied to their

The Lazy Man And The God’s Plan

This is an amazing moral story to read for kids. A long time ago, there lived a very lazy man who always looked for an easier way to feed himself. You may also like to read, The Sly Fox Story. One day, while he was searching

The Poor Man’s Wealth

This is the best moral story for kids. Once upon a time, there lived two neighbors named John and Peter. John was a poor farmer. Peter was a landlord. John used to be very happy and relaxed. At night, he never bothered to close the

A King’s Painting

This is one of the best short fables with morals for children. A long time ago, there was a Kingdom. In the Kingdom, there lived a king with only one leg and one eye. However, he was very intelligent and kind to his people. Everyone

A Glass Of Milk Story

This is A Glass of Milk Story for kids. Once upon a time, there was a poor boy who made for his living by selling newspapers from door-to-door. This was the way he used to earn money to pay the fees for his school. One

Gold Coins And A Selfish Man

This is one of the best acts of kindness stories for children. Once upon a time, there lived a greedy and selfish man named David. He always wished to have loads and loads of money and never hesitated to cheat on others to make money.

Bird And The Banyan Tree

This is a great short story on kindness with moral for kids. One day, a little sparrow was flying happily in the sky. Suddenly, a hunter hit her with a stone. One of the sparrow’s wings broke and she plummeted. The sparrow tried hard to fly

The Lion’s Axe

This is a nice story with moral for children. Long ago in a forest, there lived a lion. He was the King of the jungle. Now, his Prime Minister, the jackal was getting old and the time had come for him to choose a new

A Proud Red Rose

This is one of the best moral stories for kids to read. One beautiful Spring day, a red rose blossomed in the forest. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, “What a beautiful flower! I wish I was that lovely!” Another tree

The Man Who Didn’t Wash His Dishes

This is one of the amazing moral stories for competition . Once upon a time, there was a little man who lived alone. The man was very clean and tidy. Every night, after he cooked his dinner, he would promptly wash and clean everything by

The Little Piggy That Didn’t Shower

This is one of the awesome moral stories for storytelling competition for kids. Once upon a time, there lived a little piggy with her parents. She was a beautiful and intelligent little piggy who loved to play and have fun. But, in little piggy’s house, no

Wise Thinking

This is a great short story in English with moral value for kids. Once upon a time, there lived a wealthy man who suffered great eye pain. He felt a strange pain in his eyes. Although he tried many things, nothing seemed to help him. From

The Fish And The Fishing Rod

This is one of the simple short stories with moral for the little ones.A long time ago in a village in China, there lived a man called Zheng. Zheng was a fisherman and every day, he would go to the river to fish. You may also

The Man And The Little Cat

This is one of the best once upon a time short story moral for kids. Once upon a time, there lived a man. This man was not only affectionate but also wise. He loved animals as well as people. You may also like to read,

The Wet Pants Story

This is one of the amazing moral stories in simple English for children. Once a time, in a class full of many children, a boy sat in the corner scared and perplexed. You see, as the teacher had been teaching, the child noticed something. There

Moral Stories In English

Welcome to Moral Stories in English, where we bring you captivating and meaningful stories for both kids and adults. Our collection includes a wide range of moral tales, including kindness stories, inspirational and motivational anecdotes, as well as heartwarming friendship tales.

Friendship Moral Stories

Experience the bonds of friendship like never before with our captivating range of friendship stories. These tales highlight the beauty of true friendship, teaching important lessons about loyalty, trust, and the joy of companionship. Let your heart be warmed by stories that celebrate the meaningful connections we form in life.

The Tortoise and The Hare

Once upon a time, two animals lived in a big green forest: a fast hare and a slow tortoise. They’re great friends, but they couldn’t

The Lion and the Mouse

Once upon a time, in a big, green jungle, there was a strong lion. He was the king of all the animals, and everyone in

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Once upon a time, in a lush green valley, there lived three billy goats. They were not very big, but they were very brave. The

The Four Friends

Once upon a time, in a big green forest, there lived four good friends: a deer, a crow, a turtle, and a rat. They were

Kindness Moral Stories

Discover the magic of kindness through our heartwarming collection of stories that emphasize the value of compassion, empathy, and understanding. Delve into tales that showcase acts of kindness and teach valuable lessons about the power of spreading love and positivity.

The Ugly Duckling

Once upon a time, on a peaceful farm, there was a little duckling. This duckling was different from the other ducklings. It was not as

The Ant and the Grasshopper

Once upon a time, in a sunny meadow, there lived an ant and a grasshopper. They were friends, but they were very different. The ant

The Helping Hand

Once upon a time in a small village, there lived a boy named Tim. Tim was known for being very kind and helpful. He loved

The Golden Egg

Once upon a time, in a quiet little village, there lived a farmer named Jack. Jack was known for being very greedy. He had a

Motivational and Inspirational Moral Stories

Need a boost of inspiration and motivation? Our diverse selection of inspirational and motivational stories is here to uplift your spirits, ignite your passion, and empower you to overcome life’s obstacles. Allow these stories to ignite the fire within you and guide you towards success.

The Little Red Hen

Once upon a time, in a cozy little farm, there lived a kind and hardworking little red hen. The little red hen had a small

The Elephant Rope

Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a baby elephant named Ellie. 

The Farmer and the Well

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a kind farmer. He had a big farm with lots of animals and plants. The

The Three Little Pigs

Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. They were brothers, but they were very different. The first pig was lazy and didn’t like

Start Your Moral Story Journey Today!

Immerse yourself in our remarkable collection of moral stories and unlock a world of inspiration, wisdom, and entertainment. Whether you’re a kid or an adult, Moral Stories in English promises an enriching reading experience that will leave you with a renewed sense of purpose and a greater understanding of life’s values.

At Moral Stories in English, we believe that storytelling holds immense power to inspire, educate, and instill valuable life lessons. Our team of talented writers and storytellers is passionate about weaving intriguing narratives that entertain and leave a lasting impact on readers of all ages.

Benefits of Moral Stories

Cultivating empathy and compassion.

Through relatable characters and thought-provoking narratives, moral stories open doors for readers to experience different perspectives and emotions. By connecting with the trials and triumphs of characters, individuals develop empathy, fostering a profound understanding of others’ feelings and situations. As a result, compassion blossoms, allowing individuals to engage with the world with kindness and understanding.

Enhancing Decision-Making Skills

Moral stories often present characters faced with difficult choices or moral dilemmas. By engaging with these narratives, readers are exposed to the complexities of decision-making. They learn to discern between right and wrong, understand consequences, and internalize the importance of ethical considerations. This helps individuals build a strong moral compass, guiding them through challenging moments and empowering them to make principled choices.

Building Resilience and Problem-Solving Abilities

In many moral stories, characters encounter obstacles and setbacks, providing readers with opportunities to witness resilience in action. Individuals who engage with these tales learn the value of perseverance, adaptability, and creative problem-solving. They internalize the belief that challenges can be surmounted, instilling a growth mindset that fuels personal and professional success.

Teaching Accountability and Responsibility

Moral stories often highlight the ripple effect of actions, emphasizing accountability and responsibility. Through captivating tales where the consequences of characters’ choices are unveiled, readers are encouraged to reflect on their own behavior. These stories pave the way for acknowledging personal responsibility and cultivating a sense of accountability towards oneself and others.

Moral Stories In English a dedicated storytelling company committed to crafting engaging and meaningful stories for both kids and adults. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and entertain through the art of storytelling.

Useful Links

Get in touch.

• +923464985674
• [email protected]

Copyright © Moral Stories In English 2023.