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25 Best Short Animal Stories For kids with Morals

A collection of short stories that will help children eagerly learn several important life lessons.

Animal stories for kids fascinate and intrigue their curious minds. Aeso´s Fables, Roald Dahl’s The
Fantastic Mr. Fox, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, and the Panchatantra are interesting stories
on animals that kids may enjoy.

Children can be taught about various aspects of life through storytelling. While some messages are
simple and easy to follow, others may be intense and cannot be delivered. Science has proven
that using animals enables authors to tell a poweful story while also maintaining emotional
distance (1).

Here is a compilation of some of the best short animal tales that kids may enjoy hearing.

25 SHORT ANIMAL STORIES FOR CHILDREN WITH MORALS

1. The Hare And The Tortoise

Tired of the bragging of a speedy hare, a tortoise challenge it to a race. The overconfident hare
accepts the competition and runs a fast as it can after the race beings. Soon it gets tired and
decides to rest, thinking that there’s plenty of time to relax before tortoise can catch up with it.
Meanwhile, the tortoise continues to walk slowly, until it reaches the finish line. The overslept
hare wakes up, only to be shocked that a slow moving tortoise beat it in the race.

Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

THE TWO GOATS

One day, two goats try to cross a weak and narrow bridge across the river. The goats are at either
end of the bridge, but neither is ready to make way for the other. They come to the centre of the
bridge and begin fighting about who should cross first. As they fight mindlessly, the bridge gives in,
taking both the goats down into the river with it.

Moral: It is better to yield than to come to misfortune through stubbornness.

Related: 21 Must-Read Short Moral For Kids

This is another interesting animal story for kids that brings a valuable moral lesson to motivate
them. Enjoy it now ! One day, a strong and poweful hound was chasing a hare. After running for a
long time, the tired hound gives up the hunt. A her of goats watching this mocks the hound, saying
that the little one is better that the beast. To his, the hound reponds: “The rabbit was running for
its life, I was only running for dinner . That is the difference between us.”

Moral: Incentive spurs action.

4.THE UGLY DUCKLING

A farmer had a duck, which laid ten eggs. Soon, they all hatched. Of the ten, nine duckling
made fun of the ugly one. Unhappy in the farm, the poor duckling ran away to river nearby.
There he sees white, beautiful swans. Afraid and lost, he wanted to drown in the river. But
when he looked at his reflection in the river, he realized that he was not an ugly duckling, but a
beautiful swan!

Moral: You are beautiful just the way you are.

5. THER FISHERMAN AND THE LITTLE FISH

There was once a fisherman whose livelihood depend on his catch. One day, he was able to
catch only one small fish. The fish, in its desperation to live, says “Please leave me kind sir. I
am small and of no use to you. Let me back into the river and I can grow bigger. You can the
catch me and make more money.” The wise fisherman replies, “I will not give up a certain
profit for one that doesn’t exist yet.”

Moral: Do not forgo a certain gain for an uncertain profit.

6. The fox And The Goat

Walking alone in the forest, an unlucky fox falls into a well one day. Unable to get out, he waits for
help. A passing goat sees the fox and asks him why he is in the well. The cunning fox responds,
“there is going to be a great drought, and I am here to make sure I have water.”The gullible goat
believes this and jumps into the well. The fox swiftly jumps on the goat and uses its horns to reach
the top, leaving the goat int the well.

Moral: Never trust the advice of a man in difficulties.

7. THE FOX AND THE GRAPES

On the hot summer day, a fox comes upon an orchad and sees a bunch of ripened grapes. It
thinks: “Just what I need to quench my thirst.” It moves back a few paces, runs, and jumps but falls
short of reaching the grapes. It finally gives up, and says to himself “I am sure they are sour
anyway.”
Moral: It is easy to despise what you cannot get your hand on.

Related: Anatomy Of Fish For Kids: Parts, Pictures, And Facts

8. THE LION AND THE BOAR

It was a hot summer day. A lion and a boar reach a small water body for a drink.

The begin arguing and fighting about who should drink first. After a while, they are tired and stop
for breath, when the notice vultures above. Soon they realize that the vultures are waiting for one
or both of them to fall, to feast on them. The lion and the boar the dicide that it was best to make
up and be friends than fight and become food for vultures. They drink the water together and go
their ways after.

Moral: Those who strive are often watched by others to take advantage of their defeat.

9.THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER

It was a pleasant day and the grasshopper was in a gay mood, singing and dancing around. He sees
an ant carrying a heavy corn kernel to its nest. The grasshopper asks the ant to join him for some
fun, instead of toiling away like that. The ant tells him that it is preparing for winter when food
would be scarce.

The grasshopper brushes the thought and says why bother when the present is good. Winter soon
begins, and the grasshopper has no food to survive , while the ants enjoy the corn in the warm of
their nest.

Moral: It is best to prepare for days of necessity

DID YOU KNOW?

Reading to children and telling them stories promotes their cognitive, linguistic, imaginative, and
memory development(1).

10.TWO CATS AND A MONKEY

After a feast, two cats see a piece of cake and start fighting for it. A monkey sees this as an
opportunity for gain and offers to help them. The monkey divides the cake into two parts but
shakes its head saying there are unequal. He continues doing so until there is no more cake left,
leaving the poor little cats disappointed.

Moral: When you quarrel amongst yourselves, someone else gains from it.

11. AN ASS IN LION’S SKIN

This is another collection of short stories having animal characters. One day, an ass chanced upon
a lion’s skin that the hunters left to dry. He put it on and walked towards the jungle, giving animals
and people a fright on its way . The ass was very proud of itself that day and brayed loudly in
delight. Immediately, everyone knew that it was an ass in lion´s skin. They gave it a good beating
fir frightening them. The fox the walks up to the injured donkey and says: “I knew it was you by
your voice.”

Moral: Fine clothes may disguise, but silly words disclose a fool

Related: 11 Beautiful Princess Stories For Kids To Read

12. THE FOX ANT THE STORK

There was once a fox, which was very friendly with a stork. It invited the stork to dinner one day
and decided to play a prank. So he set the table with a shallow dish, with little soup in it. The fox
had a good meal, while to stork had a tough time drinking the soup with its long beak. The stork
decided to return the kindness and invited the fox over for dinner and served soup in a long-
necked, narrow-mouthed jar. This time the stork ate well, and the fox starved.

Moral: One bad turn deserves another.

13. WHO WILL BELL THE CAT?

A horde of mice gathered one night to discuss the problems created by their common enemy, the
cat. A lot of ideas were shared, but none seemed good enough to beat the cat. Then a young
mouse suggested that they should tie a bell around the cat’s neck to know when it is approaching
and escape the sly cat’s attacks. To this, an old , wise mouse asked, “That´s fine. But who will bell
the cat?”

Moral: It is easy to propose impossible remedies.

14. THE DOG AND THE SHADOW

A dog found a piece of meat one day. As it walked home, it hat to cross a bridge over a stream. As
it walked, it saw its reflection in the water and thought it was another dog with a piece of meat.
The dog got greedy and decided to have that piece as well. He snapped at the reflection, and as
soon as he opened his mouth, his piece of meat fell into the water and disappeared.

Moral: Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

15. THE LION AND THE MOUSE

A lion fast asleep in the jungle when a mouse started running all over him.

The lion was angry that the mouse disturbed its sleep and was about to kill it with its paw. The
mouse begged the lion to pardon it, saying it could be of help to it one day. The lion laughed at
that thought and walked away. Soon after that, the lion was trapped in a hunter´s net. The little
mouse was passing by and saw the lion. It immediately tore the net with its sharp teeth and
recued the lion.

Moral: Little friends may prove to be great friends

16. THE CROW ANT THE PITCHER

One day, a crow was very thirsty and found and found a pitcher with little water in it. It couldn´t
reach the water with its beak. After a little thought , the crow came up with an idea. It picked up a
few stones one at a time and put them in the pitcher, until the water came up . He happily drank
the water and flew away.

Moral: Little-by-little does the trick.

DID YOU KNOW?

Animal stories can help you teach moral lessons and ethical values to children in a fun and
engaging way.

17. THE EAGLE AND THE ARROW

Sitting on a lofty rock, an eagle was watching its prey move on the ground. A hunter, watching the
eagle from behind a tree, shoots it with an arrow. As the eagle falls to the ground, with blood
oozing from its wound, it sees that the arrow is made of its own plumage and thinks: “Alas, I am
destroyed by an arrow made from my own feathers”.

Moral: We often give our enemies the means for our own destruction.

18.THE TOWN MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE