Top 12 Best English Fairy Tales to Read to Kids Before Bed

A Bear found a log where a swarm of Bees had settled to make honey. As he approached, a single Bee flew out of the log to defend the hive. Realizing the Bear might steal all the honey, the small Bee stung him sharply on the nose and returned to the log.

This made the Bear furious. In his anger, he struck the log with his powerful claws, determined to destroy the hive. This only alerted the bees, and in no time, the whole swarm emerged, stinging the Bear from head to toe. The Bear escaped by running to and leaping into the nearest pond.

“It is better to bear a single injury in silence than to cause a thousand by reacting in anger.”

Vietnamese Translation:
One day, a Bear walked past a log where a swarm of Bees had made their hive to produce honey. Curious, the Bear looked around, and a Bee flew out to protect the hive. Knowing the Bear would consume all the honey, the small Bee stung him sharply on the nose and returned to the log.

The Bear, furious from the sting, used his large claws to strike the log with the intent of destroying the hive. The Bees, alerted by the noise, quickly flew out, stinging the Bear all over. The Bear had no choice but to run away, diving into the nearest pond.

“It is better to silently endure a single wound than to provoke a thousand wounds through angry reaction.”

The Bear and the Bees teaches us the lesson not to act impulsively in anger, as such actions may lead to harm to oneself.

Once, there was a Cat who was so observant that a Mouse barely dared to show itself, afraid of being eaten. This Cat seemed to be everywhere, its claws always ready to pounce. Eventually, the Mice stayed so hidden that the Cat realized it would need to outwit them to catch one. So, one day, the Cat climbed onto a shelf and hung upside down as if lifeless, gripping onto ropes with just one paw.

When the Mice peeked out and saw the Cat in this state, they believed he had been hung up as punishment. At first, they were very cautious, slowly sticking their heads out and sniffing around. But when nothing moved, they all joyfully came out to celebrate the Cat's demise. At that very moment, the Cat released his grip and, before the Mice could react, had caught three or four of them.

From then on, the Mice kept themselves in their burrows more carefully than ever. But the Cat, still hungry, came up with new tricks. He rolled himself in flour until he was completely covered and then lay down in a flour bin, watching for the Mice.

Sure enough, the Mice eventually came out. The Cat nearly had one of them in his grasp when an old Rat, with years of experience with Cats and traps—having even lost part of his tail in the process—sat at a safe distance from a hole in the wall where he lived.

“Be careful!” he warned. “That may be a heap of flour, but it looks very much like the Cat. Whatever it is, it’s best to stay at a safe distance.”

Vietnamese Translation:
Once, there was a very watchful Cat who made it nearly impossible for the Mice to even peek out without fear of being eaten. The Cat seemed to be everywhere, always prepared to pounce. The Mice eventually stayed in their dens, knowing the Cat would need to use cunning to catch them. So one day, the Cat climbed onto a shelf, hanging upside down as if dead, gripping with one paw.

When the Mice peered out and saw him, they assumed the Cat had been punished for a misdeed. Tentatively, they stuck their heads out, sniffing cautiously. But when nothing happened, they cheerfully came out to celebrate his death. The Cat, however, let go of his grip and quickly caught three or four of the Mice before they could react.

From then on, the Mice stayed even more hidden. The Cat, still hungry, found new tricks. He rolled in flour and lay in a flour bin, waiting for the Mice to come out. When they did, the Cat almost caught one, but an old Rat, who had seen many tricks from Cats and traps, warned them from a safe distance: “Be careful! It may look like flour, but it’s probably the Cat!”

On his deathbed, a father imparted his final wisdom to his son, advising him always to speak the truth. The son promised to never tell a lie.

One day, while traveling through a forest on his way to the city, the boy was surrounded by a group of robbers. One of them demanded, “What do you have with you?”

The boy replied, “I have fifty rupees.”

The robbers searched him but found nothing. Just as they were about to leave, the boy called out, “I am not lying. See, I have a fifty rupee note hidden in my shirt.”

The leader of the robbers, impressed by the boy’s honesty, rewarded him with one hundred rupees and departed.

Vietnamese Translation:
On his deathbed, the father advised his son to always speak the truth. The son promised he would never lie.

One day, while traveling through a forest on his way to the city, the boy was surrounded by robbers. One of them asked, “What do you have?”

The boy answered, “I have fifty rupees.”

The robbers searched him but found nothing. Just before they left, the boy called out, “I’m not lying. See this fifty rupee note I’ve hidden in my shirt.”

The leader of the robbers, impressed by the boy’s truthfulness, rewarded him with a hundred rupees and went away.

Once upon a time, a Wolf was drinking from a spring on a hillside when he noticed a Lamb below, also drinking from the water. “There’s my dinner,” thought the Wolf, “if only I can find a way to justify seizing it.”

The Wolf then called out to the Lamb, “How dare you stir up the water I am drinking from?”

The Lamb replied, “Master, I did not disturb the water. It runs down from you to me, so if it’s muddy, it’s your doing.”

“Well then,” said the Wolf, “why did you insult me this time last year?”

The Lamb responded, “But I wasn’t even born last year. I am only six months old.”

“I don’t care,” growled the Wolf. “If it wasn’t you, it was your father.” And with that, the Wolf pounced on the poor Lamb and devoured her. But just before she died, she gasped out.

“A tyrant will always find an excuse for his cruelty.”

Vietnamese Translation:
One morning, a young Lamb was drinking from a stream in the forest. At the same time, a Wolf approached the same stream. It didn’t take long for the Wolf to notice the Lamb. The Wolf immediately thought of his supper but wanted to find an excuse to make the Lamb his meal.

The Wolf growled, “Why do you dare stir up the water I’m drinking from?” He added, “You deserve punishment for causing trouble!”

The Lamb trembled and replied, “But, sir, please don’t be angry! I didn’t make the water dirty. You can see, you’re upstream, and I’m downstream.”

The Wolf snarled, “And yet, I’ve heard you insulted me last year!”

The Lamb protested, “How could I insult you? I’ve only been alive for six months.”

Without another word, the Wolf lunged and devoured the innocent Lamb. Just before she died, the Lamb said, “A tyrant always finds a justification for his actions.”

The moral of this story is not to argue with unreasonable tyrants, as they always have a reason to justify their cruel actions.

Once, a Fox found its tail trapped in a snare, and while struggling to free itself, the Fox lost its tail entirely, leaving just a small stub. At first, the Fox felt embarrassed to face the other foxes, but eventually, it decided to face its misfortune with courage and called for a meeting of all the foxes. Once gathered, the Fox proposed that they all should get rid of their tails. It argued that tails were a hindrance when being pursued by enemies, like dogs, and they were also inconvenient when the foxes wished to sit down and engage in casual conversation. The Fox saw no reason to carry such a burdensome appendage. “That may be true,” said one of the older foxes, “but I suspect you wouldn't have suggested we give up our most distinguishing feature if you hadn’t lost yours.”

“Beware of advice from those with self-serving motives.”

Vietnamese Translation:

This story occurred when a Fox got its tail caught in a trap, and in its struggle to escape, it lost its tail completely. Initially, the Fox was too embarrassed to show its face to the other foxes, but eventually, it decided to confront its misfortune and called a meeting with the other foxes. When the group was gathered, the Fox suggested they all get rid of their tails. It argued that tails were inconvenient when being chased by enemies like dogs, or when they simply wanted to sit and chat comfortably. The Fox saw no benefit in carrying around such a useless burden.

“That’s fine,” said one of the older foxes, “but I don’t think you would have made this suggestion if you hadn’t lost your own tail.”

“Don’t trust the advice of those who stand to gain from it.”

The lesson of The Fox without the Tail teaches us that one should trust their own instincts and not blindly follow advice that benefits others.

Long ago, the mice convened a council to discuss how they could outwit their common foe, the Cat.

There were various suggestions, but ultimately a young mouse stood up and proposed a solution that he believed would solve their dilemma.

“I’m sure you all agree,” said the young mouse, “that our main danger lies in the sneaky and deceptive way the Cat approaches us. If we could just get a signal when she is nearby, we could easily escape.”

“So, I propose that we acquire a small bell, and tie it around the Cat’s neck with a ribbon. That way, we would always know when she’s close, and could retreat before she reaches us.”

This idea was met with enthusiasm until an older mouse spoke up, asking, “That’s all well and good, but who is going to bell the Cat?” The mice exchanged glances, and no one responded. Then the elder mouse added:

“IT IS EASY TO PROPOSE IMPOSSIBLE REMEDIES.”

Vietnamese Translation:

Once upon a time, the mice held a general meeting to figure out how they could confront their common enemy, the Cat.

Some mice suggested one idea, others offered another, until a young mouse stood up with a proposal that he thought would resolve the issue.

“We all agree,” the young mouse said, “that the greatest danger we face is the Cat’s cunning and deceitful way of approaching us. If only we could detect her presence in time, we could easily escape.”

“Therefore, I suggest we find a small bell and attach it to the Cat’s neck with a ribbon. This way, we would always know when she’s nearby and could retreat to safety.”

The proposal was met with applause until an old mouse asked: “It’s a good idea, but who will put the bell on the Cat?” The mice exchanged uncertain looks, and no one spoke. The old mouse then added:

“IT’S EASY TO SUGGEST IMPOSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.”

Through Belling the Cat, we learn that while many clever solutions are proposed, not all of them are practical or achievable.

Once upon a time, a Dog found a piece of meat and carried it home, eager to enjoy it in peace.

On his way home, he crossed a plank over a running stream. While crossing, he glanced down and saw his own reflection in the water.

Thinking it was another dog holding a piece of meat, he snapped at the shadow, but as he opened his mouth, the real piece of meat fell into the water and was lost forever.

“Beware of losing what is real by chasing after what is just an illusion.”

Vietnamese Translation:
Once, a dog found a piece of meat and carried it home to enjoy it in peace.

On his journey home, he crossed a plank above a stream. Looking down, he saw his reflection in the water.

Thinking another dog had meat, he tried to grab it, but when he opened his mouth, his meat fell into the stream and was gone.

“Beware that greed for illusions may cause you to lose what you already possess.”

The lesson from The Dog and the Shadow is to value what we have and not to be tempted by what is unattainable or illusory.

Once upon a time, a farmer discovered an extraordinary egg in the nest of his Goose. It was a bright, shiny egg, and when he picked it up, he was surprised by its weight. Initially, he thought it was a prank and nearly discarded it, but after a moment's hesitation, he decided to keep it. To his amazement, the egg was made of pure gold.

Each day, the same event occurred, and the farmer quickly became wealthy by selling these golden eggs.

As his wealth grew, so did his greed. Driven by the desire to get all the gold at once, he killed the Goose and opened it, only to find that there were no eggs inside.

Greed often leads to one's downfall.

Bản dịch tiếng Việt:
Một ngày nọ, một người nông dân tìm đến ổ của con ngỗng và thấy một quả trứng vàng sáng bóng.

Ông cầm quả trứng lên xem thì thấy nó nặng như chì và quẳng nó đi vì ông nghĩ đây là một trò đùa dành cho mình.

Nhưng nghĩ lại ông bèn mang nó về nhà và vui sướng khi nhận ra rằng đây là quả trứng bằng vàng nguyên chất.

Mỗi sáng điều tương tự này đều xảy ra và ông ta sớm trở nên giàu có bằng việc bán những quả trứng vàng.

Khi càng giàu có thì lòng tham cũng lớn dần lên, ông nghĩ cách để có tất cả trứng vàng của con ngỗng trong một lần, ông giết con ngỗng, mổ bụng nó để tìm trứng vàng nhưng không có gì trong đó cả.

Tham thì thâm

Qua The Goose with the Golden Egg ta biết được những kẻ hám lợi, tham lam sẽ gặp phải những điều xấu.

Những kẻ hám lợi, tham lam sẽ gặp phải điều xấu.

One day, the fox invited the crane to dinner, setting the meal on a flat plate. The crane, unable to use his long beak to pick up any food, watched as the fox devoured the entire meal alone.

The following day, the crane invited the fox to return the favor. This time, the food was served in a jug with a narrow neck. The fox, unable to fit her muzzle into the jug, was left hungry, while the crane easily drank everything from the jug using his long neck.

Bản dịch tiếng Việt:
Một hôm, Cáo mời Sếu đến nhà dùng bữa tối và nó bày biện thức ăn trên 1 cái dĩa dẹt. Sếu ta chẳng thể nào ăn được tí gì với cái mỏ dài và Cáo, một mình ăn hết mọi thứ.

Hôm sau, Sếu mời Cáo tới nhà dùng bữa tối, và dọn thức ăn trong 1 cái bình có cái cổ hẹp. Cáo không thể nào làm gì để đưa cái mõm của nó vào trong cái bình, nhưng Sếu thì cắm cái mỏ dài vào và chén sạch mọi thứ.

The Fox and the Crane brings a lesson that one should try to understand others' feelings and perspectives, rather than focusing solely on oneself.

During a dry spell when water was scarce for the birds, a thirsty crow discovered a pitcher with a small amount of water inside. However, the pitcher was tall and had a narrow neck, and no matter how hard the crow tried, it couldn’t reach the water. The poor bird thought it might perish from thirst.

Then, a clever thought struck the crow. It picked up a few small pebbles and dropped them into the pitcher, one by one. With each pebble, the water level slowly rose, until it was finally high enough for the crow to drink.

“In a pinch, a good use of our wits may help us out.”

Bản dịch tiếng Việt:

Vào một đợt khô hạn, khi các loài chim chỉ có thể tìm thấy rất ít nước để uống, một con quạ khát nước đã tìm thấy một cái bình trong đó có một ít nước.

Nhưng cái bình thì cao và có cái cổ hẹp, và dù cho quạ ta có cố gắng sao đi chăng nữa thì nó cũng không thể chạm được tới nước trong bình. Nó cảm nhận một điều tệ hại nếu nó phải chết vì khát.

Sau đó, một ý tưởng thoáng lên trong nó. Nó nhặt lên vài viên sỏi nhỏ và thả từng viên một vài cáu bình chứa nước. Cứ mỗi viên sỏi thì nước lại dâng lên cao hơn cho đến cuối cùng đã gần đủ để nên nó có thể uống.

“Trong một trường hợp cấp thiết thì sự bình tĩnh sẽ giúp chúng ta vượt qua những sự cố.”

Qua câu chuyện trên, ta rút ra bài học là hãy bình tĩnh và suy nghĩ thật thấu đáo những vấn đề mà bản thân gặp phải để có thể tìm ra cách giải quyết chính xác nhất.

A conflict arose between the Horse and the Stag, and the Horse approached a hunter for help in seeking revenge on the Stag.

The Hunter agreed to assist but made a condition: “If you wish to defeat the Stag, you must allow me to place this piece of iron between your jaws so that I can control you with these reins, and you must let me place this saddle on your back to ensure I remain steady as we chase down our enemy.”

With the Hunter's assistance, the Horse quickly defeated the Stag. The Horse then told the Hunter: “Now, dismount and remove the iron and saddle from my back and mouth.”

“Not so fast, my friend,” replied the Hunter. “Now that I have you under control with the bit and spur, I prefer to keep you as you are.”

The lesson here is that if you allow others to use you for your own purposes, they will take advantage of you for their own gain.

Bài dịch tiếng Việt:
Một cuộc xung đột nảy lửa xảy ra giữa Ngựa và hươu, sau đó Ngựa đến gặp một gã thợ để nhờ gã bày cách trả thù hươu.

Gã nhận lời nhưng kèm theo điều kiện “Nếu mi mong muốn thắng Hươu như vậy, mi phải cho ta gắn miếng sắt này vào quai hàm của mi để ta có thể dùng dây cương điều khiển mi, bên cạnh đó phải có một cái yên trên lưng mi để ta có một chỗ ngồi vững khi chúng chúng ta săn đuổi kẻ thù”.

Ngựa đồng ý các điều kiện đó, thế là gã thợ săn nhanh chóng gắn yên và dây cương cho nó.

Sau đó nhờ những công cụ săn của gã mà ngựa đánh bại hươu một cách chóng vánh, Ngựa liền nói với gã “Nào giờ thì nhảy xuống và gỡ những thứ trên miệng và lưng của tôi ra đi nào”

“Đừng vội anh bạn”, gã nói ” bây giờ ta hơi mệt rồi và ta thích giữ nguyên hiện trạng này của ngươi hơn”.

Nếu bạn lợi dụng ai đó cho mục đích của bạn, họ sẽ lợi dụng bạn cho mục đích của họ.

One day, a wolf came across a sheepskin. He decided to disguise himself with the sheepskin and sneak into a flock of sheep grazing in a field. He thought, "The shepherd will lock the sheep in the pen after sunset. When night falls, I will snatch a plump sheep and feast on it."

Everything went according to plan until the shepherd secured the sheep in the pen and departed. The wolf patiently waited for the night to darken, but then something unexpected occurred. One of the shepherd's servants entered the pen to bring a fat sheep for dinner. As fate would have it, the servant mistakenly picked up the wolf, thinking he was one of the sheep. That night, the shepherd and his guests enjoyed wolf for dinner instead of lamb.

The lesson from this story is that deception, no matter how clever, never leads to a favorable outcome when the intentions are dishonest.

Bản dịch tiếng Việt:
Một ngày kia, có một con sói tìm thấy một tấm da cừu. Nó lấy tấm da cừu khoác lên mình và trà trộn vào một đàn cừu đang gặm cỏ trên đồng. Nó nghĩ bụng: "Người chăn cừu sẽ nhốt lũ cừu vào chuồng sau khi mặt trời lặn. Đêm đến ta sẽ mang theo một con cừu thật béo đi và ăn thịt nó."

Mọi chuyện đều tốt đẹp đến khi người chăn cừu nhốt đàn cừu vào chuồng và bỏ đi. Con sói kiên nhẫn chờ đợi màn đêm buông xuống. Nhưng rồi có một chuyện không ngờ tới đã xảy ra. Một người hầu của người chăn cừu đã đến chuồng nhốt cừu. Chủ nhân của anh ta đã sai anh ta mang về một con cừu béo để làm bữa ăn nhẹ. Đen đủi thay, người hầu đã chọn con sói trong tấm da cừu. Thế là đêm hôm đó, người chăn cừu và khách của ông ta đã có thịt sói làm bữa ăn nhẹ.

Qua The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, ta rút ra được bài học rằng việc lợi dụng sự tin tưởng, lừa dối người khác với mục đích xấu sẽ không bao giờ mang lại kết quả tốt.