ALADDIN STORY-9 The next day the magician learned, from the chief superintendent of the khan where he lodged, that Aladdin had gone on a hunting expedition, which was to last for eight days, of which only three had expired. The magician wanted to know no more. He resolved at once on his plans. He went to a coppersmith, and asked for a dozen copper lamps: the master of the shop told him he had not so many by him, but if he would have patience till the next day, he would have them ready. The magician appointed his time, and desired him to take care that they should be handsome and well polish ... read more

Three neighbors were having trouble with their crops. All three fields had crops that were wilting and infested with pests. Each day they would try different ideas to help their crops. The first one tried using a scarecrow, the second used pesticides, and the third built a fence on his field, all to no avail. One day, the village head came by and called all three farmers. He gave them each a stick and asked them to break the sticks. The farmers could break them easily. He then gave them a bundle of three sticks and asked them to break it. This time, the farmers struggled to break the sticks. T ... read more

The Clever Crow It was then summer season. The day was very hot, when a crow became thirsty. He flied hither and thither in search of water. But he could not find water anywhere. After some time, the crow came across a pitcher that was lying under a tree. He peeped into it, and found that there was water, but at a very low level, and it was not possi­ble for him to suck it with his beak. He was disheartened. But he did not leave the place, because the presence of water in the pitcher made him eager to drink it. The crow's eyes suddenly fell on a heap of pebbles which were lying under ... read more

Bad Company Once there was an old man. He had four sons. They had fallen into bad company. They mixed up with gamblers. The father advised them not to mix with such persons. But the advice had no effect on them. One day, the old man bought a basketful of mangoes. He told the sons to eat the mangoes the next morning. The old man kept one rotten mango among them. The next morning, the sons found that most of the mangoes were rotten. The father told them the cause. The sons learnt a lesson. They left the bad company. Moral: A single rotten mango can spoil all others.

A Greedy Dog Once a dog was waiting near a meat shop the hope to get by chance a piece of meat. Soon he found an opportunity. The shopkeeper had a good number of customers visiting his shop at a time, and he became busy in talking to them and selling meat according to their respective laments. In the meantime, the dog managed to bite a lump of meat from the shop and ran away as fast as possible. He reached the bank of a river and wanted to cross the river by the bridge that was laid over it. The dog climbed the bridge, and as he came near the middle of it, he saw his own shadow fel ... read more