the floods receded, and the bridge stood tall, though its ropes were frayed and its planks cracked.
The villagers repaired it and hung prayer flags along its sides, thanking the bridge for its bravery.
Moral:
True strength lies in enduring for the sake of others.
Notes:
– Trader – a person who buys and sells goods (торговец).
– Pilgrim – someone who travels for religious reasons (паломник).
– Frayed – worn or unraveling (истёртый).
– Recided – moved back or became less strong (отступила).
The Dragon Who Guarded the Plum Blossom (Дракон, который охранял сливовый цветок)
In a quiet valley in China, a single plum tree grew on a rocky cliff. This tree was special – it bloomed even in the harshest winters, its blossoms white as snow. A golden dragon, Ling, guarded it, for legend said its blossoms held the secret to eternal hope.
One year, a powerful warlord came to the valley, demanding, “Give me the tree, or I will burn this land!”
The villagers pleaded with Ling, “What can you do against such power?”
Ling replied, “I will not let greed destroy hope.”
When the warlord’s army arrived, Ling flew into the sky, his golden scales blinding the soldiers. He roared, shaking the mountains, and created a storm that drove the army away.
The warlord fled, and the villagers gathered around the plum tree, which now bloomed brighter than ever. They whispered, “Hope grows strongest when it’s protected by courage.”
Moral:
Courage protects what is most precious.
Notes:
– Warlord – a military leader who rules by force (военачальник).
– Blinding – so bright it’s hard to see (ослепительный).
– Scales – the small, hard plates covering a dragon or fish (чешуя).
– Greed – wanting too much, especially of something valuable (жадность).
The Song of the Arctic Owl (Песня арктической совы)
Far above the Arctic Circle, where the nights last for months, lived a snowy owl named Salla. Her voice was deep and beautiful, but she rarely sang.
One long winter, the polar bears grew restless, the seals hid under the ice, and even the foxes stopped playing. The silence weighed heavily on the land.
Salla perched on a high rock and thought, What can I do to bring life back to this frozen world?
She opened her beak and sang. Her voice echoed over the icy plains, reaching every creature. The bears stopped pacing, the seals surfaced to listen, and the foxes came out to dance.
The animals gathered under Salla’s perch, their hearts warmed by her song.
From that day, whenever the Arctic grew too quiet, the creatures would say, “Sing for us, Salla. Remind us that even in the darkest winters, beauty can be found.”
Moral:
In the darkest times, beauty brings hope.
Notes:
– Perched – sat or rested on something high (сидела на высоте).
– Restless – unable to stay still or calm (беспокойный).
– Echoed – repeated a sound as it bounced back (эхо разнеслось).
– Surfaced – came to the top of the water (всплыли).
The Clockmaker and the Broken Time (Часовщик и сломанное время)
In a small Bavarian village, there lived a clockmaker named Otto. He was famous for his beautiful cuckoo clocks, each one a masterpiece. But one day, the largest clock in the town square broke. Its hands stopped moving, and the cuckoo refused to sing.
The villagers panicked. “Without the clock, how will we know when to open the market or ring the church bells?”
Otto examined the clock and found the problem: the main spring was cracked. But no matter how hard he searched, he couldn’t find a replacement.
One night, Otto sat alone in his workshop, staring at the broken spring. Suddenly, a tiny voice called out, “Use me.”
He looked down and saw a small, bent nail on his workbench. “You? You’re too weak to hold such a great clock together!”
The nail replied, “Perhaps. But you won’t know unless you try.”
Otto hesitated but placed the nail where the spring had been. When he wound the clock, it ticked! Slowly, the hands began to move, and the cuckoo sang once more.
The villagers cheered as Otto announced, “Sometimes, even the smallest things can fix the biggest problems.”
Moral:
Never underestimate the power of small solutions.
Notes:
– Masterpiece – a work of outstanding skill or art (шедевр).
– Spring – a coiled piece of metal that powers a clock (пружина).
– Workbench – a sturdy table used for working on projects (рабочий стол).
– Ticked – made the regular sound of a working clock (тикал).
The Bridge of a Thousand Lanterns (Мост тысячи фонарей)
In an ancient Japanese village, there was a long bridge that stretched over a wide river. Every year during the Lantern Festival, the villagers lit the bridge with a thousand glowing lanterns to honor their ancestors.
One year, a powerful typhoon destroyed the bridge, leaving the villagers heartbroken. “Without the bridge, how can we honor the spirits?” they cried.
A young girl named Hana stepped forward. “We can still honor them,” she said. “Let’s each make a small raft and place our lanterns on the water.”
At first, the villagers doubted her idea. But one by one, they followed Hana’s example, placing their lanterns on tiny wooden rafts.
That night, the river shone with a thousand lights, drifting peacefully downstream. The villagers watched in awe as the lanterns seemed to dance, creating a path of light that stretched farther than the bridge ever had.
From that year on, the river became the new home for the Lantern Festival.
Moral:
When