Moral stories for kids | Short stories for kids | The clever rabbit

Who doesn't love a good tale? Kids love short stories, even moral stories for kids are popular among them. Of course it shouldn't be too moralistic. I think the best moral stories for kids are those where the moral is left unsaid explicitly, but such that kids can glean it themselves rather than being told a moral. The best lessons in life are those we learn by ourselves.

Among the best of gifts you can give a child is a love of reading and of course a stock of good books. The best way to do this is to tell them stories from an early age or read aloud to them. Story time can be great fun for the child and for you. There is a vast treasure of stories for children, many of us will enjoy these too.

Here is an interesting moral story for kids retold from the Panchatantra - the story of the clever rabbit and how it outwitted the powerful but foolish lion. Buns Rabbit was able to prey on the arrogance and pride of the foolish lion and rid the jungle of his terror by using but his wits.

Terro Lion was a very proud lion. He was a real terror in the jungle. He often just roared and killed animals, even if he was not very hungry.

The terrified animals of the jungle one day called for a meeting. “We must put and end to this menace,” Forro fox cried. “But how,” wondered the other animals. “Terro is so big and strong, none of can even touch him. I guess we will have to just live with this, more likely die with this!”

But Buns Rabbit was not the kind to give up. He thought of a plan.

Next day Merry Monkey went to the lion and told him, “My majestic lord! You are so mighty, you are lord of us all. But you know what, Buns Rabbit says he has seen someone even more powerful than you.”

Terro Lion on hearing this roared. He asked Merry to go and send Buns Rabbit to him.

The clever Buns came up to Terro. “Hey Buns, you puny fellow, what’s all this nonsense about a more powerful fellow than me in the jungle!” roared Terro

Buns said, “My lord, you are indeed mighty. Forgive me, I am just telling what I saw. I saw a huge lion yesterday.”

Terro roared aloud, “Where is he? I will have him for breakfast today! There is no one more mighty than me. Take me to him.”

The clever Buns took Terro to a lake. He then pointed to the water in the lake and said, “My lord, I saw that huge lion cooling off in this lake.”

Terro peeped into the water. He saw his own face in the water. He roared loudly. He saw his image in the water roaring back at him. He was so angry, that he forgot everything, even that he didn’t know how to swim..

“How dare you roar back at mighty me. I will finish you.” He cried and jumped right into the lake. Terro drowned. Buns Rabbit happily took the news of Terro’s end to the other animals. There was joy in the jungle.