Author: admin

The Great Fire

A LONG TIME AGO, along the basin of the Amazon river in South America, there raged a terrible war between two groups. As soon as one group began to yearn for peace, an evil wizard named Sararuma would whisper something terrible to them about what the other side was planning to do. “They plan to attack… Continue reading The Great Fire

The Enormous Turnip

An old man planted a turnip. The turnip grew and grew. It was enormous! The old man started to pull the turnip out of the ground. He pulled and pulled, but could not pull it out. So he called over his wife. The old woman took hold of the old man, the old man took hold… Continue reading The Enormous Turnip

Swapping Places

In a small farm in Norway there lived a young man and his wife who loved each other very much.  But if you could see them at home, it may not be so easy to tell. One day when the husband came home, he did not like what he saw.  “This place is a mess!” he… Continue reading Swapping Places

All for a Paisa

There lived in the valley a very wealthy merchant who was not at all happy with his only son. The boy showed no signs of intelligence or creativity, much less any willingness to work. His mother always thought the best of him, however, and was constantly making excuses for him. When the lad reached the… Continue reading All for a Paisa

A Story From Confucius

A Folktale story from the philosopher Confucius, published in Chinese Fables and Folk Stories (1908), which explains losing one’s temper and the art of self-control.  Confucius once heard two of his pupils quarreling. One was of a gentle nature and was called by all the students a peaceful man. The other had a good brain and a kind heart, but… Continue reading A Story From Confucius

Androcles & the Lion

THIS STORY takes place in Rome, where a Greek slave named Androcles escaped from his master and fled into the forest. There he wandered for a long time until he was weary and well nigh spent with hunger and despair. Just then he heard a lion near him moaning and groaning and at times roaring… Continue reading Androcles & the Lion

The Girl and the Puma

Five hundred years ago when the Spanish entered South America, Native American tribes often fought back against the invaders. One way tribes could put pressure on the Spanish was to surround their settlements. This is what happened in the early 1500’s when Maldonado, a Spanish girl, was 15 years old. Hostile Native Americans of the… Continue reading The Girl and the Puma

The Tale of El Capitan

n California today in the valley of Yosemite many tourists come to marvel at a very tall and sheer rock called El Capitan. But those who lived centuries ago, the people of the Miwok tribe, had another name for this natural wonder. They told a story about how it came about. According to the Miwok,… Continue reading The Tale of El Capitan