It was the most beautiful bike and it belonged to Ranjan’s Uncle. A magic, kingfisher-blue with a matching pannier and two smart rear-view mirrors. A real beauty of bike and the first of its kind in the neighborhood. Overnight, Ranjan had become a prince among us boys. We clustered around him in class the next day, eager for details. Story …
Read More »Adventures Of A Magic Turtle: English Short Story
Adventures Of A Magic Turtle: English Short Story – One winter afternoon, a little boy sat below a ‘neem‘ tree, next to a river. He was returning from school, and carried a large bag on his back. He looked very sad. And as he sat staring at the water, big fat tears started dripping from his eyes creating little round …
Read More »Malachite Casket: Ural folk tale by Pavel Bazhov
Pavel Bazhov is best known for his collection of fairy tales The Malachite Box, based on Ural folklore and published in the Soviet Union in 1939. In 1944, the translation of the collection into English was published in New York City and London. Later Sergei Prokofiev created the ballet The Tale of the Stone Flower based on one of the …
Read More »Bali and Hanuman: How Hanuman saved Sugriva
Bali and Hanuman: Kishkindha was the capital of the kingdom of the monkeys ruled by King Bali. One day, a terrible fight broke out between Bali and his brother Sugriva. Sugriva was so afraid of Bali that he went away to live in a hill called Rishyamukha with his minister, Hanuman. Sugriva chose to live on Rishyamukha, because Bali was …
Read More »Mistress Of The Copper Mountain: Pavel Bazhov
One day two of the men from our village went to take a look at the hay. Their meadows were quite a bit of a way off. Somewhere the other side of Severushka. It was a Sunday and real hot. That sort of fine weather you get after rain. Both of them worked in the mines, on Gumeshky. They got …
Read More »The Tell Tale Tile: Olive Thorne Miller
The Tell Tale Tile: About The Author – Harriet Mann Miller (pen names Olive Thorne and Olive Thorne Miller; 25 June 1831 – 25 December 1918) was an American author, naturalist, and ornithologist. She was one of the first three women raised to elective membership in the American Ornithologists’ Union. Miller wrote stories for leading magazines. At the start of …
Read More »A Balloon Seller’s Story
A Balloon Seller’s Story – I am sorry – I am a little late in realizing that a new year has already arrived! Like always my priorities were wrong. In the hallucinations and deliriums I began to celebrate the 26th of January before 1st January at Pusa Road, New Delhi. Did you ever come across the word ‘Rain basera‘? No? …
Read More »The Fairy Christmas: Story by Etheldred B. Barry
The Fairy Christmas: It was Christmas Day, and Toddy and Tita were alone. Papa and mamma had gone out West to see their big boy who was ill. They had promised to be home for Christmas, but a big snow had blocked the railroad track, and nurse was afraid the train would be delayed until the day after Christmas. The …
Read More »Santa and the Christmas gift: Children’s Story
Santa and the Christmas gift: Santa was in a fix. He was forced to unwrap and use one of the gifts, which was a little girl’s rather unusual request. How would he make it up to her, he wondered. As winter was spreading its freezing arms to cover all mountains and meadows alike, Santa excitedly rubbed his gloved palms. He …
Read More »Legend of Christmas Tree: Story for Students
Legend of Christmas Tree: Most children have seen a Christmas tree, and many know that the pretty and pleasant custom of hanging gifts on its boughs comes from Germany; but perhaps few have heard or read the story that is told to little German children, respecting the origin of this custom. The story is called “The Little Stranger,” and runs …
Read More »