Short Stories

  The Little Cask by Guy de Maupassant   He was a tall man of forty or thereabout, this Jules Chicot, the innkeeper of Spreville, with a red face and a round stomach, and said by those who knew him ...

The Two Friends Of Syracuse by Charlotte M. Yonge B.C. 380 (CIRCA) Most of the best and noblest of the Greeks held what was called the Pythagorean philosophy. This was one of the many systems framed by the great men ...

The Stories Of Alcestis And Antigone by Charlotte M. Yonge   It has been said, that even the heathens saw and knew the glory of self- devotion; and the Greeks had two early instances so very beautiful that, though they ...

The Soldiers In The Snow by Charlotte M. Yonge 1672 Few generals had ever been more loved by their soldiers than the great Viscount de Turenne, who was Marshal of France in the time of Louis XIV. Troops are always ...

The Shepherd Girl Of Nanterre by Charlotte M. Yonge A.D. 438 Four hundred years of the Roman dominion had entirely tamed the once wild and independent Gauls. Everywhere, except in the moorlands of Brittany, they had become as much like ...

  Two Old Men by Leo Tolstoy Translated by Louise and Aylmer Maude. ‘The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the ...

Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy   It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, ...

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 ...