Moral of the Stories – Aesop’s Fables

If there is one thing that never gets old, it is a good story that too stories for kids. A story with a powerful moral lesson woven into it, becomes even more valuable. Fables of Aesop have endured for centuries, capturing the imagination of readers young and old with their timeless wisdom for this very reason. Stories with morals help the child understand the world at very young age.

Who was Aesop? Aesop was a Greek storyteller and philosopher who lived around 620-560 BCE. He was known for his fables, which are short moral stories for all ages for children. Aesop's fables were passed down through generations and were eventually written down by various authors. These moral stories are still popular today, and their messages continue to resonate with readers of all ages.

So, what are these stories with morals, and what valuable lesson do they teach? Let us look at ten of Aesop's most famous moral stories for kids which have been told from generation to generation, each one a masterful example of storytelling with a moral punch, these are not complete stories, just the moral drawn out of them.

• The Ant and the Grasshopper - In this classic tale, the diligent Ant works tirelessly to prepare for the coming winter so that it doesn't have go in search of food then, while the Grasshopper spends his days singing and playing. When winter arrives, the Ant is prepared and the Grasshopper suffers. Moral lessons? Prepare for the future, because hard work pays off.
• The Boy Who Cried Wolf - This cautionary tale warns of the dangers of dishonesty. A young boy repeatedly cries out "wolf!" as a prank, causing his fellow villagers to come running. But when a real wolf attacks and he cries out for help, nobody believes him. Life lessons? Honesty is always the best policy and honesty in children is very important.
• The Crow and the Pitcher - In this clever fable, a thirsty crow needs water but can't reach it in a deep pitcher. Using his wits, the crow drops pebbles into the pitcher, raising the water level until he can reach it. Life lessons? Necessity is the mother of invention.
• The Fox and the Grapes - In this popular story, In a dense forest, when a hungry fox sees some grapes hanging high above him, he longs to taste their sweetness. But when he cannot reach them, he decides that they are probably sour anyway and tells the other forest animals that grapes are sour.The moral? It is easy to despise what you cannot have.
• The Lion and the Mouse - Even the mightiest creatures can find themselves in need of help, as this tale illustrates. A mouse frees a lion from a trap, and later the lion returns the favour by freeing the mouse from a hunter's net. Moral lessons? Even small acts of kindness can have great significance.
• The North Wind and the Sun - Two powerful forces, the North Wind, and the Sun, engage in a contest to see who can get a traveller to remove his cloak. The North Wind blows fiercely, but the Sun's warmth ultimately prevails. The lesson? Gentle persuasion can be more effective than brute force.
• The Tortoise and the Hare - In this beloved popular story, the overconfident hare is challenged to a race by the slow and steady tortoise. Despite his initial lead, the hare becomes complacent and ultimately loses the race. The learning? Slow and steady wins the race.
• The Farmer and the Snake - In this moral story, When a farmer saves a snake from certain death, he does not expect it to turn on him later. But when the snake bites him, the farmer realizes the danger of showing kindness to the wrong person. The message? Be careful who you trust.
• The Ass and the Load of Salt - In this nice story, When an ass falls into a river with a load of salt, the salt dissolves and the load becomes lighter. Thinking he's discovered an easy trick, the ass tries it again with sponges, only to find that they absorb water and make the load heavier. The lesson? Cheating others ultimately cheats yourself.
• The Fox and the Stork: In this story, the fox invites the stork to a meal but serves soup in a shallow dish that the stork cannot eat from. When the stork invites the fox to a meal, she serves the food in a tall jar with a narrow neck that the fox cannot eat from. The learning? "Treat others as you would like to be treated."

As you can see, the fables of Aesop are more than just children's moral stories. These fables are brief, but their messages are profound and make a good one for small story time for kids even the complete story will not take more than 10 minutes to tell for kids at bedtime. The morals you get to read from these books are similar to Panchatantra Stories in Indian context.

By imparting timeless wisdom in short, punchy sentences, Aesop's moral stories have continued to resonate with readers for centuries and we might say that it has helped in making decisions in life and building a strong character. Whether you are young or old, these tales offer wisdom and guidance that can help you navigate the challenges of life. These are simple nice stories for kids that are engaging and at the same time provide valuable life lessons.