The Donkey on Wheels "THERE was once a poor little donkey on wheels. It had never wagged its tail, or tossed its head, or said, "Hee-haw!" or tasted a tender thistle. It always went about, anywhere that anyone pulled it, on four wooden wheels, carrying a foolish knight, who wore a large cocked hat and a long cloak, because he had no legs. Now, a man who has no legs, and rides a donkey on wheels, has little cause for pride; but the knight was haughty, and seldom remembered his circumstances. So the donkey suffered sorely, and in many ways. One day the donkey and the knight were on the tab ... read more

The Friendship of a Lion and a Mouse There lived a tiny mouse in a big dense forest that was always in search of food. While searching in the forest, one day, it came near a lion's den. The good smell coming from the lion's den drew the little mouse inside it. The mouse found several pieces of animal meat on the floor. Those were all the leftovers of the animal the lion had eaten. Therefore, the mouse ate few pieces. Later, it decided to eat the other pieces at night, so it stayed back in the den. Due to over eating, the mouse fell asleep inside the den. The lion returned to its den at d ... read more

A long time ago, a terrible famine hit an ancient animal kingdom. It had not rained for two whole years and all of the crops were dying. The animals hoped and prayed for an end to the terrible drought, but the sky was no longer able to gather enough clouds, and the rains did not come. Ijapa, the cunning tortoise, lived on the outskirts of the village with his wife and two sons. The famine was very bad and was already having a devastating effect on all the animals, so Ijapa could no longer trick them into parting with what little rations of food they possessed. One morning, very tired ... read more

Monkey stood at the edge of the river and watched Turtle swimming against the torrent with a tree that he had caught in the flood: a young tree. ‘Oh, Monkey, I have caught a banana tree. Monkey, will you help me to drag it to the clearing and plant it? It will grow and there will be sweet bananas.’ Turtle pulled the tree by its heavy end – the roots and the trunk – across the ground. Monkey carried just a couple of green fronds from the top end of the tree. Lazy Monkey. When Turtle wasn’t looking, Monkey jumped onto the fronds. Monkey nimble, Monkey quick, Monkey play a monkey tri ... read more

How a Boy Went Fishing ON the morning of Decoration-day, Harry declined attending the celebration with the family, saying that he preferred to go fishing, "lots of other fellows were going." So Harry gathered up his fishing outfit, his gun, dinner pail, matches, and an umbrella for sultry sun or summer shower, and set them outside the door while he hunted for a few angleworms. The parents bade him good-by, to take care of himself, and not go too far up the canyon, for the walk home after pleasure is over is always a longer one than that of going. When the parents and two youngest ones ... read more