The Ass and the Grasshopper
An ass envies the grasshoppers' sweet song and tries living on dew alone to learn it, only to collapse from hunger and discover that every creature needs its own true food.
Story theme
Wits & Wisdom
Faced with a tricky problem, clever characters stop and think their way to a smart solution.
17 stories
The Bat and the Weasels
A bat escapes two weasels by noticing what each one truly cared about, and answering with quick wit.
The Swallow and the Crow
A swallow teases a crow for his plain feathers, boasting of her own glossy looks — until a hard winter shows which one's feathers truly served her well.
The Boy Hunting Locusts
A boy hunting locusts nearly grasps a scorpion and learns that quick hands need careful eyes.
The Mole and His Mother
A young mole insists that he can see, until his mother's simple test shows the danger of boastful certainty.
The Herdsman and the Lost Bull
A herdsman vows to learn who stole his calf, then discovers the truth is far more frightening than not knowing.
The Crow and the Pitcher
A thirsty crow cannot find a drop of water anywhere, until patient work with small stones brings the water up to him.
The Milkmaid and Her Pail
A girl carries fresh milk to market, dreaming of everything the money will buy, until one proud little toss of her head spills it all away.
The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
A country mouse visits his friend's grand city table, but learns that a feast is hard to enjoy when fear comes with every bite.
The North Wind and the Sun
The North Wind blows with all its might but cannot move a traveler's cloak, while the Sun's gentle warmth makes him take it off on his own.
Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood meets a sly wolf in the woods and is nearly tricked, until she calls for help and a kind huntsman arrives just in time to save her and her grandmother.
Hansel and Gretel
Lost in a dark forest and trapped by a witch, Hansel and Gretel find their way home through careful thinking, quick courage, and care for each other.
The Princess and the Pea
A tiny pea hidden beneath many mattresses reveals the delicate feeling of a storm-soaked guest.
Thumbelina
Tiny Thumbelina passes through many unwanted plans for her life before kindness and courage lead her to a home among the flowers.
The Emperor's New Clothes
An emperor who loves fine clothing is deceived by two swindlers until a child speaks the plain truth.
The Fox and the Goat
A thirsty fox tricks a goat into jumping down a dry well with him, then climbs out on the goat's back and abandons him — a story about looking closely before you leap, not just after someone says something sounds good.
Mending the Sheepfold
A shepherd's sheepfold fence breaks open, and a wolf carries off a sheep in the night; only after losing a second sheep does he finally mend the gap, and his flock is never troubled again.