A book of all your favorite bedtime stories with a twist

This is just an ordinary kid’s fairy tale that was reading a lot by parents to take their child into a dream hug.
A tale where many kids that dreaming became a hero like in fairy tales.
A fairy tale that always teaches the kids to do kindness and destroying evil.
But evil always has their own way to come back.

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I will lead you and not let anyone died! This is my story, no one can change my mind. Don't you ever dare to do that to me!

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*Original story and cover by FarrenBexley*

Imagery Trilogy ~ Book I


Kuatkan imajinasimu untuk menciptakan hal baru di dunia ini!





Original story and cover by FarrenBexley (Photoshop edited)
Picture from Pixabay.

In a world full of hatred, betrayals and lies, love gives a fairy tale right in the middle of an ordinary life. A tale of misunderstandings, heart break, jealousy and true love. We often come across such stories which ends with a wedding saying, AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER . But stories are just imaginary works by the people. The reality clearly shows the juxtaposition between a fairy tale and an ordinary life!

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Home  Big Kid  Behavior & Discipline

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Top 20 Short Moral Stories for Children

By

 Aarohi Achwal

 -

December 21, 2019

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 Comment

 27835

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In this Article

Video: Short Moral Stories for Kids – Part 1

Fun and Entertaining Short Moral Stories for Your Children

Tips on Making Storytime Interesting for Your Kids

Last Updated on January 3, 2020

There was a time when storybooks were the only means of entertainment for children. A decade or two ago, kids spent their time reading stories and role playing their favourite characters from the stories. However, times have changed now – in the age of the internet, kids spend most of their time playing games on smartphones or watching cartoons or videos on YouTube.

But if you want your kids to take a break from screens and experience your childhood, you can read short stories to them. By narrating stories to your kids, you will impart wisdom to them and also spend much-needed quality time with them. We have a collection of some popular short stories with moral values that you can read to your kids.

ADVERTISEMENT

Also Read: Short Stories of Mahabharata for Kids with Moral Lessons

Video: Short Moral Stories for Kids – Part 1

Fun and Entertaining Short Moral Stories for Your Children

If you want to imbibe good habits in your kids from early on and watch them grow up to become good individuals, read moral stories to them. Here are 20 children's stories with moral values that you can read to your kids!

1. The Lion and the Mouse

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A lion was once sleeping in the jungle when a mouse started running up and down his body just for fun. This disturbed the lion's sleep, and he woke up quite angry. He was about to eat the mouse when the mouse desperately requested the lion to set him free. "I promise you, I will be of great help to you someday if you save me." The lion laughed at the mouse's confidence and let him go.

One day, a few hunters came into the forest and took the lion with them. They tied him up against a tree. The lion was struggling to get out and started to whimper. Soon, the mouse walked past and noticed the lion in trouble. Quickly, he ran and gnawed on the ropes to set the lion free. Both of them sped off into the jungle.

Moral of the Story

A small act of kindness can go a long way.

Also Read: Childhood Stories of Lord Krishna for Kids

2. Count Wisely

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One day, king Akbar asked a question in his court that left everyone in the courtroom puzzled. As they all tried to figure out the answer, Birbal walked in and asked what the matter was. They repeated the question to him.

The question was, "How many crows are there in the city?"

Birbal immediately smiled and went up to Akbar. He announced the answer; he said there were twenty-one thousand, five hundred and twenty-three crows in the city. When asked how he knew the answer, Birbal replied, "Ask your men to count the number of crows. If there are more, then the relatives of the crows must be visiting them from nearby cities. If there are fewer, then the crows from our city must be visiting their relatives who live outside the city." Pleased with the answer, Akbar presented Birbal with a ruby and pearl chain.

Moral of the Story

Having an explanation for your answer is just as important as having an answer.

Also Read: Fascinating Ramayana Stories for Children

3. The Boy Who Cried Wolf

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In a village, lived a carefree boy with his father. The boy's father told him that he was old enough to watch over the sheep while they graze in the fields. Every day, he had to take the sheep to the grassy fields and watch them as they graze. However, the boy was unhappy and didn't want to take the sheep to the fields. He wanted to run and play, not watch the boring sheep graze in the field. So, he decided to have some fun. He cried, "Wolf! Wolf!" until the entire village came running with stones to chase away the wolf before it could eat any of the sheep. When the villagers saw that there was no wolf, they left muttering under their breath about how the boy had wasted their time. The next day, the boy cried once more, "Wolf! Wolf!" and, again, the villagers rushed there to chase the wolf away.

The boy laughed at the fright he had caused. This time, the villagers left angrily. The third day, as the boy went up the small hill, he suddenly saw a wolf attacking his sheep. He cried as hard as he could, "Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!", but not a single villager came to help him. The villagers thought that he was trying to fool them again and did not come to rescue him or his sheep. The little boy lost many sheep that day, all because of his foolishness.

Moral of the Story

It is difficult to trust people who lie, so it's important to always be truthful.

4. The Fox and the Stork

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One day, a selfish fox invited a stork for dinner. Stork was very happy with the invitation – she reached the fox's home on time and knocked at the door with her long beak. The fox took her to the dinner table and served some soup in shallow bowls for both of them. As the bowl was too shallow for the stork, she couldn't have soup at all. But, the fox licked up his soup quickly.

The stork was angry and upset, but she didn't show her anger and behaved politely. To teach a lesson to the fox, she then invited him for dinner the next day. She too served soup, but this time the soup was served in two tall narrow vases. The stork devoured the soup from her vase, but the fox couldn't drink any of it because of his narrow neck. The fox realised his mistake and went home famished.

Moral of the Story

A selfish act backfires sooner or later!

Also Read: Indian Mythological Stories for Kids

5. The Golden Touch

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Once there lived a greedy man in a small town. He was very rich, and he loved gold and all things fancy. But he loved his daughter more than anything. One day, he chanced upon a fairy. The fairy's hair was caught in a few tree branches. He helped her out, but as his greediness took over, he realised that he had an opportunity to become richer by asking for a wish in return (by helping her out). The fairy granted him a wish. He said, "All that I touch should turn to gold." And his wish was granted by the grateful fairy.

The greedy man rushed home to tell his wife and daughter about his wish, all the while touching stones and pebbles and watching them convert into gold. Once he got home, his daughter rushed to greet him. As soon as he bent down to scoop her up in his arms, she turned into a gold statue. He was devastated and started crying and trying to bring his daughter back to life. He realised his folly and spent the rest of his days searching for the fairy to take away his wish.

Moral of the Story

Greed will always lead to downfall.

6. The Milkmaid and Her Pail

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Patty, a milkmaid milked her cow and had two full pails of fresh, creamy milk. She put both pails of milk on a stick and set off to the market to sell the milk. As she took steps towards the market, her thoughts took steps towards wealth. On her way, she kept thinking about the money she would make from selling the milk. Then she thought about what she would do with that money.

She was talking to herself and said, "Once I get the money, I'll buy a chicken. The chicken will lay eggs and I will get more chickens. They'll all lay eggs, and I will sell them for more money. Then, I'll buy the house on the hill and everyone will envy me." She was very happy that soon she would be very rich. With these happy thoughts, she marched ahead. But suddenly, she tripped and fell. Both the pails of the milk fell and all her dreams were shattered. The milk spilt onto the ground, and all Patty could do was cry. "No more dream," she cried foolishly!

Moral of the Story

Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.

Also Read: Popular Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

7. When Adversity Knocks

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This is a story that explains how adversity is met differently by different people. There was a girl named Asha who lived with her mother and father in a village. One day, her father assigned her a simple task. He took three vessels filled with boiling water. He placed an egg in one vessel, a potato in the second vessel, and some tea leaves in the third vessel. He asked Asha to keep an eye on the vessels for about ten to fifteen minutes while the three ingredients in three separate vessels boiled. After the said time, he asked Asha to peel the potato and egg, and strain the tea leaves. Asha was left puzzled – she understood her father was trying to explain her something, but she didn't know what it was.

Her father explained, "All three items were put in the same circumstances. See how they've responded differently." He said that the potato turned soft, the egg turned hard, and the tea leaves changed the colour and taste of the water. He further said, "We are all like one of these items. When adversity calls, we respond exactly the way they do. Now, are you a potato, an egg, or tea leaves?"

Moral of the Story

We can choose how to respond to a difficult situation.

8. The Proud Rose

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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.

Moral of the Story

Never judge someone by the way they look.

Also Read: Bible Stories for Children

9. The Tale of the Pencil

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A boy named Raj was upset because he had done poorly in his English test. He was sitting in his room when his grandmother came and comforted him. His grandmother sat beside him and gave him a pencil. Raj looked at his grandma puzzled, and said he didn't deserve a pencil after his performance in the test.

His grandma explained, "You can learn many things from this pencil because it is just like you. It experiences a painful sharpening, just the way you have experienced the pain of not doing well on your test. However, it will help you be a better student. Just as all the good that comes from the pencil is from within itself, you will also find the strength to overcome this hurdle. And finally, just as this pencil will make its mark on any surface, you too shall leave your mark on anything you choose to." Raj was immediately consoled and promised himself that he would do better.

Moral of the Story

We all have the strength to be who we wish to be.

10. The Crystal Ball

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Nasir, a small boy, found a crystal ball behind the banyan tree of his garden. The tree told him that it would grant him a wish. He was very happy and he thought hard, but unfortunately, he could not come up with anything he wanted. So, he kept the crystal ball in his bag and waited until he could decide on his wish.

Days went by without him making a wish but his best friend saw him looking at the crystal ball. He stole it from Nasir and showed it to everyone in the village. They all asked for palaces and riches and lots of gold, 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 once – before the villagers had tried to satisfy their greed. The palaces and gold vanished and the villagers once again became happy and content.

Moral of the Story

Money and wealth do not always bring happiness.

11. A Bundle of Sticks

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Once upon a time, three neighbours living in a village were having trouble with their crops. Each of the neighbours had one field, but the crops on their fields were infested with pests and were wilting. Every day, they would come up with different ideas to help their crops. The first one tried using a scarecrow in his field, the second used pesticides, and the third built a fence on his field, all to no avail.

One day, the village head came by and called the three farmers. He gave them each a stick and asked them to break it. The farmers could break them easily. He then gave them a bundle of three sticks, and again, asked them to break it. This time, the farmers struggled to break the sticks. The village head said, "Together, you are stronger and work better than you do it alone." The farmers understood what the village head was saying. They pooled in their resources and got rid of the pests from their fields.

Moral of the Story

There is strength in unity.

These Great Stories Are not written by me I just happened to remember them from childhood so I think why not post them.
 
English is not my mother language so sorry for mistakes

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.

A hologram? A small card could make this effect. It really shocked Zhou Yu. Clearly, this was a black technology. It made Zhou Yu wonder if he revealed this thing to the public, would he be hunted down by all kinds of people.
For the time being, it was much better to keep the game just for himself. There was no need to reveal this to the public. Looking at the hologram on the table, apart from shaking his fan elegantly, Wu Yong did not have other actions. It seemed like its actions were very limited. Compared to the little people of the ACG world, this was like a moving gif. If he wanted to make a better card, then he had to come up with a better card game, a card game that could allow him to battle each other. But for now, those cards only had collection values.
After around two hours, Wu Yong also disappeared completely. It turned out that the card also had battery life, and it could only last for two hours. And the funny thing was that the machines that were used to charge the cards could not be produced at the moment, and currently, only the electrical appliance factory could charge them.
In this way, it was even more impossible to give it to other people. Without providing a full set, this toy could only last for two hours.
After seeing what the so-called Virtual Cards looked like, Zhou Yu stopped producing more cards. Because this set was just an experiment. so after realizing that it could not be used to battle each other, Zhou Yu did not want to waste so many electronic components on it.
What Zhou Yu wanted to do the most was naturally to completely reproduce the battle cards like "Yu-Gi-Oh", but from the various limitations of the electrical appliance factory, it would take some time to finally be able to produce this kind of card.
And to be able to produce battle cards, the first thing he needed to do was naturally a card game, and it should not be a card collection game but a real battle card game. The card game could be considered as a simulation game, so a simulation game representative was needed, and it just happened to be that there was one in Heifengzhai management company.
The simulation master Lu Yao only appears in simulation games or game movies and does not accept any idol work such as singing and dancing. Coupled with the action superstar Lou Baobao and the embroidered Shadowless Hand, the lowest requirement was finally met.
However, he still needed a story.
No matter from which perspective you look at it, "the heartless girl" couldn't be made into a card game. It was much better to make it into an RPG game. Since the story could only be used once, he must choose it carefully. The "Phantom Mind" he just got was more like a game movie, but it could also be made into an adventure game. However, it was not suitable to be made into a card game as well.
Zhou Yu was in such a dilemma. He did not know what to choose.
But surprisingly, soon after he was in a dilemma, he got a story from someone unexpected.
It was the little Rat, Zhou Hao.
After this little guy, who always pretended to be the big brother of all other kids, went to the city to study, he actually had his first crush. In the past, when he always came back to play in the amusement park on the weekends, there was nothing growing on him, but after the winter vacation, Zhou Yu discovered that he came to the amusement park with a little girl on the weekend, and there was a little chick badge on his chest. Then Zhou Yu knew that the boy was in love.
Zhou Yu had to admit that, this kid was really good. At such a young age, he even knew how to get a girlfriend. And judging from the Sagittarius badge on the chest of the little girl, the girl also liked him. Zhou Yu didn't know what to say anymore. It seemed like he was completely defeated by the little Rat.
"Little Rat, not bad. But is this girl's home far from here? How dare you bring her here?"
In any case, he was just a secondary school student. Although he would not do anything inappropriate, it was still not good to take the girl out like this. If the girl's family knew about this, his ass would definitely get his ass whooped by his parents, or maybe even the girl's parents.
"It's okay, she is from Hongshan Village. We still go to the same school and in the same class after we went to the city to study. We are destined to be together."
Only until now did Zhou Yu find the girl a little bit familiar. It seemed that the girl used to come to the little outdoor cinema to watch movies. But looking at the smiling face of little Rat, and hearing that they were destined to be together, Zhou Yu could not help but kick his ass.
Anyway, as long as they did not forget about their homework, he would not mind letting them play.
Then he sent two flying bird knights to guard those two children, one each, to ensure the safety of the seedling. After the loving young seedlings grew up, Zhou Yu would immediately be notified.
During this month, under the strong support of brother Yu, the little rat played with the little girl everywhere in the amusement park every week, all the amusement rides were free for them. After all, Zhou Yu was going to take away their stories, so this ticket money could be considered to be the upfront payment.
Probably being stimulated by the puppy love between the two little kids, the staff of the Qin Zhuan studio also started to seek love. With the arrival of spring, the love seedlings on the employees of Qin Zhuan studio also started to emerge one after another, but the growth rate of every love seedling was different, so Zho Yu still had to wait.
But the story of the two little kids grew very quickly, and after a month, Zhou Yu could finally harvest them. This time, instead of desperately trying to find clues to complete the story, Zhou Yu simply put the two little kids together and then wait for the right time to harvest.
When the two kids were playing in the small zoo happily, the chick badge on the chest of the little Rat and the Sagittarius badge on the chest of the little girl suddenly shined brightly. Two rays of light collided in mid-air, exploding a splendid love firework, creating countless tiny love symbols, floating in the air.
Zhou Yu, who was critically hit by the explosion, picked up the mature story with tears in his eyes, and Zhou Xiaoxiao, the 'love crystal' of the little rat and the little girl.
Zhou Xiaoxiao, a fairy tale angel, can enhance the fantasy elements of the story when shooting a fairy tale animation film, making it more dreamlike. She can also enter the six-pointed star disc, which is suitable for adding fairy tale elements and Chibi-style games. But she hates bloody and horror games.
In this way, Zhou Yu could not use her in the "Phantom Mind" story, and it was the same as the "the heartless girl". Only this fairy tale "Star Map" that had just been collected was the most suitable for Zhou Xiaoxiao.
This fairy tale was kind of like a children's movie, and Zhou Yu could make it into a movie. But unfortunately, the storybook was a one-time consumption item. At most, it could be turned into a file and stored on the computer, and then he could read it from time to time in the future after he used it.
It could be made into an ordinary movie, but Zhou Yu was already used to high-quality CG movies, so he was not interested in making low-quality movies now.
Regardless of the specific content of the story, Zhou Yu decided to make the "Star Map" into a card game. After choosing the simulation master Lu Yao as the host of the six-pointed star disc, and then letting Zhou Xiaoxiao, Lou Baobao, and Shadowless Hand as assistants, he pressed the activate button of Hu Tu game studio.
Zhou Yu personally was very looking forward to the game. He did not know how much better would this kind of game be, compared to the previous tier-three games. After all, he had spent a lot of effort to meet all the necessary requirements.
Since the simulation master was chosen as the host, after all the people and materials were gathered, a game genre choice menu popped up.
After selecting the card battle game among the choices provided, Zhou Yu immediately pressed OK.
Then the production began.
 


Zhou Yu, a reclusive otaku, who did not like to go out of his house, was one day forced out of his house by a series of unexpected events.
Our discord channel is 
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1. The Lion and the Mouse
 
A lion was once sleeping in the jungle when a mouse started running up and down his body just for fun. This disturbed the lion's sleep, and he woke up quite angry. He was about to eat the mouse when the mouse desperately requested the lion to set him free. "I promise you, I will be of great help to you someday if you save me." The lion laughed at the mouse's confidence and let him go.
 
One day, a few hunters came into the forest and took the lion with them. They tied him up against a tree. The lion was struggling to get out and started to whimper. Soon, the mouse walked past and noticed the lion in trouble. Quickly, he ran and gnawed on the ropes to set the lion free. Both of them sped off into the jungle.
Moral of the Story
A small act of kindness can go a long way.
 
 
 
Also Read: Childhood Stories of Lord Krishna for Kids
2. Count Wisely
 
One day, king Akbar asked a question in his court that left everyone in the courtroom puzzled. As they all tried to figure out the answer, Birbal walked in and asked what the matter was. They repeated the question to him.
 
 
The question was, "How many crows are there in the city?"
 
Birbal immediately smiled and went up to Akbar. He announced the answer; he said there were twenty-one thousand, five hundred and twenty-three crows in the city. When asked how he knew the answer, Birbal replied, "Ask your men to count the number of crows. If there are more, then the relatives of the crows must be visiting them from nearby cities. If there are fewer, then the crows from our city must be visiting their relatives who live outside the city." Pleased with the answer, Akbar presented Birbal with a ruby and pearl chain.
 
 
 
 
Moral of the Story
Having an explanation for your answer is just as important as having an answer.
Also Read: Fascinating Ramayana Stories for Children
 
 
 
 
3. The Boy Who Cried Wolf
 
In a village, lived a carefree boy with his father. The boy's father told him that he was old enough to watch over the sheep while they graze in the fields. Every day, he had to take the sheep to the grassy fields and watch them as they graze. However, the boy was unhappy and didn't want to take the sheep to the fields. He wanted to run and play, not watch the boring sheep graze in the field. So, he decided to have some fun. He cried, "Wolf! Wolf!" until the entire village came running with stones to chase away the wolf before it could eat any of the sheep. When the villagers saw that there was no wolf, they left muttering under their breath about how the boy had wasted their time. The next day, the boy cried once more, "Wolf! Wolf!" and, again, the villagers rushed there to chase the wolf away.
The boy laughed at the fright he had caused. This time, the villagers left angrily. The third day, as the boy went up the small hill, he suddenly saw a wolf attacking his sheep. He cried as hard as he could, "Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!", but not a single villager came to help him. The villagers thought that he was trying to fool them again and did not come to rescue him or his sheep. The little boy lost many sheep that day, all because of his foolishness.
 
 
 
Moral of the Story
It is difficult to trust people who lie, so it's important to always be truthful.
 
4. The Fox and the Stork
 
One day, a selfish fox invited a stork for dinner. Stork was very happy with the invitation – she reached the fox's home on time and knocked at the door with her long beak. The fox took her to the dinner table and served some soup in shallow bowls for both of them. As the bowl was too shallow for the stork, she couldn't have soup at all. But, the fox licked up his soup quickly.
 
The stork was angry and upset, but she didn't show her anger and behaved politely. To teach a lesson to the fox, she then invited him for dinner the next day. She too served soup, but this time the soup was served in two tall narrow vases. The stork devoured the soup from her vase, but the fox couldn't drink any of it because of his narrow neck. The fox realised his mistake and went home famished.
Moral of the Story
A selfish act backfires sooner or later!
 
 
Also Read: Indian Mythological Stories for Kids
5. The Golden Touch
 
Once there lived a greedy man in a small town. He was very rich, and he loved gold and all things fancy. But he loved his daughter more than anything. One day, he chanced upon a fairy. The fairy's hair was caught in a few tree branches. He helped her out, but as his greediness took over, he realised that he had an opportunity to become richer by asking for a wish in return (by helping her out). The fairy granted him a wish. He said, "All that I touch should turn to gold." And his wish was granted by the grateful fairy.
 
The greedy man rushed home to tell his wife and daughter about his wish, all the while touching stones and pebbles and watching them convert into gold. Once he got home, his daughter rushed to greet him. As soon as he bent down to scoop her up in his arms, she turned into a gold statue. He was devastated and started crying and trying to bring his daughter back to life. He realised his folly and spent the rest of his days searching for the fairy to take away his wish.
 
Moral of the Story
Greed will always lead to downfall.
 
6. The Milkmaid and Her Pail
 
Patty, a milkmaid milked her cow and had two full pails of fresh, creamy milk. She put both pails of milk on a stick and set off to the market to sell the milk. As she took steps towards the market, her thoughts took steps towards wealth. On her way, she kept thinking about the money she would make from selling the milk. Then she thought about what she would do with that money.
She was talking to herself and said, "Once I get the money, I'll buy a chicken. The chicken will lay eggs and I will get more chickens. They'll all lay eggs, and I will sell them for more money. Then, I'll buy the house on the hill and everyone will envy me." She was very happy that soon she would be very rich. With these happy thoughts, she marched ahead. But suddenly, she tripped and fell. Both the pails of the milk fell and all her dreams were shattered. The milk spilt onto the ground, and all Patty could do was cry. "No more dream," she cried foolishly!
 
 
Moral of the Story
Do not count your chickens before they are hatched.
Also Read: Popular Fairy Tale Stories for Kids
 
7. When Adversity Knocks
 
This is a story that explains how adversity is met differently by different people. There was a girl named Asha who lived with her mother and father in a village. One day, her father assigned her a simple task. He took three vessels filled with boiling water. He placed an egg in one vessel, a potato in the second vessel, and some tea leaves in the third vessel. He asked Asha to keep an eye on the vessels for about ten to fifteen minutes while the three ingredients in three separate vessels boiled. After the said time, he asked Asha to peel the potato and egg, and strain the tea leaves. Asha was left puzzled – she understood her father was trying to explain her something, but she didn't know what it was.
Her father explained, "All three items were put in the same circumstances. See how they've responded differently." He said that the potato turned soft, the egg turned hard, and the tea leaves changed the colour and taste of the water. He further said, "We are all like one of these items. When adversity calls, we respond exactly the way they do. Now, are you a potato, an egg, or tea leaves?"
 
Moral of the Story
We can choose how to respond to a difficult situation.
8. 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.
Moral of the Story
Never judge someone by the way they look.
 
Also Read: Bible Stories for Children
 
9. The Tale of the Pencil
 
A boy named Raj was upset because he had done poorly in his English test. He was sitting in his room when his grandmother came and comforted him. His grandmother sat beside him and gave him a pencil. Raj looked at his grandma puzzled, and said he didn't deserve a pencil after his performance in the test.
 
His grandma explained, "You can learn many things from this pencil because it is just like you. It experiences a painful sharpening, just the way you have experienced the pain of not doing well on your test. However, it will help you be a better student. Just as all the good that comes from the pencil is from within itself, you will also find the strength to overcome this hurdle. And finally, just as this pencil will make its mark on any surface, you too shall leave your mark on anything you choose to." Raj was immediately consoled and promised himself that he would do better.

With a wave of tremble, the Wuling Hong Guang drove up to the sidewalk and stopped in front of the pet shop.
The door opened and Zhang Zian got off the car.　　
The chic ladies glanced at him while they passed by, then covered their noses in disgust and kept a distance from his car.　　
Despite the fact that he didn't specialize in the seafood business, he drove to the beach each day, and often took rare marine creatures, such as fish, shrimp, and crabs, back. He could not wash the containers in the car everyday, so after some time, the car inevitably smelled like fish.　　
Wang Qian and Li Kun greeted him, and carried the new marine creatures into the aquarium. They sorted them and put them into different quarantine tanks so that they could adapt to the new environment.　　
Zhang Zian walked into the shop. The cleaning job was almost done, so he didn't have much to do. He took the underwater loudspeaker battery upstairs to charge.　　
He met Old Time Tea on the stairs. He hinted Old Time Tea and asked gently, "How is it?"　　
Old Time Tea smiled gently. "Everything is under your expectations."　　
The man and the cat looked at each other and smiled.　　
"Quack! What are you talking about in secret? What are you hiding from me?" Richard had sharply sensed the unusual atmosphere while it flew by. 　　
"Right. We are discussing you behind your back––specifically plucking your feather and making you into a stew," Zhang Zian threatened. "After you become stew, the world will be quiet."　　
"Quack! My meat is old and dry––it wouldn't taste good in a stew. I suggest you pick another bird!" Richard flew away quickly.　　
Old Time Tea walked downstairs slowly for the television, while Zhang Zian headed upstairs to wash his hands. They carried a fishy smell after they were soaked in the sea. He could still feel some fine, sea salt granules after his hands were dry. 　　
As soon as he entered the bathroom, he saw Sihwa hide something in a hurry.　　
He pretended not to see it. After turning on the tap, he asked, "Why aren't you broadcasting today?"　　
Sihwa was angry and humiliated after hearing his question. "Today… I'm not in the mood today! I don't want to broadcast!"　　
"Okay. It's nice to take a day off sometimes." Zhang Zian wiped his hands, then left the bathroom.　　
"Wait a moment!" Sihwa shouted behind him.　　
"What is it?" Zhang Zian stopped.　　
"Emm… This… Emm… That…" she stuttered. Her pale face turned red because she needed his help. After stammering for a long time, she took out a book from under a towel. "I can't read. What can I do?" she asked, troubled. "I know a few Korean words, but not any Chinese words…"　　
She could play with the phone, as the phone functions were simple––as long as she remembered the icons. She could make guesses on others, or ask Zhang Zian if it was too hard to guess. However, reading a book full of Chinese characters was mission impossible to her.　　
In fact, she had learned a few Chinese words since she had arrived in China. But she had learned them mechanically; she didn't have any formal, systemic teaching.
"You must be laughing at me, aren't you? You absolutely are!" She pointed at his face in fury before Zhang Zian had even said anything. She was almost embarrassed to tears.
"I'm not laughing at you. It's normal to be illiterate. Nobody is born literate." Zhang Zian shrugged. "Otherwise, they'd be a freak."　　
After hearing his words, Sihwa's mood calmed down a little.　　
"Well… Is there anything you can do to make me literate?" she asked, lowering her head.　　
"Yes. Lend me your phone for a moment." Zhang Zian took her phone and downloaded a few early childhood education apps from the app store. They were all basic-level, but entertaining word learning apps nonetheless; he started with Pinyin, which had real people's voices. The apps were already quite developed, and the functions were complete.　　
He compared a few quickly, then left the most user-friendly one and deleted the rest.　
"Here you are. Follow this. You'll learn them soon." He gave the phone back to her.　　
"Wow! So childish!" She complained as soon as she saw the interface for young kids. "Are there any long-legged Oppas or big-boobed girls teaching the lessons?"　　
"Save it. I'd love to learn if these teachings existed!" Zhang Zian took up her book and flipped through it. The book from Old Time Tea was not suitable.　　
He returned the book to Pi, then found a few fairy tale books with pictures from his childhood book collection. Each character was marked with a Pinyin illustration.　　
"After you learn Pinyin, you can read these books. Just learn the words while reading the stories." He piled the books on the bathroom closet. "Oh, right––books are not waterproof. Dry your hands before you read them. These are books from my childhood. Most of them can't even be found these days."　　
"Books from your childhood?" Sihwa seemed skeptical. "Could there be… Any dirty content in them?"　　
"These are all fairy tales, okay?" Zhang Zian said with frustration. "What kind of person do you think I am? These are the books I read at the age of five or six. What kind of dirty content can there be?"　　
"Fairy tale books? I'm not interested… too childish." She shook her hands. "Let's get something dirty!"　　
Did this fish get contaminated by that bird? What was in her head all day?　　
"You are wrong. In fact, fairy tales are not necessarily childish," Zhang Zian said. "Even adults could interpret content differently sometimes."　　
"What do you mean? I don't understand." Sihwa grew slightly interested.　　
Zhang Zian thought about it, then made an example she could understand. "In fairy tales, you often read stories of Cinderella meeting the prince…"　　
"I know this! It happens a lot in Korean dramas, too!" Sihwa suddenly turned excited, as if she finally found someone with the same interests as her.　　
"Yes, right. That's why people often call Korean dramas 'fairy tales for adults.'" Zhang Zian suddenly changed his tone. "But have you ever given thought to the fact that, in the end of fairy tales and Korean dramas, the story stops where Cinderella marries the prince?"　　
She nodded in agreement.　　
"What about the story after?" Zhang Zian continued to ask.　　
"What story after? It's over!" She didn't understand.　　
"I mean, two people from completely different worlds… Are they really happy after marriage? The prince and Cinderella had completely different educations, family backgrounds, and growing experiences. After marrying the prince, Cinderella must have faced a truckload of royal relatives. Did they really respect and accept her? Did love really defeat all the challenges? Even if it did for a while, what happens after the passion dies out?"　　
Zhang Zian's series of questions made Sihwa astonished.　　
"The boring, everyday life of the world after marriage is never mentioned in fairy tales, nor in Korean dramas. They always end with the line that Cinderella and the prince lived happily ever after. Although they didn't mention this, you can try to imagine, then tell your audience about your thoughts in the live broadcast. Isn't this great?"　　
Sihwa was drawn in gradually. In the past, she had never used her brain to watch dramas. She either laughed or cried as the story went along. She had never thought about the questions Zhang Zian had brought up.　　
"Would the audience like to hear this?" she asked.　　
"Of course," Zhang Zian said in certainty. "You can also try to make up sequels to fairy tales and tell everyone. You have such lovely voice. I'm sure people will like it."　　
"Really? I have lovely voice?" Her confidence was already shaken from one blow after another. She was no longer as arrogant as before. 　　
"It's absolutely lovely. I'm not joking. If you don't believe me, ask the other elfins," he said, suddenly feeling that his words might have been too mean in the past. 　　
"Oh… okay. But don't lie to me…" she mumbled gently as she picked up the fairy tale books.　　
"What are these?" She browsed through the covers one by one.　　
"They are all classic fairy tales written by great writers all over the world, such as fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm, fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen, Aesop's Fables, One Thousand and One Nights, Zhang Yuanjie's Fairy Tale Collection, etc. They'll last quite a while," Zhang Zian said, introducing them one by one.　　
"Oh." Her eyes glided through the colorful and entertaining covers. She saw a prince with a sword on a white horse, a grey wolf wearing a pajama hat, a little girl with a match stick in a snowy night, a tin man with big belly, a little duckling staring at the sky, a fox with a broken tail, an ugly toad, a mouse driving a tank… She also saw a little mermaid sitting on a rock, overlooking the sea. 　　
For some reason, the figure seemed so lonely.　　
Under an unrecognizable impulse, she opened up one of the books, even though she didn't know a single character in it.　　
"I can't read it…" she said in disappointment.　　
"It's fine. You'll understand it once you learn the characters." Zhang Zian encouraged her. "Be patient! These fairy tales may seem childish, but in fact, you can find non-childish stuff in it. As long as you read them with your whole heart, you'll surely discover something different… Then, you can share your thoughts boldly with your broadcast audience."　　
"Okay. Let me try." Sihwa looked at the fairy tale covers again. She was more eager to learn now than ever before.　　
She wanted to be able to read the fairy tales. She wanted to do what Zhang Zian described––to write sequels for the finished fairy tales. She was the only one who could do it, and who was qualified to do it.　　
She picked up her phone and entered the child education app, imitating the mouth and sound movements against the image on the screen.　　
"A… A… Bo… Bo… Ci… Ci… De… De…" she read off while peeping at Zhang Zian's facial expressions; she wanted to confirm that he was not laughing at her. She then continued reading boldly.　　
"It's fine. You can read loudly. Raise your head and straighten your back. Read every word boldly," Zhang Zian encouraged her.　　
"A… A… Bo… Bo… Ci… Ci… De… De…" she read even louder, like a baby learning to talk.　　


1. Download a suspicious game
2. Catch a few magical pets as partners
3. Go through interesting daily routines and lead the pet shop to a whole new level

Before getting off work.

Zhao Guozhou called Zhang Ye into his office, "Little Zhang, now that it's just the two of us, I want to have a nice chat with you." He said earnestly, "You were brought in by me. The facts have proven that I was not wrong. Your ability has been acknowledged by everyone. You have also gained the recognition of the listeners. However, humans are not lone individuals in this society. You need to eat, you need to survive, you need to cater to others, you need to be tactful. The station had planned the case regarding "Ghost Blows Out the Light" for a very long time. It had even established a special small planning team for it. Just because of one simple word from you of not selling, all the plans the station’s management had gone up into smoke. How could the station not be angry about this? Me suppressing you a bit this time was beyond my control. Do you understand what I mean?"

"I understand." Zhang Ye said with a deadpan expression.

"That's good, then about the copyright..." Zhao Guozhou persuaded.

Zhang Ye said without hesitation, "Not selling."

Zhao Guozhou turned mad again, "You really can't give me peace of mind!"

Zhang Ye also said his heartfelt feelings, "Director Zhao, I know you greatly appreciated me. Back then it was you who took me in despite my looks. For this favor, I'll remember you for life. I know the station is repressing me, so it's fine no matter how you treat me. However, about the copyright, I will say that same line forever - not selling!"

"You are willing to not go on a segment in the future?" Zhao Guozhou asked as he worried over his talent.

Zhang Ye said, "I still have a segment now. I will pull it up!"

Zhao Guozhou knocked on the form on his table, "The afternoon listenership rates have been handed out. Although it will only be announced tomorrow, I shall take this opportunity to tell you that ‘Old and Young Story Club’ is still in last place. This segment cannot be pulled up. It's useless, no matter who it is. Your talent should be placed on a bigger stage, but why are you so stubborn? You...Hai, forget it. Go back."

Lining the bottom once again?

Really can't be pulled up?

Zhang Ye refused to believe that it was so. If two episodes weren't enough, he would record a third. If the third recording wasn't enough, he would record a fourth. He still had three days’ time. It was still possible for him to turn the situation around!

...

The sky still was bright, even after he returned home.

The rental apartment was quiet and lonely. It was like his current situation.

Zhang Ye switched on the computer as he absent-mindedly read the news. After some analysis, he realized that the reason why the ratings had not been pulled up was not the fault of the story. How could "Snow White" and "The Emperor's New Clothes" have a problem? They were the classic fairy tales out of the classics fairy tales from his world. The reason was apparently due to inertia. There were not that many people listening to this segment. New listeners were already completely disappointed with the present fairy tales, or they were sick of them. There was no habit to even listen in. There would not be any fresh blood being injected, so it would only be odd if the listenership rates could be high!

How was he to attract new listeners?

He felt that he needed an opportunity; otherwise, it would be very difficult!

Zhang Ye left his mouse as he switched on television, planning to watch the News Channel. As someone working in the media industry, watching the news was part and parcel of one's daily work.

"Today, another heinous case of a missing child happened in the capital. In a small district near to Cheng Nan Jia Yuan, four-year-old Wen Wen was left alone at home with his parents at work. According to police investigations and analysis of closed-circuit TV footage, Wen Wen had opened the door to a male stranger around the age of 35. It is unknown what method this person used to gain Wen Wen's trust. Not only did he bring away Wen Wen, he had taken several valuables in the house. According to the closed-circuit TV footage, Wen Wen apparently was not crying. Currently, the police are using all their efforts to take in criminal suspects. This is the picture of the suspect taken from the closed-circuit TV. If anyone sees this suspect, please immediately contact the number shown on your screen!" The Central TV's News Channel's female anchorwoman said solemnly with a tinge of anger.

Next were street and school interviews.

A woman holding a vegetable basket said to the reporter, "This is already the fourth time a child has been abducted from home this month, right? It's so depraved! These people should be shot to death!"

An old man said, "Why do these sort of things keep happening? Why would a child open the door to a stranger? I think it's a problem with our education!"

At a particular kindergarten, the reporter interviewed at a promotional event held in the school. There were many people gathered in the school field. There were teachers, older students and parents.

"Little friends, remember that when you are alone at home, you must never open the door to strangers. Did you hear that?"

"Heard that!"

"Can you remember?"

"Yes!"

The screen switched back to the studio. The female anchor said, "Actually, the instructions of never to open the door to a stranger has been repeated countless numbers of times in the children education system. All the children know this, but when they meet strangers who claim to be "Mommy's" or "Daddy's" colleague, they will still open the door. This is the fourth time that it has happened this month. I do not know what has gone wrong in our education system. 

Maybe we should use a teaching method more suitable for children to tell them this. It should not be something repeated to them in a dogmatic manner. Children have their children's way of thinking and their own world. The way we indoctrinate them with ideas might not be something they can understand. Hence, a week ago, Beijing's Education Ministry has led the way by organizing the historically largest fairy tale essay competition event. The name is "Fairy Tale Essays Collection for Not Opening the Door to Strangers", The goal is to use these fairy tales to caution children in a fun and educative manner, so as to let children genuinely realize how to protect themselves."

Fairy Tale Essays Collection?

Zhang Ye immediately had a feeling. Here came an opportunity!

But the next thing the female anchor said made him disappointed, "Submissions began last week and the deadline is at midnight, tonight. During this period, the education ministry has allowed people to vote as a fair way to choose the number one story. From that, kindergarten and elementary schools or other child care groups will receive large-scale promotions!"

It was already 7+ P.M.!

There was less than five hours left?

Zhang Ye switched off the television and hurriedly opened the Beijing's Education Ministry's specially created essay website. There were many publicity pictures on it. They were filled with pictures of children that had gone missing in Beijing. Their smiling faces, their pictures of their lives and the crying expressions of the parents whose children had gone missing. There was only one slogan: Please use your words to help children. Upon seeing this, Zhang Ye's heart felt heavy, as if he felt suffocated. He was planning to look for an opportunity to improve the segment's ratings. But upon seeing that the deadline was at midnight, Zhang Ye knew that it was impossible. Others had accumulated a full week of votes, so how could he exceed them within just a few hours? However, when he followed the stories of how children were abducted, Zhang Ye felt that he had to write something. It had nothing to do with his segment, nor did it have to do with anything else. He just wanted to contribute a portion of his strength!

So what if he did not succeed?

It was enough, as long as he did something!

...

As this matter caused quite a commotion in society, people on the streets, in public transport, on the internet and those interacting with online media were all reflecting and discussing about it. It could be considered a hot topic amongst all the citizens. Anything that was child-related would forever be something that grabbed the hearts of people. Hence, this continuous outbreak of heinous crimes had caused great concern for society. As such, this fairy tale essay competition had become abnormally well-received. Many people published their stories.

The most famous one was by Tao Xueru, the highest-paid female children's fairy tale author in the country. 

Secondly, there was Little Red Mushroom. It was a stage name. She, too, was a female children's fairy tale author. The sales of her books were inferior to Tao Xueru, but the most famous fairy tale in the country was hers.

The both of them were practically propping up about half of the children's fairy tale industry in the country.

There were other children's literature authors. Many authors of fairy tales that people were familiar with when they were young had submitted their stories to the essay competition.

The ranking was as follows.

Little Red Mushroom: 28,018 votes.

Tao Xueru: 24,311 votes.

Old Lee: 17,223 votes.

Zhang Qiang: 16,976 votes.

For the story competition, the authors who submitted their works would show their verified status. For example, Little Red Mushroom and company all had their verified status. Zhang Qiang, who was ranked at fourth place, was a children's literature author. Only Old Lee, who was in third place, was not in the industry. In his verification status, there was written "Office Employee".

Zhang Ye flipped through the stories. Ever since the world changed into a different world, Zhang Ye always had a feeling of looking down upon others. However, when he looked at the top ranking stories, he was quite impressed. They were worthy of being the top figures in the field of children's literature. They were well written, especially Little Red Mushroom's children story that was ranked first. Even if it was brought to Zhang Ye's world, it was a high-quality fairy tale that could be remade into an animation.

However, it was still lacking slightly. It was not that the story was poor, but it was because the story was slightly complex. After all, the target audience of a fairy tale to warn children not to open a door to a stranger was definitely very young. One could not expect them to understand things that were too complicated. Little Red Mushroom's story was 8,000 thousand words long. So although it was really good, there were too many characters. Zhang Ye suspected that children would not be able to finish reading it properly.

The further he went down the ranks, the more horrible the stories became.

Ignoring those who were not professional authors, some of those with verification statuses were children's literature authors. How could they write such a mess? These stories all had a serious problem. Either they were so childish that even children themselves would find it childish, or they were too mature, where the entire story was written according to an adult's way of thinking. How could these be shown to children?

None of them could work!

All of the stories were inappropriate!

Zhang Ye pulled up his sleeves and got to work. He felt that he had a story that was extremely appropriate. It was also a story gathered out of the overall essence from his world. It would be perfect if used in this essay competition. There was no other story that was better than that one.

Zhang Ye first used his Weibo's information to gain the recognition on the education website. After obtaining his verification, Zhang Ye began typing. He clacked away before uploading it!

The story's name: "Little Bunnies Be Good".

Mommy Bunny had three children. One was called Little Red Eyes, one was called Long Ears, and one was called Stumpy Tail.

One day, Mommy Bunny said to her children, "Mommy is going to the fields to pick carrots. Watch the house and close the door. Don't open the door to anyone; open the door only when Mommy comes."

Mommy Bunny carried her basket and walked towards the fields. The Little Bunnies remembered Mommy's words and locked the door well.

Later on, the Big Bad Wolf came. He wanted to enter the Little Bunnies' house, but the door was tightly closed by the Little Bunnies, so he could not enter!

The Big Bad Wolf sat by the Little Bunnies' door. He narrowed his eyes and thought of a bad idea. Suddenly, he saw Mommy Bunny return. He quickly ran and hid behind a large tree.

Mommy Bunny came to the door. She pushed the door but the door was tightly closed. As she knocked, she sang, "Little Bunnies be good; open the door! Come, open it quickly; I want to come in."


Zhang Ye was originally a mundane college graduate with aspiring dreams to become a star, but unfortunately has below average looks and height. However one day, he woke up and suddenly found himself in a parallel world! 
It’s like the same world, but wait a minute…many brands, celebrities and even famous works from his world changed and are gone in this new world! Armed with the profound literary knowledge of his previous world and a heaven-defying Game Ring that gives him magical items, stats and skills, Zhang Ye embarks on a journey to pursue his life-long dream of becoming famous!
Follow Zhang Ye as he takes the new world by storm, one plagiarized piece at a time, to hilarious reactions!

"Once upon a time, there lived a witch with long snow white hair... She was very beautiful and her eyes... they were an enchantingly mesmerizing shade of violet. One look and you'd be charmed, lost in her eyes... or at least that's what the people say."

"Is she as pretty as you?" a child wearing Celestia Academy's uniform asked as a teenage girl with midnight black hair gave a light laugh.

"Are her eyes the same as yours?"

"Who knows...?"

The older girl waved her hand in dismissal while a group of kids no less than twenty surround her listening as she narrated the story. "I mean, it's a fairy tale. Anything can happen."

"Ne, ne, continue with the story?" One of the kids asked with cute puppy dog eyes while another smacked the kids who interrupted the teen.

"Stop interrupting her!"

"Ow!"

But the girl just laughed in amusement, captivating amethyst eyes twinkling with mischief, not bothering to reprimand the younger ones.

"Then..." The dark-haired girl started once more, her sweet voice pleasing to the ears as she enchants the children with the story, making her the only focus of their attention.

"By the witch's side were three creatures of flight. The first one was a bird with all seven colors of the rainbow woven into its feathers. With every song it sings, the feathers change in colors and anyone sick will find themselves healthy again in no time. And the witch referred to it as Adarna.

"The second was a black bird whose feathers glint a bluish white light. With blue electricity covering where its eyes should have been, lightning would flash and thunder would roar at the creature's every flap of its wings, creating lightning storms on its wake. And she called it Thunder.

"The last one was a bird of flame. A creature made of pure fire with scorching flames as hot as the sun itself. Untouchable and undying, forever existing. It returns to ashes and from ashes it arises. Yes, the third one was called Phoenix.

"These three, no matter the circumstances never left the witch's side. They knew how lonely the witch was because no one dares approach her for fear of getting cursed. They were her only companions, her only friends."

"Why? Why doesn't the witch have any friends?"

Patting the child's head, the older girl gave them a sad smile. "I told you, they were afraid of her. Of course, no one tried to be her friend. Do you want to be called the witch's friend?"

"If she's as pretty as Miss Ice, I won't mind!"

"Yeah, me too!"

"Same here!"

Ice just giggled. Kids are just too pure, innocent and adorable. A bit naive and gullible, too. But that's okay.

If only they could stay that way... Untainted by the world...

"But there's a problem..." Ice held up a finger for the kids to see, "if your mama told you to avoid the witch, what will you do?"

"..." Silence greeted the teen as she gave a soft smile to the little ones surrounding her.

"See? It's not that no one wanted to be her friend, it's just that they were forbidden to become friends with her. It's a sin." Ice explained gently.

"The white-haired witch was considered a threat to humanity and everything they believed in. So... befriending her, getting involved with her or simply talking to her is considered a grave sin." The amethyst-eyed teen continued.

"But one day, all three birds disappeared without a trace. They just... vanished." Ice paused to let her words sink in. That and for the dramatic effect, too. She'll never leave the theatrics behind, at least not if she can help it.

Seeing as how the kids were so engrossed in the story, Ice was tempted. Really tempted to just leave them hanging, wondering what's going to happen next.

Bad Ice, she mentally scolded herself.

Stopping in the middle of a story when you're already hooked is just like giving a sweet to a small kid and then snatching it away just before they eat it.

And that would definitely make them cry.

But kids are really cute when they're on the verge of tears, with those glossy eyes threatening to spill and shaking figures as they try not to sob, wordlessly begging for what you have that they don't...

And then the grateful faces they have as they shower you with hugs and thanks when you finally humored them and gave them what they want...

The teen shook her head to clear her mind of any dark thoughts that aren't exactly appreciated nor needed at the moment.

"'Did she kill them?' the people would ask. 'Maybe she ate them!' some would say. And so, more rumors came about, getting the people further and further away from the truth." Ice spread her arms wide before shaking her head.

"But none of the rumors were right because on the same day the witch's friends vanished came an unusual trio. One girl and two boys, all ethereally beautiful pledged their unyielding loyalty to her for all eternity.

"And just like the birds, they never left her side and the witch's days were filled with joy and laughter. She has never been so happy in her entire life."

Ice stood up and looked around the beautiful garden they were in.

It was truly a paradise.

Flowers of all sorts, both known and unknown to the Outside, littered the flowerbeds. Flower vines curl on the columns before reaching out to the others, making a completely natural and organic roof above their head.

Even the tables, chairs, benches and heck, even the water fountain were all made of plants. Large trees that forever bear fruits of all kinds made it easy for groups who are planning for a picnic.

In the middle of the garden a majestic tree stood. It was huge and at least a thousand years oldwith its leaves made of clear cryxtals that's worth thousands a single piece. Its roots were big and made a half spherical shape around the tree's deep base making a pool of crystal clear water.

At night, some of the flowers glow and illuminate the garden in a surreal light. Glowing balls of light that are often mistaken for fireflies further enhance the place's beauty. Even the cobbled stone paths would glow with an otherworldly light.

Even if the Academy was in a siege, it will definitely survive. All because of this place.

How did such a great place existed in Celestia Academy?

No one knows.

Or even if they did, it would be a secret that they would willingly die for.

It's just sad how no one appreciates this place, Ice can't help but think. Then again, no one knows the true value of something until they lose it.

"But nothing's permanent in this world," Ice walked around and picked up a lavender rose before returning to the kids's side. "Just like this rose here."

She showed it to the kids before bringing it to her face and taking a small whiff of its fragrance. "It's beautiful isn't it?"

The kids nodded enthusiastically.

"But no matter how beautiful it is, it's going to wilt." Especially now that she had plucked it, "And just like the beauty of this rose, the witch's happiness was short-lived."

"People soon noticed the trio's existence and just like the witch herself, the three were captivating as well. They caught the hearts of many, even without sparing them a single glance. Because their eyes are for the witch alone."

Ice smiled before raising her hand, "Who can guess what happened next? I'll give this rose as a reward."

Several hands shot up almost instantaneously.

"The witch became friends with everybody!"

"They played with the witch!"

And several other answers that went along those lines were fired at the girl.

Oh, how she wish it was like that.

Anything can happen in a fairy tale. But this isn't a fairy tale wherein happy endings happen along with true love's kiss and all that sweet crap.

This fairy tale is more like a tragedy.

Ice gave out a sigh before shaking her head. "Your answers are cute, kids. Real cute.But that's not what happened."

"The people shouted warnings to the three, urging them to leave the witch's side and eventually betray her. 'Beware of the witch!' they say. And the people shouted curses and lies to make the three come to them. But the three were not fooled.

"They knew what the people wanted. It was them. They wanted their beauty and gloat about it. What they wanted was neither friendship or goodwill towards them. The people just wanted a trophy they could carry and boast around. They wanted them to fulfill earthly and sinful desires of the flesh."

"What sinful desires?" A little girl asked.

Ice blinked. And another.

She let out a laugh. Of course, she's talking to a bunch of kids. None of them would know what she's talking about. How could she forget?

Kids are innocent little creatures, no need to taint their pure minds.

"You'll know when you grow up." was all she said as a mischievous grin made its way to the teen's face. "Don't worry, it's nothing special for us kids anyway. I wouldn't even bother with something like that."

"Ah... okay."

"If Miss Ice says it's nothing special then it's nothing special!"

Cue a cheeky grin from Ice.

"So... no matter what the people said, the bribery they made and even after offering the most beautiful boys and girls for their use and disposal, the trio won't budge. None of the things the people gave them swayed them. Their advances were futile because the three of them knew that those people were just envious of the witch for their company. Heck, if the white-haired girl wasn't known to be a witch, people would have done the same thing to her."

"And then one day, a human princess was passing by when she saw their group," Ice twirled the rose in her hand, not minding the thorns that cut her soft and delicate skin.

"It was love at first sight. Nothing else mattered to her the moment she laid her eyes on the boy whose eyes and hair resembles gold. She was determined to have him, no matter what." Ice shrugged as she slowly pinched out the rose's thorns.

"And as a princess, she was quite spoiled and was not afraid to use force as long as she gets what she wants. That's where everything went downhill."

Once done with the thorns, she proceeded with the petals.

"The princess saw how devoted the blonde was to the witch and normal tactics won't work. As long as the witch lives, the blonde won't even bother to look at the princess' way. So, she devised a plan. A cruel, cruel plan. A plan that disregards life."

"A royalty was murdered. He just died. It was a clean job, there were no traces of the killer." Ice stopped plucking for a second as she raised the rose, or what was left of it, and covered her right eye as if an eye patch.

"It was immediately blamed on the witch who wasn't even given a chance to explain herself as she was dragged away into the dungeons."

"Eh? How come they thought it was the witch who did it?" A boy asked.

"How to put it... You see, during that time what the people fears the most is the unknown. They're scared of what they don't know. Just like how they were scared of the witch because of her unnatural hair color and eyes... Especially her eyes.

"It was the first time they have seen it and they don't know the reason behind it nor what to do with it. So everything they can't understand, they blamed it on the 'witch' even if she didn't do anything. The witch this, the witch that...

"It was a never-ending cycle. Aside from her unnatural beauty, people no longer remembers why exactly was she called a witch. If she was called a witch, then she is a witch. That's how people think."

Ice pinched the child's cheeks. "It's the same how you're afraid of the dark. It's not really the darkness you're afraid of but what lies behind it. You don't know what's out there that's why you're scared.

"Since the royalty's death was a mystery, it was only normal for those people to blame the witch simply because it wasn't normal." Ice explained as she let go of the child and continued plucking the petals.

"As she waited in her cell, the witch didn't bother defending herself from the accusations. She knew right from the start that it was futile. No one would believe her just like how it always was. She wasn't even worried for the trio that was left behind. In fact, it'll be amusing for her to know what those three would do in her absence.

"But that was the least of her concerns because she knew they can manage on their own. She was curious, though. Who killed the royalty? How did they do it? For what purpose? Questions raced through the witch's head. Ah... if she can only investigate it herself, she would definitely be able to solve it. Just like a game.

"And then on one night in her cell, the two of them met. The princess and the witch. Looking through the princess' eyes, everything finally clicked inside the witch's head. 'So that's how it is...' the witch thought. A snicker left the witch's lips as she asked the princess with an innocent smile, 'So... which one is it? Melted gold or brilliant sapphire?'

"'What?' It wasn't their first meeting, you see. If anything, they frequently saw each other when they were younger. And the look on the princess' eyes was one that the witch knew very well. It was one that the princess used to always threw at her. Envy." Ice said darkly as she finished plucking the petals and only the stem was left in her hands.

"But there was more to it now. The witch can see a bit of jealousy in the princess' eyes. In the end, it didn't really matter to the witch. What matters to her is that the princess is trying to steal from her."

Ice swung the stem like a teacher's stick as if she was lecturing the kids.

"And she didn't like it... not one bit. What's hers is hers alone. No one else's. There's not a lot that the witch could call her own since almost everything was taken away from her the moment she was branded a witch..." Ice shrugged as she sat in front of the kids once again.

"...so for me, it's quite understandable how she can get so possessive of what little she has." Ice told them. "I'm not telling you kids to be selfish. It's just that... if that was me, I'd be really possessive of my stuff."

"I mean... If that's all I have now and yet they still want it... If they took it, I'll be left with nothing." Ice said with a bitter smile that the clueless kids didn't understand. "It's mine... So what right do they have to take away what's mine?"

Ice sighed, this story is getting too dark.

She'll just skip some parts and end this quickly. The story's just getting too long and dragged out that's why Ice is skipping it and no, it's not because she wanted to take a long afternoon nap after eating lots of sweets.

"In any case, I think that's what the witch thought as well. And just like in the stories, the witch and the princess fought. One to protect what belongs to her and the other to take what her heart desires." Amethyst eyes twinkled darkly as she gave the kids a scary look.

With a beautiful face like Ice... even if she tried to intimidate people and give them the death glares... She'd still look like an angel from heaven.

An angel of death, that is.

So... it's not the expression Ice has on her face that scared the kids witless, but the change in her tone. From the usual soft and sweet tone she uses... It turned into cold and dark.

In fact, the kids around Ice swore that the temperature dropped a good ten degrees.

"It wasn't a pretty sight. Everything between the two was destroyed, unwanted ...casualties here and there." Ice almost said the word death but she'd rather not use that dreadful word.

"Who won? In the end, no one really knew what really happened. The princess was found alive but just barely. She would have crossed to the other side already if she wasn't found and treated quickly. So... the princess was lucky to live on.

"On the other hand... the witch vanished. She was never found again. And along with her, the three she left behind disappeared as well. Not a single trace of her or her companions were left. Even the house she lives in and the garden she tends to was nowhere to be found. It's as if she never existed.

"It was the princess' win, the people assumed. 'The witch is gone!' they rejoiced. They partied for days, weeks and even months. Until one day, they realized... The cryxtals that they used to find everywhere and use for basic commodities like light and fire can no longer be found. Their reserves were also almost depleted.

"Then the people fought. These resources that they used to neglect and take for granted... They fought for it with their lives in the line. Friends and even families fought for it. Another ugly sight." Ice muttered in a low voice.

"It was the witch's revenge, people say. A curse brought about by her death." Ice continued. "But they were wrong. It wasn't a curse. To begin with, cryxtals weren't formed naturally."

"But my brother said cryxtals are like plants... They just grow out of nowhere..."

Ice just stared at the little girl blankly before she laughed, but it wasn't a lighthearted one. "Let me guess... You're brother's a teacher outside Celestia Academy?"

A nod.

"Then that explains it. What they teach here in this academy is different from what they teach outside it. What can I say... this academy is a bit of a rebel... It doesn't follow the curriculum given by the Palace." Ice had to turn to the side, hiding a smirk.

"But as I said, according to this fairy tale... Cryxtals form wherever she goes. And since she disappeared... so did the cryxtals. No one knew what happened to her since then. Whether she really died at the hands of the princess or she's still alive among us... No one knows. The end."

Although this fairy tale is far from finished.

Ice finished her story with a dramatic twirl with her right hand on her chest while her left hand holding her black coat in a curtsying pose. The kids clapped before imitating her.

"Then... I'll be going now..."

Ice was about to leave when she felt a light tug at the hem of her coat.

It was a six years-old girl with silvery gray hair and emotionless green eyes.

"Hm...? What's up, Oath?"

"That story... That was similar to this book I'm reading..." she held out a book that Ice gingerly took.

It was a history book about the origin of the Crimson Palace, the home of Celestia's royal family.

"It says... The witch threatened to destroy... the whole Celestia so the Second Princess fought her...And that the witch died in the battle..." Oath explained.

Ice looked at the book with light interest, skimming, before getting bored of it and later giving out a look of mild disgust. She gave the book back to the girl she knows well before gently patting the child's head.

"Not everything you read in books are true. History is nothing more than the winner's version of the story. That's why it's called history." Ice ran her fingers through her hair.

Since the winner's yet to be decided.

"Besides, where'd you even get this book?" The only teenager asked. "This book was issued by the Crimson Palace so obviously it'll be biased in their favor. You shouldn't read those stuff, it's better to read the ones from Celestia Academy."

"Why?" another kid asked.

"Because the ones from here are unbiased. People who aren't related to the events are the ones who wrote it. Since they had nothing to do with either the princess or the witch... they only wrote what they saw from their perspective." Ice explained again.

"So... which one is the real one?"

"Who knows? I'd stick to the one I told you, though. I like the version I know much better compared to the boring narrative from that book. Or any book, at that matter." Ice shrugged. "It feels more realistic to me."

"Then what's the title of the fairy tale you told us?"

"Let's see... ah!" Ice thought a bit before smiling. "It's called The First Esper."

Waking up with a strange letter in his closed room wasn't exactly how Rain imagined how his day would start. It was an admission letter from a particular elite academy. How it got there, he has no idea. And what better way to find out than go to the said academy itself?

Celestia Academy.
A prestigious academy that only accepts those gifted beyond belief. Not a single soul in Celestia have not heard of its name and the grandeur it brought with it.

But his troubles didn't just end there. In fact, it was just the beginning.

Even an academy that shines under the spotlight has its own secrets. Secrets that have been buried as centuries pass, Rain unknowingly stumbles upon them. And the more he knew, the more he realizes how he is no outsider to these dark secrets.If anything else, he's among the ones that are at the very core of it.

With a sly headmaster that's always up to no good, an annoying student president, a childish teen idol and a girl with countless mysteries surrounding her, will Rain survive long enough to uncover all of its secrets?

Or rather,  can he fit all the puzzle pieces together fast enough to come out of this ordeal alive?

**IMPORTANT NOTES**
1. I have a few chapters stockpiled in my wattpad account for this story and I'll be uploading one  chapter or so per week. Once the stock chapters run out, please expect slow updates.
2. Although this will be tagged for the female audience, you will be following the male main character most of the time and not the female main character. To be honest, the story was not targeted to a specific gender and given a choice, I would not pick a target gender.
3. If you're reading this for the romance that most female-targeted stories have, then you may be disappointed with this book. Yes, there will be romance but it will be a slow and subtle one. When I first conceptualised the story around 5 years ago, romance was never the main focus. I did focus on the relationships between characters though.
4. The story would be long and rather slow-paced at the start due to world building.

Having all of that out of the way, please enjoy reading! Comments, views and power stones are all very appreciated! Thank you!

"Good morning class," bati bigla ng kanilang guro habang pumapasok siya sa kanilang classroom.
Napaayos naman agad ang mga estudyante, bumalik sa kani-kanilang mga upuan at tumayo para bumati sa guro.
"Good morning Ma'am. It's nice to see you again," pare-parehas nilang sabi.
"Okay you may have your seat," sabi ng guro at nagsi-upo naman ang mga estudyante. "So today, as graduating students, I will give you your last individual project."
"Aww…"
"Ugh…"
"Ano ba yan Ma'am," reklamo ng bawat estudyante.
"There you go again," English naman ng guro. "Hindi ko pa nga nasasabi sa inyo ang project, nagrereklamo na kayo. Tuloy, napapa-tagalog na ako sa inyo."
"Pero Ma'am, malapit na nga matapos ang school year, magbibigay pa kayo ng project," sagot naman ng isang estudyante.
"Kaya nga sinabi ko na last project niyo na ito," sagot naman ng teacher. "Pag hindi niyo maipapasa ito before your moving up ceremony as Grade 10 students, hindi ko kayo papayagang umakyat ng stage."
At nagreklamo muli ang mga estudyante dahil doon. The teacher ignored all of that and discussed the project to be made.
"So again, since our last topic is about storyline and structure, your individual project is to make a story about a fairy tale of your own like the classics…"
Magrereklamo na sana ang ilang estudyante nang siningitan sila ni Ma'am.
"Before you complain and tell me that 'you're not kids anymore', I know that," wika ni Ma'am. "I don't care how long or how short your stories are just make sure the fairy tale you will write is something related to your life. I know not everybody is a writer nor a storyteller but I'm giving you this project just so I can know whether you learned something not only at our last topic, but for all of our topics in this class…"
"Ma'am pwedeng Taglish?" tanong naman ng isang estudyante.
Napatingin naman si Ma'am sa estudyante.
"This is an English class," sagot ni Ma'am. "Even though we are Filipinos, you're in a class that teaches English. So to answer that, no. I won't accept work that are written in Taglish, or even a pure Tagalog one. I'll make sure to mark your works as zero. Are there other more questions?"
Some students raised their hands and after the teacher answered all their questions, she gave the other time for them to brainstorm their stories. Pero para naman sa ibang mga estudyante, free time and pagkakaintindi nila kaya nagpaalam sila agad kay Ma'am na bibili raw sila ng mga pagkain na pinayagan naman ni Ma'am.
Ang iba namang masusunuring estudyante, they stayed put at their seat, naglabas ng papel at lapis para gawin ang project… tulad ni Arcie. Hindi man siya isang writer tulad ng iba diyan, naniniwala lang siya na habang maaga pa, mas mabuti pang tapusin na niya ang project na ito kaysa hahabulin niya sa huli. She doesn't have that much friends in this class kaya wala rin naman siyang magagawa.
Yun nga lang, naglabas nga siya ng papel pero tulala naman siya sa blankong papel na iyon. She started to get frustrated, and realized na hindi niya alam kung paano nga sisimulan ang kwento.
Nakakainis naman itong project na ito. Bakit kasi fairy tale pa? Kailangan bang may prinsesa? O tulad ng sa kanila Snow White o di kaya ni Sleeping Beauty, na hinihintay ang kanilang prince charming?
Pweh. Prince charming. Kung ako ay nasa isang fairy tale, hindi ako isang prinsesa. I would rather be a…
Nag-isip siya. Hmm… ah. A knight! Isa akong knight sa isang kingdom. Hmm… pero anong klaseng kingdom naman iyon? Kailangan ko bang pangalanin yung kingdom?
Arcie looked around her classroom habang nag-iisip ng kwento nang may nakita siyang isang grupo ng kanyang mga kaklase na naglalaro ng baraha. Pinanuod niya nga ang apat na iyon at dahil may alam din siya sa mga laro ng baraha, it's either 'pusoy' o 'pusoy dos' ang nilalaro nila. Pero habang tinitignan nga ni Arcie ang mga baraha na nilalatag nila sa sahig…
Ah, alam ko na! Tatawagin nalang nating Kingdom of Spades ang kingdom na ito. Okay… pero dahil kingdom siya, siguro maglagay nalang tayo ng prinsipe, and I will name him… 
Napatingin si Arcie sa kanyang mga kaklase dahil doon. Nang magkita ang mga tingin nila ng isa sa kanyang mga kaklase na lalaki that even waved at her, nakita naman iyon ni Arcie but she didn't waved back dahil may napagtanto siya at napasulat sa kanyang papel.
Ester. Ang pangalan niya ay Ester.
"Uy Arcie, anong ginagawa mo?" tanong sa kanya ng lalaking nakatinginan niya kanina.
"Yung project Sylvi," sagot naman ni Arcie.
"Wow. Ang sipag mo naman," sabi naman ni Sylvi. "Ayaw mo bang lumabas at pumunta man lang sa canteen? Libre kita."
"Mamaya Sylvi," sagot naman ni Arcie. "Tapusin ko lang ito."
"Okay sige. Mukhang busy ka diyan ah," sabi naman ni Sylvi at umalis din.
Nagpatuloy namang magsulat si Arcie.
Hmm… siguro, parang yung kay Cinderella, yung nanay ni Knight ay hindi niya talaga nanay. Inampon niya lang si Knight at nang mapakasalan niya yung Hari ng kingdom na tatay ni Ester, hindi niya tinuring parang anak si Knight at instead, ginawang knight ng prinsipe, parang bodyguard.
Pero syempre, okay lang yun kay Knight. Mabait naman yung prinsipe eh.
"Hmm… dagdag pa kaya ako ng isang prinsipe. Masyado kasing obvious kapag isa lang," sabi ni Arcie.
So, here comes another prince in the kingdom of… napatingin muli siya sa loob ng kanyang classroom at pinanuod muli ang naglalaro ng baraha.
Diamonds. Yup, he's the prince in Kingdom of Diamonds… nang sinusulat nga iyon ni Arcie, napatingin siya pabalik sa apat na kaklase niyang naglalaro ng baraha at nakita ang isa niya na namang kaklaseng lalaki.
…pero… Pinanuod ni Arcie ang lalaking iyon na naglalaro habang may ngisi sa kanyang mga labi.
…he's a two faced jerk kasi kahit mukha siyang mabait at friendly sa harap mo, pag walang nakakakita, he's actually really arrogant.
Dahil doon, nagkita ang tingin ng dalawa sa isa't isa na ang isa ay nagulat na may nakatingin pala sa kanya habang ang isa naman ay seryoso ang mga tingin pabalik sa kanya.
I really hate that guy sa itsura niya palang. Alam ko napaka judgmental ko kahit wala naman akong proweba pero kwento lang naman ito. Hindi niya naman alam na siya ang reference ko sa character na ito. Binalik din ni Arcie ang kanyang mga tingin sa kanyang sinusulat.
So I will name him… Dray. Binalik niya rin ang kanyang mga tingin sa mga lalaking naglalaro ng baraha at nakita ang dalawa niyang lalaking kaibigan na lagi niyang kasama.
Hmm… sige. And there are also 2 other princes… habang nakatingin siya sa isa… one is Rico, prince of the kingdom of Clovers… tingin naman sa isa…. and the other is Don, prince of the kingdom of Hearts.
"Sandali," sabi bigla ni Arcie at napatigil sa pagsulat. "Ano to? Nagmumukhang harem naman na ito. Pssh."
Nagsimulang magbura si Arcie sa ilang nasulat niya sa papel.
"Ah basta," sabi niya sa kanyang sarili. "May makatuluyan lang kahit papaano ang knight ni isa sa kanila. Kasi you know, fairy tale."
Nag-isip siya ng mabuti at napatingin sa apat na lalaking iyon na magkasama ngayon sa isang parte lang ng kanilang classroom.
"Sino kaya sa kanila?" bulong ni Arcie sa sarili.
Pero habang nakatingin nga siya sa kanila, bahagya siyang nagulat nang may napagtanto siya muli.
"…o di kaya…"
Suddenly, a sinister smile formed on Arcie's lips.
"Wala nalang kayang makatuluyan si knight? Hindi naman tulad ito ng kwento nila Cinderella, Snow White o di kaya ni Sleeping Beauty."
Inside her mind, she's laughing evilly at nagpatuloy nalang sa pagsusulat sa kanyang papel.
I can do anything I want in this story. Kwento lang naman ito. Project na kailangang gawin para may maipasa kay Ma'am at magka-grado at makataas ng stage sa moving up.
Besides… fairy tales are not even true.
…
 
Malapit na ang araw ng moving up ceremony at halos lahat ng estudyante ay naipasa na ang kanilang individual project kay Ma'am. Ang iba ay naghahabol at buti nalang, maaga ring natapos ni Arcie ang kanyang project.
Akala nila, itatago rin lang ni Ma'am ang mga kwentong iyon at hindi na ibabalik sa kanila pero nang sabihan sila na puntahan siya sa faculty room after the ceremony, pumunta naman ang klase. Isa-isang binalik ni Ma'am ang bawat kwentong binigay nila at habang nasa linya si Arcie, alam niya sa sarili niya na mababa ang grado niya sa kwentong iyon dahil hindi niya masyadong pinag-isipan ang kwento at tulad nga ng sabi niya…
…hindi naman siya isang manunulat.
Nang ibalik sa kanya ni Ma'am ang kwento niya, nakangiti pa si Ma'am sa kanya at hindi niya muna tinignan ang grado pero habang naglalakad siya paalis na dala-dala iyon, nahagilap niya ang red ink sa papel kaya tinignan niya ito at nagulat sa nakasulat.
Nagulat siya sa taas ng grado ng papel na hawak-hawak niya kaya napatigil pa siya sa lugar niya. Halata sa mukha niya na hindi siya makapaniwala…
…nang biglang mapadapo nalang ang tingin niya sa isang comment na nakasulat sa dulo ng first page ng papel.
"The ending left me hanging so I see that you learned the art of 'cliffhanger'. I hope that someday, you will be able to finish this story."

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