A Man with a Lamp

Once upon a time, there was a small town. There lived a man by himself who couldn’t see. He was blind. Yet, he carried a lighted lamp with him wherever he went out at night.
One night as he was walking home after having dinner outside, he came across a group of young travelers. They recognized that he was blind and were surprised to see him carrying a lighted lamp. They started to pass comments and make fun of him. One of them asked him, “Hey, man! You are blind and can’t see anything, why are you carrying a lamp then?!”
The blind man replied, “Yes, unfortunately I am blind and can’t see anything but a lighted lamp which I am carrying is for people like you who are not blind but may not see a blind man coming by and accidentally shoulder me out of the way.
The group of travelers felt ashamed and apologized to him for their bad behavior.

 

Act of Kindness and Goodwill

Mr. Phillips got ready to leave his office when he remembered that he had to buy 1KG of bananas. When he stepped out, he saw an ill-looking old lady across the road. She was selling fresh bananas on the street. Mr. Phillips usually bought bananas from a grocery shop a few blocks away from his office but since he was in a hurry to go home that day, he thought about buying them from the woman across the road.

He went to the old lady and asked her the price. “$7 per 1KG.” she said.

“But the store where I usually buy bananas at gives them for $5, can you not give me the bananas for the same price?” he said.

“No sir, not $5, but I can sell them to you at $6.” The old lady replied.

Mr. Phillips decided to drive his car to the usual fruit shop.

He went inside, picked up a good bunch of bananas and went to the cashier to pay for them but he was surprised when the cashier told him that the price per 1KG was $10. “I always buy them for $5!” he told the cashier in surprise, “Can’t you offer me a better price?” The Manager overheard their conversation and walked to them. He told Mr. Phillips, “Sorry sir, but our prices are fixed, we do not bargain.” Mr. Phillips felt a little bad with that unfriendly behavior. He thought for a second and put those bananas back. He went back to the old lady. She recognized him instantly and told him, “Sir, I can’t match that price, I won’t be able to earn any profit.”

 “Don’t worry about the price; I will pay you $10. Now, give me 2KG.” said Mr. Phillips. The old lady got very happy and packed 2kgs of bananas and said, “I can’t take 10 but I will take 7. I appreciate your kindness.” She continued, “My husband used to have a small fruit shop but he got very sick. We had no children or relatives who could support us. We had to sell his shop to cover his medical bills but he finally died.” She continued while she was crying, “But now to support myself I am trying to sell what I can buy and sell.”

Mr. Phillips told her calmly “Don’t worry, you are doing great and from now on, I will only buy bananas from you.”  He pulled out his wallet and gave her $100 extra and said, “Take this and bring more different fruits to sell tomorrow. You can earn more if you have more choices of fruits to sell.” The old lady thanked him. Later on, he recommended many of his colleagues to buy fruits from that lady. And with the support from Mr. Phillips and many other buyers, she made a better living.

Lazy Jack

Once upon a time there was a boy whose name was Jack, and he lived with his mother on a common. They were very poor, and the old woman got her living by spinning, but Jack was so lazy that he would do nothing but bask in the sun in the hot weather, and sit by the corner of the hearth in the winter-time. So they called him Lazy Jack. His mother could not get him to do anything for her, and at last told him, one Monday, that if he did not begin to work for his porridge she would turn him out to get his living as he could.

This roused Jack, and he went out and hired himself for the next day to a neighbouring farmer for a penny; but as he was coming home, never having had any money before, he lost it in passing over a brook. “You stupid boy,” said his mother, “you should have put it in your pocket.” “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack.

On Wednesday, Jack went out again and hired himself to a cow-keeper, who gave him a jar of milk for his day’s work. Jack took the jar and put it into the large pocket of his jacket, spilling it all, long before he got home. “Dear me!” said the old woman; “you should have carried it on your head.” “I’ll do so another time,” said Jack.

So on Thursday, Jack hired himself again to a farmer, who agreed to give him a cream cheese for his services. In the evening Jack took the cheese, and went home with it on his head. By the time he got home the cheese was all spoilt, part of it being lost, and part matted with his hair. “You stupid lout,” said his mother, “you should have carried it very carefully in your hands.” “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack.

On Friday, Lazy Jack again went out, and hired himself to a baker, who would give him nothing for his work but a large tom-cat. Jack took the cat, and began carrying it very carefully in his hands, but in a short time pussy scratched him so much that he was compelled to let it go. When he got home, his mother said to him, “You silly fellow, you should have tied it with a string, and dragged it along after you.” “I’ll do so another time,” said Jack.

So on Saturday, Jack hired himself to a butcher, who rewarded him by the handsome present of a shoulder of mutton. Jack took the mutton, tied it to a string, and trailed it along after him in the dirt, so that by the time he had got home the meat was completely spoilt. His mother was this time quite out of patience with him, for the next day was Sunday, and she was obliged to make do with cabbage for her dinner. “You ninney-hammer,” said she to her son; “you should have carried it on your shoulder.” “I’ll do so another time,” replied Jack.

On the next Monday, Lazy Jack went once more, and hired himself to a cattle-keeper, who gave him a donkey for his trouble. Jack found it hard to hoist the donkey on his shoulders, but at last he did it, and began walking slowly home with his prize. Now it happened that in the course of his journey there lived a rich man with his only daughter, a beautiful girl, but deaf and dumb. Now she had never laughed in her life, and the doctors said she would never speak till somebody made her laugh. This young lady happened to be looking out of the window when Jack was passing with the donkey on his shoulders, with the legs sticking up in the air, and the sight was so comical and strange that she burst out into a great fit of laughter, and immediately recovered her speech and hearing. Her father was overjoyed, and fulfilled his promise by marrying her to Lazy Jack, who was thus made a rich gentleman. They lived in a large house, and Jack’s mother lived with them in great happiness until she died.

 

 

 

Maxwell Loses a Tooth

Maxwell put up his hand and waited for his teacher, Mrs. Gilbert, to notice him.

“Do you have a question, Maxwell?” she asked.

“It’s more like a problem,” Maxwell said. “I lost my tooth.”

Maxwell stood up and held out his hand to show his class his baby tooth.

“Congratulations,” Mrs. Gilbert said. Then she asked the class if anyone had any advice for Maxwell. Keiko put up her hand first. Keiko was from Japan.

“Is it an upper or a lower tooth?” Keiko asked.

“A lower tooth,” Maxwell said. He opened his mouth and showed the class the empty spot in the bottom of his mouth.

“You should throw your baby tooth over the roof of your house,” Keiko said.

“Why should I do that?” Maxwell said.

“Because then your new adult tooth will grow properly. When you lose an upper tooth you should put it under the floor.”

Mrs. Gilbert thought this was a good idea, but Frida disagreed. Frida was from Austria.

“You shouldn’t throw your baby tooth away, Maxwell. You should keep it and give it to your mother,” Frida said.

“Why should I do that?” asked Maxwell.

“She will make it into a necklace for you to wear.”

Jorge shook his head and put up his hand. He had some different advice for Maxwell. Jorge was from Mexico.

“You should take your tooth home. Then you should put it under your pillow when you go to sleep,” Jorge said.

“Why should I do that?” Maxwell said.

“Because then the tooth mouse will come. He will keep your tooth and pay you with good luck. Sometimes the tooth mouse even brings a small toy.”

Maxwell liked Jorge’s advice the best. Mrs. Gilbert gave him a box to keep his tooth in. She didn’t want him to lose his tooth again.

“Whatever you decide, you should show your mother your tooth when you get home,” Mrs. Gilbert said.

When Maxwell got home he showed his mother the empty spot in his mouth. Then he opened the box and showed her his tooth.

“Congratulations! What are you going to do with your tooth, Maxwell?” his mother asked.

“I’m going to put it under my pillow,” he said. And he did.

When Maxwell woke up the next morning he looked under his pillow. The tooth was gone. In its place, Maxwell found a one dollar bill. He also found a letter. This is what the letter said:

Dear Maxwell,

Congratulations!

You lost your first tooth. I will keep it forever. You should buy something nice for yourself with this money.

Love,

The Tooth Fairy“….. I should tell my class about the tooth fairy,” Maxwell thought. “Everyone”

The Bone in Throat

Once upon a time, there was a lazy wolf living in a jungle. Near his house was a pond. Many animals came to the pond to drink water. The wolf was always in search of food.
One day, he was sitting near the pond hoping to get something to eat. When suddenly he spotted a dead bull. “Aha! What a luck! Now I can eat all I want,” he thought and his mouth started watering.

He began to eat the bull. A thought struck him, “if another beast comes this way he will ask for a share. I had better eat fast.” ‘Grub! Grub! Grub1’ he chewed, faster and faster.
In his haste, a piece of bone got stuck in his throat. “Ohh! Errk!” cried the wolf. He tried to bring it out of his mouth. He tried to cough it out but in vain. Next, he tried to swallow it down but he failed.

“Ooh, the bone in throat hurts. What shall I do now?” thought the wolf. Suddenly he remembered that a crane lived on the nearby riverbank.

The wolf went to the crane and pleaded, “My dear Crane! I have got a bone stuck in my throat. I will give you a present, if you pull it out of my throat with your long beak.”
The crane took pity on the wolf. He asked the wolf to look up with his mouth open. The crane then put its head into the wolf’s mouth and pulled out the bone.

“Oh! What a relief!” the wolf sighed.

“Now where is my present?” asked the crane.

“What present?” the wolf replied, pretending not aware of its promise.

“You said that you would give me a present if I remove the bone from your throat,” said the crane humbly.

“Hah! Is it not a present that you put your head into my mouth and got out alive? I could have easily crushed your head while your beak was inside my mouth,” said the ungrateful wolf and went away.

 

 

The Little Princess: I want to be tall

It was a beautiful day. Everyone was playing outside.

‘Oh no!’ cried Little Princess. ‘Bouncy thing is stuck!’

She had been having a lovely game outside with her space hopper.

She just hadn’t meant to throw it quite so high.

The Little Princess stared up at the apple tree. ‘I’m not tall enough to reach him.’

 ‘Dinner time!’ summoned the Maid.

‘Oh goody!’ grinned the Little Princess. ‘It’s mashed potato and tomato sauce.’

Inside, the Admiral, General and Prime Minister were playing.

The Little princess tried to push past to the right.

The Little Princess tried to push past to the left.

‘Excuse me!’ piped up the Little Princess.

‘Sorry Princess,’ said the Prime Minister. ‘Didn’t spot you down there.’

‘You are a bit on the small side.’ tittered the General.

The Little Princess scowled, ‘I need to get by!’

The Little Princess stood on her tiptoes in front of the fridge.

‘I’m going to get the yummy ketchup.’ She decided and jumped up to reach the handle.

She jumped again.  On the third jump she managed to reach the handle and fling open the door.

Unfortunately the tomato sauce bottle was on the top shelf.

‘I need to be taller!’ moaned the Little Princess.

‘You’ll be tall soon enough.’ said the king cheerfully taking out the ketchup.

‘My fantastic dinner will make the Little Princess grow big and tall.’ Announced the chef, filling her plate with bangers and mash.

‘Ooh!’ squealed the Little Princess.

‘More please!’ said the Little Princess. The Chef put on a second scoop.

 ‘And more!’ said the Little Princess. The Chef put on a third scoop.

‘More!’ said the Little Princess. The Chef put on a fourth scoop.

‘And just a little bit more!’ said the Little Princess. And the Chef put on a fifth and final scoop.

‘I’m going to grow very tall!’ said the Little Princess.

‘There is none left for us!’ cried the Queen.

By the time she’d climbed the stairs up to her bedroom, the Little Princess’s tummy was feeling very full up.

‘I ate too much dinner.’ she groaned. ‘But at least I’m taller now.’

Little Princess stood next to the chart as straight as she could and marked the chart with a red crayon.

To her dismay, she measured exactly the same as yesterday.

‘That’s not supposed to happen!’ she said crossly.

The Little Princess had left her crayons and paints on the floor.

What do you think Scruff and Puss did now?

‘Your plant is taller than me!’ grumbled the Little Princess, when she spotted the Maid.

‘But it did start off very tiny.’ Said the Maid.

The Little Princess looked confused. ‘Why are you washing it?’

‘Ha-ha…I’m not!’ laughed the maid.

 ‘Plants need water to grow.’ she began to explain, but the Little Princess had already run off.

‘Whheeee!’

‘Growing tall is really good fun!’ she giggled.

She pointed the hose up so it showered her in a bubbly fountain of water.

‘That should do it.’ decided the Little Princess.

The Little Princess ran upstairs, dripping water all over the carpet.

She marked her height on the chart with a green crayon.

‘Oh!’ she wailed. ‘I haven’t grown at all! And my skin has gone all wrinkly.’

She stared sadly out of the window. Nothing seemed to be working.

How was she ever going to rescue Bouncy thing?

Over at the vegetable patch, the Gardener was measuring his prize pumpkins.

‘What a whopper!’ he chuckled. ‘Everything all right, Princess?’

The Little Princess frowned. ‘Even your pumpkins are nearly as big as me.’

‘That’s because I plant them in compost.’ Replied the Gardener.

‘Compost?’ asked the Little Princess.

The Gardener smiled confidently. ‘It never fails.’

There was only one thing for it. ‘It smells a bit pongy.’ spluttered the Little Princess.

She stood amongst soggy potato peelings, and smelly egg shells, slimy cabbage leaves, maggoty apple cores and mouldy leaves for as long as she could bear it.

‘This had better work!’ she said.

This time the Little Princess marked her height on the chart with a purple crayon.

But she hadn’t grown a centimeter.

‘Nothing!’ she cried. ‘I want to be tall, tall, tall!’

The Little Princess was desperate. She sneakily lowered the height chart, then drew a new line on the chart with her purple crayon.

‘I’m a great big Princess now!’ she giggled.

The King wandered in.

‘Oh, dear! The chart has slipped down. Well, you’re still my poppet, no matter how small you are.’ he explained.

‘One day I will be tall.’ sighed the Little Princess.

She gazed despairingly out of the window. Scruff and Puss were playing on the slide. The Little Princess suddenly beamed. She had an idea.

‘This is how I can be very, very tall!’

‘I can reach Bouncy Thing now!’ cried the Little Princess from the top of the slide.

‘And now that I am tall, I am not coming down ever!’

 ‘This is fun!’

Being tall came in very handy. She helped the Admiral win at hide and seek.

And she became the Chef’s expert apple-picker. And she could even see her teddy, Gilbert, on parachute adventures.

‘Princess!’ called the Maid. ‘Your auntie’s just arrived with your baby cousin.’

‘Aren’t you going to come down and play?’

‘I can’t come down.’ Said the Little Princess. ‘I won’t be tall anymore.’

‘Well, can you just watch him for just a minute for me?’

The baby crawled over to Bouncy Thing, but he wasn’t tall enough to climb on.

‘You’re much too small.’ Said the Little Princess. ‘But I’m tall enough!’

She was down the slide in a trice. ‘I’ll help you!’

‘One day you’ll grow nice and tall like me!’

The Lucky Octopus

Ollie the octopus only had seven legs.

“The last one will grow,” the ocean doctor said the day Ollie was born.

“But when?” asked Ollie’s mother. She was very sad.

“When Ollie turns eight years old,” the doctor said.

For seven years, Ollie’s brothers and sisters teased her about her missing leg. She was the youngest octopus in the family. Her sister Olivia was the oldest.

“Ollie only has seven legs because she isn’t part of our real family,” Olivia told the other sea creatures one day.

It was a lie, but everyone believed Olivia because she was the oldest.

When the other sea creatures played games like tag and hide and go seek, Ollie’s brother Oscar wouldn’t let Ollie play.

“You can’t catch a fish with only seven legs,” Oscar said. “Go and find a friend that has an extra leg to play with.”

Ollie searched around the ocean, but there weren’t any kind sea creature to play with. She was very lonely.

One day Ollie’s brother Orlando saw Ollie playing by herself in the seaweed. He was very happy.

“Guess what I found today, Ollie!” Orlando said. “A treasure chest. It is from a ship and it is full of beautiful jewels.”

“Can I see it?” Ollie asked. “I have always dreamed of seeing a treasure chest.”

“I’m not showing it to anyone!” Orlando said. “Especially not a tiny octopus with only seven legs.”

Ollie went home and told her mother that she was sad. “Everyone treats me differently because I only have seven legs,” she said.

“Don’t worry,” her mother said. “Tomorrow is your eighth birthday and you will finally grow another leg! Then you will never be lonely.”

That night Ollie dreamed that she grew another leg. Everyone celebrated and ate delicious food. She was so happy. But the next day, when Ollie woke up and counted her legs, there were still only seven.

Ollie hid in the seaweed patch and cried. She was so sad. Suddenly a sea fairy appeared. It was the tiniest creature Ollie had ever seen.

“You are the lucky octopus I have been waiting for,” the sea fairy said.

“I am?” Ollie said.

“Yes. Only the luckiest octopus gets to make three wishes.”

Ollie knew exactly what to wish for.

“First I wish that Olivia was honest,” Ollie said.

“Your wish is granted. Now you have two more wishes,” the fairy said.

“Second I wish that Oscar was kind.”

“And now he is,” the fairy said. “And what is your last wish?”

“Lastly, I wish that Orlando was fair,” Ollie said.

Before the tiny sea fairy disappeared, she told Ollie that she was the kindest octopus in the whole sea. “I wish that all of your birthday dreams come true,” the sea fairy said before she swam away.

When Ollie got home her family was waiting for her. “Surprise!” they said all at once.

“I bought you a present,” Oscar said. “It’s a beautiful pearl necklace!”

“Thank you,” Ollie said. “You are very kind.”

“I baked a delicious cake for you,” Orlando said. “And I invited all of the sea creatures to share it with us.”

“You are very fair,” Ollie said. “Thank you for sharing.”

“I’m very sorry, I don’t have a present for you,” Olivia said. “I forgot it was your birthday.”

“That’s okay,” Ollie said. “You are very honest. Thank you.”

Ollie’s mother swam over to her daughter with a red birthday balloon.

“I’m so happy for you, Ollie,” she said.

“Why Mother?”

“Look, you’ve finally grown your eighth leg!” Ollie’s mother tied the balloon to her daughter’s new leg.

It was the happiest day of Ollie’s life.

 

 

The Trees and the Lions

Far away from a kingdom there was a huge jungle. In that jungle, there were thousands of trees. Among them two were very good friends. They stood side by side. The same jungle was the home of many lions. Those lions used to kill other animals living in that jungle and eat them. The carcasses of the dead animals used to stink and a foul smell would hang in the air. The whole atmosphere was bad to live in.

One day, the two trees, who were friends, were talking. The first tree said, “These lions are polluting our jungle. We have to save our jungle from them. They must be driven out of this jungle.”
“Yes,” agreed the other tree.

A wise old tree, who was listening to the friends said, “They might be polluting the air. But these wild creatures are keeping us safe from woodcutters. No woodcutter will dare to come into the forest which has lions.”

But, this advice did not go into the minds of the trees. The two friends decided to frighten the animals away. That evening, the two trees started shaking violently. “We will frighten the lions away. They will be so terrified that they will leave this jungle and never come back into this jungle,” said the two friends and laughed aloud.

The whole forest echoed with their laughter. “Do not do that,” shouted the wise tree.
But the two friends did not listen. They began moving in the wind and making eerie noises. All the other wild animals in the forest were scared, seeing the two trees and the sounds they were creating. “There is something happening in the forest. Let us run away,” they said. All the animals fled the jungle.

The two friends were happy. “Huh! Now we can enjoy some fresh air,” they said.
But their joy was short-lived. One day a woodcutter came to the forest and started felling the trees. “Now there is no fear of the ferocious lions,” he muttered to himself. Soon there were other wood cutters. Seeing this, the wise tree said, “Now all of us will be doomed.” The two friends cried out, “How foolish we have been. We should have listened to this wise tree.”
A little later the two tree friends were brought down by the wood cutter’s axe. The Trees and The Lions are must.

Day by day, more and more trees were destroyed by many woodcutters.

Too Tiny for Tea

 

Marty Mckay was already five years old, but he was still the baby of the family.

“Can I have some tea too?” Marty asked his mother. She drank her tea from a beautiful cup and stirred it with a silver spoon.

“No, Marty. You’re too young to drink tea.”

“But, why?” Marty asked.

“Because your fingers are too tiny to hold the cup. And tea is too hot for you, baby.”

“I’m not a baby,” Marty said. “I’m five-and-a-half.”

Marty went out to the yard. His brother Ralph was playing basketball.

“Can I play too?” Marty asked. Ralph bounced the ball up and down under Marty’s nose and then threw it into the basket.

“No Marty, you’re too young to play basketball.”

“But, why?” Marty asked.

“Because the basket is too high for you to reach. And the ball is too big for your tiny baby hands,” Ralph said.

“I’m not a baby,” Marty said. “I’m five and three quarters.”

Marty went into the kitchen. His sister Jane was getting ready to ride her bicycle to the candy store.

“Can I go to the store to buy candy?” Marty asked Jane. He could feel the wind in his hair and the candy on his tongue.

“No, you’re too young to go to the store,” Jane said.

“But why?” Marty asked.

“Because the store is too far for you to ride to. And your baby bike is too slow.”

“I’m not a baby,” Marty said. “I’m nearly six.”

“Six?” Jane laughed. “You just turned five!”

Marty sat on the grass and watched his sister ride away on her bike. He started to cry. Marty’s father was washing the car. He heard a tiny cry and went to find out what was wrong.

“Why are you crying?” Marty’s father asked.

“Because I’m too tiny to do anything. I wish I weren’t the youngest one.”

“Be careful what you wish for,” his father said.

Just then, Marty’s mother came out to bring Marty’s dad his tea. She patted her belly and smiled.

“We’re going to have another baby,” said his mother.

“And that means you’re going to be a big brother,” his father said.

“But, I’m too tiny to be a big brother,” Marty said. “I’m just a baby!”