Nature & Animals
Discover 204 folk tales about nature and animals — the largest theme in our collection. These stories feature talking animals, enchanted forests, magical rivers, and the deep connection between humans and the natural world. From Panchatantra’s jungle fables to Aesop’s barnyard tales, these animal stories for kids use the wonders of nature to teach timeless moral lessons.
Chinese Folk Tales
Ages 6-8
Fox-Fire
A Japanese folklore tale about the mysterious fire created by fox-spirits that lures travelers astray.
Russian Folk Tales
Ages 6-8
Dimian The Peasant
Dimian The Peasant: [Illustration] Not long ago, or perchance very long ago, I do not know for sure, there lived in a village, some place in Russia, a peasant
Russian Folk Tales
All Ages
The Language Of The Birds
The Language Of The Birds: [Illustration] Somewhere in a town in holy Russia, there lived a rich merchant with his wife. He had an only son, a dear, bright
Russian Folk Tales
All Ages
The Tsarevna Frog
The Tsarevna Frog: [Illustration] In an old, old Russian tsarstvo, I do not know when, there lived a sovereign prince with the princess his wife. They had
Japanese Folk Tales
All Ages
The Jelly Fish And The Monkey
The Jelly Fish And The Monkey: Long, long ago, in old Japan, the Kingdom of the Sea was governed by a wonderful King. He was called Rin Jin, or the Dragon King
Japanese Folk Tales
All Ages
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow: Long, long ago in Japan there lived an old man and his wife. The old man was a good, kind-hearted, hard-working old fellow, but his
Indian Folk Tales
All Ages
The Cat, the Mouse, the Lizard, and the Owl
The Cat, the Mouse, the Lizard, and the Owl: This is the story of four creatures, none of whom loved each other, who lived in the same banyan tree in a forest
Indian Folk Tales
All Ages
The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal (Another Version)
The Tiger, the Brahman, and the Jackal (Another Version): Once upon a time a tiger was caught in a trap. He tried in vain to get out through the bars, and
Indian Folk Tales
All Ages
The Ass in the Lion’s Skin
The Ass In The Lions Skin: In a dense forest near a small Indian village, there lived a washerman named Dhobi who owned a tired old donkey. The poor donkey had
Aesop's Fables
All Ages
The Ant and the Grasshopper
The Ant and the Grasshopper: One summer day, a grasshopper was hopping about, playing his fiddle, chirping and singing to his heart’s content. An ant passed by
Aesop's Fables
All Ages
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
The Boy Who Cried Wolf: Age Group: 0-5 years. Aesop’s fables are ideal for bedtime stories and moral stories to teach kids simple lessons. Once there was a boy
Aesop's Fables
Ages 3-5
Timid Hare Flight Beasts
Timid Hare Flight Beasts: Once upon a time when Brahmadatta reigned in Benares, the Bodhisatta came to life as a young lion. And when fully grown he lived in a