CLEMENTINY AND THE VALENCIAN ORANGE TREE

There was once an orange called Clementiny who lived in the biggest and prettiest orange tree in the field. The field where Clementiny lived was in the city of Valencia, Spain, where the best oranges in the world are grown.

Clementiny was very happy living in that tree, for he had everything he needed: sunlight to grow, water to drink and other orange friends with whom to share happy days.

But for some while now, the climate hadn’t been quite the same… Clementiny’s friend the rain no longer visited the field as often as before. And the sun seemed to be lazy and no longer shone as she had before.

Short stories-Clementiny and the valencian orange tree

One day Clementiny asked the orange tree: “What’s wrong, orange tree? Are you feeling all right? Your branches are all slumping…”

“I’m okay,” replied the orange tree, “but I feel a bit weak because it hasn’t rained for many days and I can’t do my photosynthesis very well, which is why I have no strength in my branches. I hope it rains soon!”

Clementiny grew thoughtful, for although it wasn’t raining, he himself felt strong and healthy. So he asked an old orange who lived next-door: “Why is the orange tree so tired, while we oranges are all ok?” The old orange answered: “Clementiny, we get all our energy from the tree, because it is the tree that supplies us with food. It hasn’t rained for a long time now, so the tree is gradually dying - because he is giving the little energy he has to us.”

Clementiny’s mouth fell open at hearing these words, and he began to think about what he could do to help the orange tree… Continue reading…

THE GROUCHY LIGHTBULB

Once upon a time there was a low-energy light bulb who sometimes got annoyed when he was switched on… Mr. Graham, the owner of the house, couldn’t understand its behaviour, because he had been told it would last a long time and save energy.

One day, he invited some friends to dinner, Robert and Isa. It was quite a sunny day, but the Graham family had switched on all the living room lights for the meal, and the grouchy light bulb was among them.

Robert realised that the light bulb looked angry, for it flicked on and off constantly. So he asked: “Hey, Graham, I think your light bulb is annoyed. Have you noticed?!”

Childrens stories - the grouchy lightbulb

Mr. Graham replied: “He gets annoyed and goes out every time we switch him on. I don’t know why, because we only bought him a little while ago…” Continue reading…

FLORA, THE LEAPING FROG

Once upon a time, there was a frog called Flora, who was very young and spent all day long leaping about…

Perhaps you’re thinking, ‘Yes, but that’s what all frogs do!’ Which is true – all frogs leap to get from one place to another, but our friend Flora was nicknamed ‘leap frog’ by the other frogs, so you can imagine that she certainly didn’t lack any energy.

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From the moment she awoke to the time she went to sleep, she would jump about from one spot to another. She couldn’t sit quietly even for a little while, and her parents were constantly telling her: “Flora, don’t leap so much! One day you’re going to hit something by accident and hurt yourself.”

One day when she was in the pond, leaping from one stone to the next, a very calm toad ambled up to her and said: “Hello Flora, how is it you have so much energy to leap around like that?” For a moment, Flora the frog stopped still to stare at the toad that was transmitting so much peace, then shrugged and kept on leaping.

Childrens stories - Flora the leaping frog

The next day at school she had a gymnastics exam, which consisted of leaping over the vaulting horse and … I wonder if you can guess who leapt higher than anyone else? That’s right, Flora the frog. At that moment a classmate came up to her and asked: ‘How do you do it, Flora? I’m a frog too, but I can’t leap around all day long”… And Flora answered: “I don’t know…”

Continue reading…

THE DUCKS IN THE LAKE

Just like every day at the lake, the ducks were waking up to the first rays of sun bouncing off the water and bringing glorious colour to all the beautiful vegetation around there.

Dory, for that was the name of the strongest little duck in the lake, was helping the other little ducks as well as getting her children some food. Life at the lake was an oasis of peace.

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But then something unexpected happened… Ever since the lake had been built, a villager called Steven had been in charge of cleaning the lake. Steven respected the ducks as well as all the plants that surrounded them. But Steven wasn’t there today – instead, a man called Horace was now in charge.

Children´s stories - the ducks in the lake

Horace did not think the ducks were as important as making the lake as pretty as possible to surprise all the villagers.

One beautiful day when the first rays of sunshine were beginning to peep out, Horace arrived at the lake pushing a wheelbarrow in which he was carrying a strange object. Dory the duck, who was already awake and looking for food for her children, paddled silently over to the place where Horace and his wheelbarrow were, but couldn’t make head or tail of what was inside it.

After a few hours, Horace had finished his work of art. He placed a fountain right in the middle of the lake, with all kinds of pipes sticking out everywhere – poor Dory couldn’t begin to guess what they were for. Continue reading…

THE RABBIT AND BAMBOO ISLAND

Once upon a time there was a rabbit that lived on an island full of bamboo canes. He was called Robbie, and every day he would run from his warren at one end of the island to where all the grass grew on the other, dodging the bamboo canes as he went.

One day, Robbie thought: “Why can’t I just go and eat the grass without having to hop round all those bamboo canes?” An idea came to him, and he set to work ripping away the bamboo stalks to create a path straight to his food.

Just as he was pulling out the second bamboo cane, he heard a little voice crying out: “Little rabbit Robbie! Don’t rip out more bamboo, for if you do all of us who live on this island will vanish!!”

Childrens stories - the rabbit and bamboo island

Robbie was surprised to hear the voice, and quickly realised that it came from a bamboo cane. He answered: “I’m sorry, Mrs Bamboo Cane, but I’m making a road to get to my food quicker.”

But the bamboo cane kept talking to Robbie and told him: “I understand your reasons for pulling us up, but the whole island is in danger if you do!!” Continue reading…

THE CLOUD AND THE WIND

Claudia the cloud was feeling very happy because she was out with her friend the sun. It was a beautiful day and the birds were singing their hearts out.

Suddenly, the wind began to blow and the poor little Claudia couldn’t stop moving about, for the wind was pushing her from side to side.

Childrens stories - The cloud and wind

Then Claudia shouted at the wind: “Why are you blowing so strongly?“

And the wind answered:

Continue reading…