Author: Ariel Goodbody
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The Singing Bone
Once there were two brothers. The older brother, Brian, was very clever, but also very proud. The younger brother, Frederick, was not so clever, but he was kind, and everyone liked him. The brothers lived in peace in the countryside, but one day, a villager ran into town. He was covered with blood.
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Towards the City
Once upon a time, in Ancient Greece, there was a man called Byzas. Byzas was the son of Nisos, the King of Megara, a city in Greece. ‘My son,’ said King Nisos one day. ‘It is time for you to go out and make your way in the world. Find your own land and build a city there.’ ‘I will make you happy, father,’ said Byzas.
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One-Eyed, Two-Eyed, Three-Eyed (Pre-Intermediate)
There was once an old woman, who had three daughters. The eldest daughter had three eyes, so she was called Three-Eyed. The youngest daughter had one eye, so she was called One-Eyed. The middle daughter had two eyes, so she was called Two-Eyed. Three-Eyed was beautiful, and One-Eyed was very clever, but Two-Eyed was ugly, and not very clever at all. She was, however, very hard-working. Her sisters hated her, because she had two eyes,…
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Little Red Riding Hood
There was an illness in the world. It went everywhere. It went into cities, towns and villages. It went inside houses, inside factories, inside people’s thoughts. The people could not see it, but they felt it. At first, it felt like a light wind. But days passed, and then weeks, and the illness started working. It hit men and women, and made them sick for weeks. It took the old and the weak. Everywhere, people…
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Steal from the Rich and Give to the Poor
Juraj Jánošík was a young man. He grew up in a small villege in Slovakia. His mother died giving birth to him, so his father looked after him. When Juraj turned eighteen, he went to war. ‘Do not worry, Father,’ he said, ‘I will not be gone long.’ But he was at war for three years, and during that time there were three cold winters and three hot summers. Juraj’s father was old and alone,…
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A Letter from God
My name is Hubert Lenartowicz, and this is my story. All the details in it are true. I hope you will believe me. I’m 57 and I grew up in a family of athiests. My father in particular did not believe in God. In addition, he was a police officer in a school for traffic police, as well as a history teacher. In the communist era in Poland it was forbidden for police officers to…
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The Three Languages
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Genre: Children’sSetting: FairytaleNew Vocabulary: Animals, Christianity, Italy, Kings and Queens, Learning Languages, Religion, TreasureWord Count: 1291Original Author: Fairy TalesOnce there was an old man who lived in Switzerland. He was very rich, but his wife had died young. They only had one son, and he was very stupid. His name was Eric. One day, the father said to Eric, ‘Listen, my son. You are not the cleverest in the world. I try to teach you many things, but I can get nothing into your head. It is time for you to leave home.…
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Mia the Witch
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Genre: RomanceSetting: FairytaleNew Vocabulary: Animals, Caves, Fishing, Food, Housework, Kings and Queens, Love, Magic, Making FriendsWord Count: 3881Original Author: Ariel GoodbodyOnce there was a witch called Marabella, who lived in a deep, dark forest. As with most witches, she was not actually evil, but she did magic, and so the people were afraid of her, and whenever there was a storm, or a bad harvest, or a child got sick, they said, ‘It is the witch’s anger!’
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The Little Frog with the Big Mouth (Beginner)
Once there was a little frog. He lived in the forest next to a river. He was very small, about the size of a tennis ball. But his mouth was very big. When he smiled, his smile went from one ear to the other. Everyone called him the Little Frog with the Big Mouth.
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The Mouse, the Bird and the Sausage
Once there was a mouse, a bird and a sausage. They were friends. They lived together in a house. Each one had a job. The mouse’s job was to collect water from the river, make the fire and lay the table. The bird’s job was to go to the forest and collect wood for the fire. The sausage’s job was to cook. Every day, each did their job, and they ate dinner together. They were…