Short Stories

Three Parables by Leo Tolstoy   PARABLE THE FIRST A WEED had spread over a beautiful meadow. And in order to get rid of it the tenants of the meadow mowed it, but the weed only increased in consequence. And ...

Three Deaths by Leo Tolstoy   It was Autumn. A carriage and a calesche were proceeding at a sharp trot along the high-road. In the carriage sat two women. One of them was the mistress, thin and pale. The other ...

The Young Tsar by Leo Tolstoy THE young Tsar had just ascended the throne. For five weeks he had worked without ceasing, in the way that Tsars are accustomed to work. He had been attending to reports, signing papers, receiving ...

  The Little Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe by Joseph Martin Kronheim   Once on a time there was a Little Old Woman who lived in a Shoe. This shoe stood near a great forest, and was so ...

  Old Mother Goose and Her Son Jack by Joseph Martin Kronheim Old Mother Goose lived in a cottage with her son Jack. Jack was a very good lad, and although he was not handsome, he was good-tempered and industrious, ...

  Little Bo-Peep by Joseph Martin Kronheim   “Little Bo-Peep she lost her sheep And didn’t know where to find them. Let them alone, and they’ll come home, And bring their tails behind them!” So runs the Nursery Rhyme. Little ...

  Five Little Pigs by Joseph Martin Kronheim This little piggy went to market, This little piggy stayed home, This little piggy had roast beef This little piggy had none, And this little piggy cried wee wee wee all the ...

  The Story of Blue Beard by Charles Perrault Once on a time there was a man who had fine town and country houses, gold and silver plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilt all over; but unfortunately, this man had ...

  The Ridiculous Wishes by Charles Perrault   In days long past there lived a poor woodcutter who found life very hard. Indeed, it was his lot to toil for little guerdon, and although he was young and happily married ...

  The Fairy by Charles Perrault   There was, once upon a time, a widow, who had two daughters. The eldest was so much like her in the face and humour, that whoever looked upon the daughter saw the mother. ...

  Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault There was a miller, who left no more estate to the three sons he had, than his Mill, his Ass, and his Cat. The partition was soon made. Neither the scrivener nor attorney ...

  Little Thumb by Charles Perrault There was, once upon a time, a man and his wife, faggot-makers by trade, who had seven children, all boys. The eldest was but ten years old, and the youngest only seven. One might ...

The Woman Who Lived In a Shoe by L. Frank Baum   There was an old woman Who lived in a shoe, She had so many children She didn’t know what to do; She gave them some broth Without any ...

The Woggle-Bug Book by L. Frank Baum   The Unique Adventures of the WOGGLE-BUG ONE day Mr. H. M. Woggle-Bug, T. E., becoming separated from his comrades who had accompanied him from the Land of Oz, and finding that time ...

The Story Of Tommy Tucker by L. Frank Baum   Little Tommy Tucker sang for his supper. What did he sing for? white bread and butter. How could he cut it, without any knife? How could he marry, without any ...

The Story Of Little Boy Blue by L. Frank Baum   Little Boy Blue, come blow your horn. The sheep ‘s in the meadow, the cow ‘s in the corn; Where ‘s the little boy that minds the sheep? He ...

  The Scarecrow and The Tin Woodman by L. Frank Baum   There lived in the Land of Oz two queerly made men who were the best of friends. They were so much happier when together that they were seldom ...

The Bênitous’ Slave by Kate Chopin   OLD Uncle Oswald believed he belonged to the Bênitous, and there was no getting the notion out of his head. Monsieur tried every way, for there was no sense in it. Why, it ...

Tante Cat’rinette by Kate Chopin   IT happened just as everyone had predicted. Tante Cat’rinette was beside herself with rage and indignation when she learned that the town authorities had for some reason condemned her house and intended to demolish ...

Ripe Figs by Kate Chopin   Maman-Nainaine said that when the figs were ripe Babette might go to visit her cousins down on Bayou-Boeuf, where the sugar cane grows. Not that the ripening of figs had the least thing to ...