Short Bedtime Stories With Moral
Bedtime stories are a wonderful way to end the day with a positive message. These short stories are not only fun to listen to but also teach important lessons. Whether about kindness, honesty, or teamwork, bedtime stories help children learn valuable morals that they can carry with them every day. Enjoy these simple tales before bedtime! Hope you will like it. You can download this storybook (PDF) using the link at the story’s end.
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Contents
Short Bedtime Moral Stories For Kids
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The Hare and the Tortoise
A very confident hare agrees to race a tortoise. When the race starts, the hare runs as fast as he can. But after a while, he gets tired and decides to take a nap under a tree, thinking the tortoise will never catch up. Meanwhile, the tortoise keeps moving slowly but steadily, determined to finish the race. When the hare finally wakes up, he is surprised to see that the slow tortoise has won.
Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Once upon a time, a hungry wolf struggled to catch a sheep for dinner. To trick the sheep, he put on sheepskin to disguise himself. The sheep believed he was one of them. The wolf then led the sheep to a secluded spot and ate them one by one.
Moral: Beware of those who pretend to be something they’re not.
The Fisherman and the Little Fish
This story is about a fisherman who needs fish to make a living. One day, he catches a small fish. The fish asks the fisherman to let him go, saying he is too small to be worth much. The fish promises that if the fisherman waits, he can catch him again when he is bigger and worth more. However, the wise fisherman refuses to let the fish go and explains that he won’t give up a sure profit for something uncertain.
Moral: Don’t give up what you have for something that may never happen.
The Ugly Duckling
A farmer’s duck lays ten eggs. When the eggs hatch, nine ducklings look just like their mother, but the tenth one is big, gray, and considered ugly. The other ducklings tease him, which makes him very sad. Feeling unhappy, the ugly duckling runs to a nearby river, where he sees beautiful white swans. Scared and feeling lost, he thinks about drowning himself. But when he looks at his reflection in the water, he realizes he isn’t an ugly duckling at all; he is actually a beautiful swan.
Moral: Don’t judge others by their appearance.
The Crow and the Pitcher
One day, a thirsty crow discovers a pitcher with only a small amount of water inside. The water is too low for the crow to reach with his beak. Thinking quickly, he starts dropping stones into the pitcher, which makes the water rise. Thanks to his cleverness and resourcefulness, the crow is able to drink the water and fly away.
Moral: Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
The Lion and the Boar
On a hot summer day, a lion and a boar come to a river to drink water. They start arguing and fighting over who should drink first. As they get tired and out of breath, they notice vultures circling above, waiting to eat whoever loses. Realizing the danger, the lion and the boar decide to make up and drink the water together.
Moral: Unity is strength.
Who Will Bell the Cat?
A group of mice gathers to talk about their common enemy—the cat. They share many ideas, but none are good enough to defeat the cat. Finally, a young mouse suggests that they should tie a bell around the cat’s neck. A wise mouse replies, “That’s a clever idea! But who will bell the cat?”
Moral: It is easy to propose impossible solutions.
Donkey in Lion’s Skin
In this classic story, a donkey finds a lion’s skin left out by hunters to dry. He puts on the skin and walks around, scaring other animals and people he encounters. Proud of himself, he brays loudly in joy. However, his braying reveals his true identity, and everyone gives him a good beating for frightening them.
Moral: Clothes do not make the man.
The Fox Without a Tail
In this story, a fox gets his tail caught in a hunter’s trap. In a panic, he pulls hard to free it but ends up losing his tail completely. Worried that others will laugh at him, he comes up with a plan. He calls a meeting with the other foxes and tells them that tails are useless and that they should get rid of them. The chief fox replies, “You wouldn’t have suggested we lose our tails if you hadn’t lost yours.”
Moral: Misery loves company.
The Two Goats
Two goats stand on opposite ends of a weak and narrow bridge. They both want to cross but are unwilling to let the other go first. When they meet in the middle of the bridge, they start fighting over who should go first. As they fight, the bridge collapses, and both goats fall into the river.
Moral: It is wise to compromise.
The Greedy Dragon
A greedy dragon hoarded gold, but one day, he shared it with the townspeople. They built a beautiful community together. The dragon realized that sharing his treasure made him happier than keeping it all.
Moral: Sharing brings joy
The Brave Little Mouse
In a cozy burrow, a timid mouse wished to be brave. One fateful day, he saw a cat stalking his friends. Gathering his courage, he squeaked loudly, startling the cat away. His bravery saved the day, and the other animals celebrated his newfound courage.
Moral: Courage comes in all sizes.
In conclusion, bedtime stories are a perfect way to inspire and teach children important life lessons. They leave children with a positive thoughts to carry into their dreams. Through these simple stories, kids learn values like kindness, respect, and courage, making bedtime a meaningful and enriching experience for both children and parents.
MCQs Based On The Short Moral Stories
1. What was the moral of “The Hare and the Tortoise”?
A) Always rest before a race
B) Speed is the key to winning
C) Slow and steady wins the race
D) Take naps during a race
2. What did the wolf disguise himself as in “A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing”?
A) A sheep
B) A rabbit
C) A goat
D) A lion
3. What did the ugly duckling turn into in the story “The Ugly Duckling”?
A) A swan
B) A peacock
C) A chicken
D) A goose
4. How did the crow manage to drink the water in “The Crow and the Pitcher”?
A) By flying away for help
B) By waiting for someone to help
C) By dropping stones into the pitcher
D) By using a straw
5. What did the lion and the boar learn in “The Lion and the Boar”?
A) Fighting is always the best solution
B) It’s better to drink first
C) Unity is strength
D) The river is too dangerous to drink from
6. What did the donkey in “Donkey in Lion’s Skin” reveal by braying?
A) His pride
B) His true identity
C) His fear
D) His happiness
7. What did the fox do in “The Fox Without a Tail” to cover up his loss?
A) He told the other foxes tails were useless
B) He ran away to a new forest
C) He found a new tail
D) He called for help from other animals
8. What did the dragon learn in “The Greedy Dragon”?
A) Keeping gold is the best
B) Sharing brings joy
C) Dragons can never be happy
D) Gold is worth more than people
9. What did the little mouse prove in “The Brave Little Mouse”?
A) Size doesn’t matter when it comes to courage
B) Only cats can be brave
C) Mice are too small to be brave
D) Bravery is for the strongest animals
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