On interesting short stories for Kids

Everyone loves good stories. They transport you to another world while imparting life-lessons. Children hate preaching, so we use stories to inculcate morals in them. In stories, with the aid of just 2-3 characters, we build a credible world. When the children down their shields, we can explain a thing or two to them. ‘Aesop’s fables’, which still inspire awe, is an all-time favourite of children the world over. ‘The Fox and the Grapes’ story talks about greed and how when we don’t get something we desire, we make peace with it. ‘Belling the Cat’ is another wonderful story that talks about the human paradox of dealing with tough and serious situations. ‘The lion and the Mouse’ story affirms the virtue of helping someone in need and how a small act of kindness can make or break someone’s life.

Some stories have, in fact, become proverbs like, ‘The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs’ or ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.’ This shows how essential the stories are. Then there are stories that teach tough life lessons- ‘The Greedy Crocodile’ teaches children the essence of the proverb — ‘A Bird in hand is worth Two in a Bush’. ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’ proves that nobody will believe a liar, even when he speaks the truth. ‘The Ugly Duckling’ deals with the concept of appearance and emphasizes on the fact that beauty does not mean perfection.

‘Panchtantra’ is a staple for Kids in India. The stories by Vishnu Sharma, originally in Sanskrit, offer a delightful narration, with animals and birds often being the central characters. They provide valuable life-lessons in a light-hearted manner. ‘The Monkey and the Crocodile’ teaches us to choose our friends wisely. ‘The Stork and the Crab’ teaches using the presence of mind to get out of tough situations. ‘The loyal Mongoose’ pinpoints thinking before acting. ‘The Elephants and the Mice’ is a perfect narration of how even a weak person can stand up to big problems. Pigeons' tale shows the virtue of ‘strength in unity’.

Stories also satisfy the children’s quest for adventure. Aladdin and Sinbad’s stories, in ‘Arabian Nights’, take on a whole new dimension when we re-interpret them for kids. So do the tales of princesses like Snow-White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan and Ariel.

Stories are more important than ever nowadays. Because of the waning tradition of joint-family, no one tells stories to kids. Now we have no more Grandma’s bedtime stories. The subtle art of story-telling has given way to mobile gaming and you-tube. But the old-world charm of stories still holds a special place in children’s hearts, clear from the fact that Disney has become one of the biggest production houses in movies. But the movies show you the journey of a hero, while in a story the kid becomes the hero. As children fill in the scenery and nuances of the story-world, it comes to life in their creative minds and become their world, engrossing them and giving incredible lessons for life.