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 PRINCESS AND HER SWIFT HORSE

In a far-off land there was once a sweet young princess called Sophie. The princess lived in the tower of a big castle with her father King Arturo and her mother Queen Victoria.

The young princess loved going riding with Flash, her horse. They usually went trotting in the forest, but what the princess liked best of all was to hurtle around the castle fields as fast as Flash could gallop.

King Arturo usually warned Princess Sophie to take care before she went riding and to avoid going into the forest, for there lived a winged monster that was very wicked.

Short stories - The princess and her swift horse

One day, Sophie got ready to go riding with Flash, for after several days of rain the weather had cleared and the sun was shining brightly. Flash and Princess Sophie had a great time, but because they were having such a great time they didn’t notice that they were going deeper and deeper into the forest…

Suddenly, Princess Sophie realised that it was getting dark. As she looked around, she noticed that they were deep in the dangerous forest her father King Arturo had warned her about.

“Flash, I think we’re in the middle of the forest,” said Sophie.

“Looks like it, Princess,” answered Flash.

“We have to get out of here as quickly as possible, Flash. It isn’t safe,” said Sophie.

At that instant, a strange noise sounded from among the trees… Princess Sophie and Flash galloped away in fright, for the noise could be from the dangerous winged monster.

By the sounds of things, the monster was getting closer and closer but Princess Sophie didn’t lose hope. She carried on riding, trying to escape out of the forest and into safety. “Run Flash, don’t stop! Keep going and we’ll get out!” the princess encouraged Flash. Continue reading…

THE LAME CROCODILE

There was once a very brave crocodile who had lived with Ahmed and Maya since he was very small. His name was Limpy, and we shall tell you why.

The story of our friend the crocodile begins at the river bank of the Nile, which was no ordinary river… It was a dangerous river, not just because of its wild waters, but also because there lived some fierce and very dangerous crocodiles.

For a very long time, no one had gone near the spot despite its great beauty, for the wicked crocodiles prowled its banks. That was why they put up warning signs telling people about the savage crocodiles.

One day, Ahmed and Maya were taking a walk along a path near the Nile. It was a very pleasant stroll, for the sun had come up and the birds were trilling merrily.

Short stories - The lame crocodile

Suddenly they heard shouts – it sounded like shouts for help and it was coming from the riverbank of the Nile…

Ahmed didn’t hesitate for a second and ran to see what was happening, for he knew that crocodiles lay in wait at the banks of the river and it was a very perilous place.

When Ahmed reached the river bank, panting and out of breath from the speed at which he had run, he found himself face to face with two huge crocodiles trying to attack a little crocodile that had turned up at this part of the river and was completely confused at finding himself cornered by the wild beasts.

“Don’t worry, little one, come here, grab my hand! Swim, swim!” called Ahmed to the little crocodile.

“Please help me, they’ve injured my leg!” answered the little crocodile.

At last he managed to grab Ahmed’s hand, who pulled with all his might to heave the little crocodile out of the river where the two wild crocs were lurking. “Come on, my brave little croc, I’ve got you. Let’s get out of here,” said Ahmed with a wink.

The poor little crocodile was trembling in fear at what had happened, and said Continue reading…

THE DRAGON’S BIRTHDAY

A long time ago in a peaceful land far, far away, there once lived a dragon called Rufus.

Rufus was the only dragon to exist in those days. He was the only descendent of the last dragons on the planet, and the royal family considered him to be the guardian of the kingdom.

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Rufus was about to turn one year old, and the king and queen were going to organise a birthday party for him. On the morning of his birthday, Rufus came down for breakfast from his tower as he did every day. But today something was wrong – there was no breakfast waiting for him!

Annoyed, he went to the palace living room and flung open the doors. Thinking no one was there, he burst into tears, opened his mouth and filled the room with flames.

Short stories - the dragons birthday

To his surprise, he opened his eyes to see the whole room full of people wanting to celebrate his birthday. Luckily, Rufus didn’t set anyone on fire, and the only things that got burnt were the candles on the cake. Continue reading…

THE FOREST FAIRY

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Anna, who loved riding her bike. Anna always wore a hat, and lived in a big house near a green and beautiful forest.

Anna usually rode her bike away from the forest, for her mother had told her never to enter the wood because it could be dangerous.

But one day it was very windy and Anna’s hat flew up into the air and down into the wood. Anna thought that the hat would come back, but instead it disappeared as if the forest had swallowed it up… Very upset, and ignoring her mother’s warning, Anna went into the wood to look for her hat.

Short stories - the forest fairy

Great was her surprise when someone touched her shoulder and said: “Anna, I am your fairy godmother, and I have always been here to protect you the day you entered the forest, for this forest is enchanted and one must take great care.” The forest fairy then continued: “Stay here, I shall go and look for your hat.”

Continue reading…

THE TWITCHY WITCH

Once upon a time, in the middle of a forest, there was a grey house that looked rather frightening. It seemed as if no one lived there, for the windows were full of spider webs and the glass was so filthy it was impossible to see inside the house.

But in fact there was someone living there… a witch known all around the world as “the twitchy witch“. The twitchy witch had a wart right on the tip of her big nose, big black eyes and grey-and-white hair. She was a witch all right, a very ugly witch, and she was scary to look at.

The twitchy witch had always lived in the forest, and on certain days of the year she would go into the village a few kilometres away and frighten the people who lived there.

Short stories - The twitchy witch

Today was one of the days that our witch, the twitchy witch, went into the village. Like all witches, she used her broom to get from place to place. So, dressed in dark clothing, she put on her pointy black hat, picked up her broom and set off.

It was getting dark by the time the twitchy witch arrived at the village. When some of the villagers out on the streets saw the silhouette of the twitchy witch flying atop her broom, they went running to their houses as fast as the blink of an eye.

The twitchy witch couldn’t stop cackling to see the people flee in fear. Continue reading…

THE TINY LITTLE MOUSE

There was once a tiny little mouse called Marvin.

He was so small that when his friends called him, he had to light a match for them to see him. At school he was always teased for being so small, but he didn’t care and remained deaf to everything people said to him.

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However, what some of them didn’t realise was that Marvin was the only mouse not to fall into the traps set by humans. Whenever he had to dodge the traps to get to his mouse hole, Marvin darted home nimbly and never once stepped on the mechanism that activated the traps.

Childrens stories - the tiny little mouse

And that wasn’t all. Whenever a human went mouse-hunting, Marvin would hide in the cheese holes and they never caught him. He was the only one who could.

Continue reading…

CHESTER THE POLICE-CAT

Once upon a time there lived a cat called Theodor. All the other cats in the area had great respect for him, for he had managed to be adopted by an old lady and he was looked after better than he could ever have imagined.

Old Chester was the local police-cat and his main duty was to warn the other cats of dogs prowling around nearby.

Today was an important day, for all the cats were going to decide who would be the new police-cat, for old Chester couldn’t run as fast as he used to and he was getting old and tired…

 

Childrens stories - Chester the police-cat

 

Theodor gave a long speech to persuade everyone that he was the best cat for such a big responsibility. He ate very well, he said, and this made him strong and healthy and therefore very fast.

Theodor thought he was certain to be voted the new police-cat because nobody else volunteered. But suddenly a pretty little cat appeared on top of a rubbish bin and spoke. “Hello friends, I too would like to be a candidate, for I’m very agile and quick“. Continue reading…

JAMIE THE ELEPHANT AND THE TEACHER SQUIRREL

There was once an elephant called Jamie who was bigger than any elephant that had ever existed before. He went to see a squirrel called Sally to ask her a favour.

Sally had been a maths teacher for many years. So Jamie went to see her at school, for he thought that she would be there, like every day.

But Jamie the elephant was surprised to find that Sally wasn’t at school that day, for she had gone to teach a little girl whose leg was in plaster and had to stay at home. This annoyed Jamie the elephant quite considerably, because he couldn’t ask the teacher for help right then and there. Instead, he would have to work really hard by himself to solve a maths problem they had given him at the university.

Children´s stories - Elephant tales

The next week, Sally went to visit Jamie, to see what he had wanted the day she wasn’t at school.

“Hello Jamie, how are you? I hear you came to see me at school the other day. Was there something you wanted?”

“Oh, no, well, it was about a sum I couldn’t do… but it’s too late now.”

“I’m so sorry, Jamie, I would have loved to help you. Will you forgive me?”

“Weeeeeell, I’m actually very angry…” Continue reading…