hit a door to ask to come in (постучал).
The Talking Shadow (Говорящая тень)
Once, in a quiet village by the sea, a boy named Mali loved chasing his shadow. He’d run, jump, and wave, watching it copy his every move.
One day, as the sun set and the world turned golden, Mali noticed his shadow acting strangely. Instead of following him, it began pointing toward the forest.
Mali stopped. “What do you want, shadow?” he asked.
To his surprise, the shadow spoke. “There’s danger in the forest. Someone needs your help.”
Mali was frightened but curious. He followed the direction of the shadow’s pointing arm. In the forest, he found an old woman trapped under a fallen branch.
“Please, help me,” she whispered weakly.
Mali used all his strength to lift the branch, freeing the woman. She smiled and said, “Your courage and your shadow saved me. Never ignore what your heart – or your shadow – tells you.”
As Mali walked back, he looked at his shadow and smiled. It was back to following him silently.
Moral:
Listen to the quiet signs; they often lead to the right path.
Notes:
– Copy – to do the same as someone else (копировать, повторять).
– Golden – having the color of gold, like the light at sunset (золотистый).
– Curious – wanting to know or learn something (любопытный).
– Frightened – feeling scared or afraid (испуганный).
The Bird Who Forgot to Sing (Птица, которая забыла спеть)
High in the mountains of Kisiwa, there lived a bird named Nyota. She was known for her beautiful songs that made flowers bloom faster and rivers flow smoother.
One year, during the dry season, Nyota stopped singing. The flowers drooped, and the rivers slowed to a trickle. “Why aren’t you singing?” asked the wind.
“I don’t feel like it,” Nyota replied. “What’s the point? The world is too dry and sad.”
The wind sighed and carried her words far and wide. Soon, a group of children climbed the mountain with buckets of water. They watered the flowers and sang songs as they worked.
Nyota watched, her heart stirring. Their songs were clumsy but filled with hope. She opened her beak and joined them, her voice blending with theirs.
The flowers perked up, the rivers flowed again, and the children cheered.
Nyota realized, “Even when the world feels dry, one song can bring life back.”
Moral:
When you share your gift, you inspire others to act.
Notes:
– Drooped – hung down weakly (поникли, свисали).
– Trickle – a small, slow flow of water (струйка).
– Clumsy – not graceful or skilled (неловкий).
– Perked up – became lively or active again (ожили).
The Tree Who Chose to Move (Дерево, которое решило двигаться)
In the middle of the great plains, there stood a lonely baobab tree. It was strong, with roots that reached deep into the earth. But the baobab was sad.
“I want to see the ocean,” it whispered to the wind one day.
The wind laughed. “Trees don’t move!”
But the baobab refused to give up. Each day, it stretched its roots a little farther, pulling itself inch by inch across the plains.
The animals laughed. “You’ll never make it,” they said.
Years passed, and the baobab didn’t stop. Finally, its roots touched sand, and it saw the ocean. Waves crashed and sparkled under the sun. The baobab stood tall and proud, its leaves rustling in joy.
The wind returned and said, “I doubted you, but you’ve taught me: even what seems impossible is possible with patience.”
Moral:
With patience and determination, you can achieve the impossible.
Notes:
– Lonely – feeling sad because you are alone (одинокий).
– Whispered – spoke very quietly (прошептал).
– Inch by inch – little by little, slowly (шаг за шагом).
– Doubted – didn’t believe something could happen (сомневался).
The Birch That Hid the Stars (Берёза, которая спрятала звёзды)
Deep in a Russian forest, there stood a tall birch tree named Alyona. She was proud of her silvery bark and graceful branches. At night, the stars danced above her, reflecting in the quiet lake nearby.
One evening, Alyona noticed something strange. A shadow crept over the lake, and the stars disappeared one by one. Alarmed, she whispered to the wind, “Where are the stars going?”
The wind answered, “A greedy crow is stealing them and hiding them in his nest.”
Alyona couldn’t stand to see the sky empty. She stretched her branches higher and higher until they touched the clouds. She gathered the stars one by one and held them tightly in her leaves.
The crow squawked angrily, “Give them back! They are mine!”
Alyona replied, “The stars don’t belong to you or me. They belong to everyone.” She gently threw the stars back into the sky, where they began to shine again.
That night, the forest animals gathered under Alyona’s branches and thanked her. She stood taller than ever, her leaves glowing faintly, as if kissed by starlight.
Moral:
What belongs to everyone must be protected by each of us.
Notes:
– Silvery – shiny and gray, like silver (серебристый).
– Graceful – elegant and beautiful (изящный).
– Alarmed – worried or frightened (тревожный).
– Greedy – wanting too much of something (жадный).
The Snowflake That Refused to Melt (Снежинка, которая отказалась таять)
One winter in Siberia, a snowflake named Polina fell from