少儿经典的英语小故事

The Happy Couple A long time ago, there was a happy prince and princess in a country. They took care of and loved each other very much, and their country was happy, too. Therefore they didn't envy anything else. There was one thing they worried about. They wanted to make sure they could live happily forever like this One day, one of the subjects found out the couple's worry and told them, "Prince, I heard that there is a magic charm1, and it can protect you from any unfortunate event. If you always carry the magic charm with you, your fear and worry will disappear." "Is it true? Where can I find that charm?" The prince asked him joyfully2. "There is an old man in the forest, and he knows about everything. You can ask him." The couple visited the old man, and asked for help with their worries and fears. The old man nodded his head as if he knew everything and said, "Travel all around the world. Then, when you meet a very happy couple, ask them to cut a piece of their underwear3. If you keep the piece of the underwear, your fear and worry will go away." The couple appreciated the old man's kindness and set out on the journey. The couple wandered around everywhere and heard about a happy knight4 and his wife of one town. They went to visit the knight. "Are you really happy like the rumor5?" Then the knight answered. "Of course, we are, Prince. But our only worry and problem is that we didn't have any children." They had to find an absolutely happy couple, so they continued their journey. They visited a happy couple who were famous for their happiness in the next town. And they asked the couple if they were really happy. The couple answered. "Yes, we are very happy. But we have too many children. A mother with a large brood6 never has a peaceful day. We worry too much about our children." They could not get a magic charm this time too, and kept going on their trip. It was very hard to find the happiest couple in the world. One day, the prince couple met a shepherd7 and his wife in a big field. The shepherd was playing a flute9 and driving a herd8 of sheep, and his wife took their two children to him. As soon as the shepherd saw his family, he ran to them directly. He kissed and embraced10 each of them by turns. They sat in a circle and had lunch after the wife had prepared it. The prince couple watched for a while and approached them. "Excuse me. You look so happy!" The shepherd smiled and said, "Sure, any king or queen can never be happier than we are." The prince couple thought that they finally found what they were looking for. "I am sorry, but could you please cut a piece of your underwear for us?" The prince couple asked them very politely, but the shepherd couple felt confused and said, "Of course we would like to help you, but we don't wear any underwear." In the end, the couple set out on their journey again with nothing. Finally they came back to their home because they were so tired, and because they couldn't find the magic charm too. As soon as they came back to their country, they visited the old man. The prince told their story to the old man and asked him. "Why did you make us suffer from the long trip for a charm which doesn't even exist?" The old man smiled and said, "Well, do you really think your trip was a vain effort? Think about it carefully. While you were traveling around, you learned11 many things about how other people live, didn't you?" The prince thought to himself for a while and said, "Ah, now I understand. You mean that true happiness is up to yourself." The prince's wife smiled and nodded her head. The happy couple held their hands and looked in each other's eyes. The old man said as he watched them. "The true magic charm that you are searching for is in your mind. Keep it carefully from now on. Then, you'll never be unhappy with whatever comes your way." Last Dream for an Old Oak1 Tree Once upon a time, there was a large oak tree in the forest. This oak tree was very old. One day during the hot summer, a mayfly flew by and alighted on a leaf of the oak tree. "Mayfly, you must be so sad." "Why?" "You get to live only one day." The oak tree felt sorry for the mayfly. Mayfly asked, "Don't you live for one day?" "No. I live much longer than you do." The mayfly nodded and asked, "Really? Then, are you happy now?" "Yes, I am very happy," replied the oak tree. Then the mayfly smiled and said, "I am very happy, too. Although I get to live only one day, it doesn't matter. You get to live much longer than I do, but we are both happy, aren't we?" The oak tree and the mayfly kept on talking to each other. Eventually, the mayfly leaned2 on the oak tree and fell asleep. "Mayfly!" The oak tree called the mayfly, but the mayfly did not respond3. It had died. "Mayfly, have a happy dream." The oak tree blessed the mayfly for the last time. Many weeks then passed. Spring, summer and fall went by, and winter came. Finally, the long-awaited day of Christmas came. The oak tree wanted to rest now. The oak tree had a dream on Christmas day. In it, pretty flowers were abundant4 and butterflies were flying in a green forest. In this dream, the oak tree met the mayfly. The mayfly said, "Come play here. It is such a happy place." The oak tree was very pleased indeed to see the mayfly. While the oak tree was sleeping, its roots were cut. It was time for the oak tree to die. The oak tree went to a happy world, dreaming. The Terrible King A long time ago, there lived a terrible king. The terrible king's wish was that all the people would shake in fear at the sound of his name. The terrible king made the lives of the people in the neighbor land horrible. "Here! Take everything!" The Terrible King The terrible king viciously1 took away all the belongings2 of the neighbor land. He even scared the poor women and children. The king was not even sorry to the children and women. The terrible king bothered the people of the neighbor land worse and worse everyday. The palace became more and more magnificent3. "Put up a statue in the church!" Now the terrible king was ordering the church to place a statue of himself there. However, the ministers could not do that." Your majesty4 may be great, but God is even greater." The terrible king was becoming angry. It was because he thought that he was the greatest in the whole world. Then the king was angry. "What! He is greater? Then I will defeat God." In a loud voice, the terrible king said that he would win against God. That's why he ordered that a magnificent ship be built in order to go to the heaven. He said he would ride the ship to go and defeat God. The terrible king rode the ship up to heaven. From the sky, an angel was sent. However, the terrible king shot over a thousand bullets5 at the angel. "Ahhhhhh" Being shot, the angel was bleeding. The blood dropped unto the terrible king's ship. The angel's blood was so heavy that the king's ship sank. The terrible king became angry, again. "Build a more stronger ship." The terrible king wanted a better ship, so he ordered all the workers in his kingdom to build it. "I will defeat God for sure!" The terrible king went up to heaven, once more. God sent mosquitoes to the terrible king. The terrible king just laughed at the mosquitoes. "Go and bring me the best carpet." The king made another command. He thought that if he wrapped the carpet around his body the mosquitoes would not be able to bite him. But one mosquito went inside of the carpet. Because of that one mosquito, the terrible king was rolling around screaming. The terrible king that couldn't even catch one mosquito was a laughingstock for his troops.