Throughout history and since the invention of writing, there have been many examples of authors who have given free rein to their imagination in order to express their feelings, emotions and thoughts. Many of them have expressed different beliefs, values and ways of doing or living, some even in a short space.

These are short stories, of great value , of which we offer you a fortnight to learn by reading.

15 short stories to learn from

Below we leave you with a total of fifteen examples of short stories and micro-stories, many of which have been written by great authors from different periods , and which deal with a great diversity of themes.

1. The Milkmaid’s Tale

“Once upon a time, there was a young milkmaid with a bucket of milk on her head, on her way to the market to sell it. On the way, the young dreamer imagined what she could accomplish with the milk. She thought that first, with the money from the sale, she would buy a basket of eggs, which once hatched would allow her to start a small chicken farm. Once the chickens grew up he could sell them, which would give him money to buy a piglet.

Once the sale of the animal grew, it would be enough to buy a calf, with the milk from which it would continue to make a profit and in turn could have calves. However, as she was thinking all these things, the young woman stumbled, which caused the jug to fall on the ground and break. And with it, her expectations of what he could have done with her.”

This story, which has versions of Aesop and La Fontaine (the latter being the one we have reflected), teaches us the need to live in the present and that although dreaming is necessary we must also bear in mind that it is not enough to achieve our purposes. Initially, it is a small story that warns us to be careful that ambition does not make us lose our sense.

Likewise, in some adaptations there is also a subsequent dialogue between the milkmaid and her mother , who tells her that thanks to similar fantasies she was able to set up a farm: in this case it is a reflection that we need to dream and to aspire, but taking care of what we do to achieve our objectives, as well as not giving up at the first stumble or obstacle.

2. Suspicion

“Once upon a time there was a woodcutter who one day realized he didn’t have his axe. Surprised and with tears in his eyes, he found his neighbor near his house, who as always greeted him smiling and kindly.

As he entered his house, the woodcutter suddenly became suspicious and thought that perhaps it was the neighbor who had stolen his axe. In fact, now that he was thinking about it, his smile seemed nervous, he had a strange look on his face, and he would even say that his hands were shaking. On second thought, the neighbor had the same expression as a thief, walked like a thief and spoke like a thief.

The woodcutter was thinking all this, more and more convinced that he had found the culprit of the theft, when he suddenly realized that his steps had led him back to the forest where he had been the night before.

Suddenly, he tripped over something hard and fell. When he looked down… he found his axe! The woodcutter returned home with the axe, regretting his suspicions, and when he saw his neighbour again he saw that his expression, walk and manner of speaking were (and had been at all times) the same as always”.

This short story, which is part of many traditions but seems to have its origin in China, helps us to learn that sometimes our thoughts and suspicions make us have distorted perceptions of reality , and can easily misinterpret situations and people. It also teaches us not to accuse someone gratuitously until we have real proof of what we are accusing them of.

3. The goose that lays the golden eggs

“Once upon a time there was a couple of farmers who, one day, discovered in one of the nests where they were raising chickens a solid golden egg. The couple observed that the bird produced such a prodigy day after day, obtaining a golden egg every day.

Reflecting on what made the goose in question have this ability, they suspected that it had gold within it. To check it and get all the gold at once, they killed the hen and opened it up, discovering to their surprise that inside the prodigious bird was just like the others. And they also realised that, in their ambition, they’d finished what had been making them rich.”

This fable, associated with Aesop but also versioned by authors like Samariaga or La Fontaine and that sometimes tells us about a chicken and sometimes about a goose, teaches us the importance of leaving aside greed , since it can lead us to lose what we have.

4. The Zen Master

“Once upon a time, during a civil war in feudal times, there was a small village where a Zen master lived. One day, news came to them that a fearsome general was heading in their direction to invade and take over the area. The day before the arrival of the army the whole village fled, with the exception of the old master. When the general arrived, having found the village practically deserted and knowing of the existence of the old man, he ordered the Zen master to appear before him, but the old man did not.

The general made his way quickly to the temple where the teacher was resting. Furious, the general drew his blade and held it close to his face, shouting that if he did not realize he was simply standing in front of the one who could pierce him in an instant. With complete calm, the old master replied that the general himself was standing before someone who could be pierced in an instant. The general, surprised and confused, ended up bowing to him and leaving the place.”

This short story reflects the quality of emotional self-control and the value of having the ability to remain calm in any circumstance . The point is that anything can happen to us at any time, and disturbing us in the face of it leads to nothing.

5. The fox and the grapes

“Once upon a time there was a fox that walked, thirsty, in the forest. As he was doing so, he saw on the top of a tree branch a bunch of grapes, which he desired at once as he served it to refresh himself and quench his thirst. The fox approached the tree and tried to reach the grapes, but they were too high. After trying again and again without success, the fox finally gave up and walked away. Seeing that a bird had seen the whole process, it said aloud that it did not really want the grapes, since they were not yet ripe, and that it had actually stopped trying to reach them when it saw them.

Another interesting short story in the form of a fable that teaches us that we often try to convince ourselves not to want something and even go so far as to disregard saying something because we find it difficult to reach.

6. The wolf and the crane

“Once upon a time there was a wolf which, eating flesh, had a bone stuck in its throat. His throat began to swell up and cause great pain, and the wolf ran desperately to get it out or to find help. On his way he met a crane, to which after explaining the situation he begged for help promising to give him what he asked for. Although he was suspicious, the crane accepted on the condition that the wolf would comply with the agreement. The bird proceeded to shove its head down its throat, causing the bone to fall out. He withdrew and watched the wolf recover, and was now able to breathe normally, after which he asked it to keep its promise. However, the wolf replied that it was reward enough not to have eaten it despite having it in his teeth.”

This fable by Aesop (although there is also a version in the Indian tradition in which instead of a wolf the animal in distress is a lion), teaches us that we cannot always trust what others tell us and promise us , since there will be those who will be ungrateful or even those who will lie to us and manipulate us to achieve their purposes without valuing their own effort.

7. The Old Man, the Child and the Donkey

“Once upon a time, there was a grandfather and grandson who decided to take a trip with a donkey. Initially the old man made the child ride the animal, so that it would not get tired. However, when they reached a village, the villagers began to comment and criticize that the old man had to go on foot while the younger, more energetic child was being ridden. The criticism finally caused the grandfather and grandson to change positions, with the old man now riding the donkey and the boy walking beside him.

However, as we passed through a second village, the locals shouted at the poor child to walk away while the older man rode along comfortably. The two of them then decided to ride on the animal. But when they reached a third village, the villagers criticized both of them for carrying the poor donkey too much.

Faced with this, the old man and his grandson decided to go both on foot, walking beside the animal. But in a fourth village they laughed at them, since they had a saddle and neither of them was riding in it. The grandfather took advantage of the situation to make his grandson see that no matter what they did, there would always be someone who thought it was wrong and that the important thing was not what others said, but what one believed oneself”.

This traditional story teaches us to keep in mind that we must be true to ourselves , and that whatever we do there will be someone who does not like and criticizes us: not everyone can like us, and we must not be obsessed with pleasing our neighbor.

8. Hidden happiness

“At the beginning of time, before humanity populated the Earth, the different gods met in order to prepare the creation of the human being, in their image and likeness. However, one of them realized that if they were made exactly like them, they would actually be creating new gods, so they would have to take something away from them in such a way that it would be different from them. After thinking it over, another one of those present proposed to take away their happiness and hide it in a place where they could never find it.

Another one proposed to hide it in the highest mountain, but they realized that having strength, humanity could get up and find it. Another proposed to hide it under the sea, but since humanity would possess curiosity it could get to build something to reach the sea depths and find it. A third proposed to take happiness to a distant planet, but others concluded that since human beings will have intelligence they will be able to build spaceships that can reach it.

The last of the gods, who had remained silent until then, took the floor to indicate that he knew a place where they would not find it: he proposed that they hide happiness within the human being himself, so that he would be so busy looking outside that he would never find it. All agreeing on this, they did so. This is why human beings spend their lives looking for happiness, without knowing that it is really within themselves.”

This beautiful story in the form of a tale reflects something that is very present in today’s society: we tend to seek happiness constantly as if it were something external that we can achieve, when in fact we find it precisely when we are not looking for it but enjoying the here and now.

9. The victim bird of kindness

“There was once a seagull, which flew down to one of the suburbs of the capital of Lu. The marquis of the area strove to entertain and welcome her into the temple, preparing for her the best music and great sacrifices. However, the bird was dazed and sad, not tasting the meat or the wine. Three days later it died. The Marquis of Lu entertained the seagull just as he would have liked to be, not as the bird would have liked to be”

This short story tells us something very important: often we do not take into account that our needs and tastes do not have to be the same as those of others (and in fact they can be directly opposite to our own), being necessary that we pay attention to what the other needs in order to be able to really help or entertain him/her.

10. The lost horse of the wise old man

“Once upon a time there was an old peasant of great wisdom, who lived with his son and who owned a horse. One day the steed escaped from the place, something that made the neighbors go to comfort them in the face of their bad luck. But at his words of comfort, the old peasant replied that the only true thing was that the horse had escaped, and whether that was good or bad luck would be determined by time.

Shortly after, the horse returned to its owners, accompanied by a beautiful mare. The neighbors ran to congratulate him on his good luck. However, the old man replied that in reality the only thing that was true was that the horse had returned with the mare, and if this was bad or good time would tell.

Some time later the son of the peasant tried to ride the still wild mare, so much so that he fell off the saddle and broke his leg. According to the doctor, the rash would cause him to have a permanent limp. The neighbours comforted them both again, but again the old peasant would rule that the only thing that was really known was that his son had broken his leg, and whether that was good or bad remained to be seen.

Finally, the day came when a bloody war began in the region. All the young people began to be recruited, but when the soldiers who went to recruit him saw the limping of the peasant’s son, they decided that he was not fit for combat, which meant that he was not recruited and could remain without fighting.

The reflection that the old man made his son see on the basis of all that had happened is that the facts are not good or bad in themselves, but rather our expectations and perception of them: the flight of the horse brought the mare, which in turn meant the breaking of her leg and also led to a permanent limp was what now saved her life”.

This well-known story, quite self-explanatory, tells us how our consideration and appreciation of what happens to us can sometimes be biased , since the event itself is neither good nor bad per se, and how what we sometimes see as something positive or negative can lead us to unsuspected places.

11. The Lame and the Blind

“Once there was a lame man and a blind man who were walking together when they found a river, which they both had to cross. The lame man told the blind man that he could not get to the other side, to which the blind man replied that he could pass, but in view of his lack of vision he could slip.

They came up with a great idea: the blind man would lead the march and hold both of them with his legs, while the lame man would be the eyes of both of them and could guide both of them during the crossing. The lame man would be the eyes of both and could guide them both during the crossing.

This little story, which has other variations (for example, that instead of crossing a river both have to escape from a fire), helps us to understand the importance of collaborating and cooperating with others , something that allows us to bring together the skills of all to achieve a common project.

12. The legend of Brave Bull and Blue Cloud

“A Sioux legend tells of a young couple once formed by Brave Bull and Blue Cloud, who loved each other deeply. Wanting to remain united forever, they both went to the elder of the tribe to get a talisman so that they could be together forever.

The old man instructed the young Blue Cloud to go alone to the northern mountain and capture with a net the best falcon that lived there, while he directed Toro Bravo to the southern mountain to catch the most powerful eagle. Both young men worked hard and each managed to capture the best bird on each of the mountains.

When this was done, the old man instructed them to tie the legs of the hawk and eagle together and then let them fly free. They did so, but being tied together, both birds fell to the ground and could not fly normally. After several attempts, both began to attack each other. The old man made the couple watch this, and told them that the talisman was the learning that they should fly together, but never tied up if they didn’t want to end up hurting each other.”

This legend of the Sioux tries to make us see that love does not imply being always and at all times together to the point of depending on each other, but that we must learn to share our life but preserving our individuality and not to encourage attitudes of dependence or co-dependence.

13. Sand and Stone

“Once there were two friends who were walking in the desert, having lost their camels and having gone days without tasting anything. One day, an argument arose between them in which one of the two rebuked the other for having chosen the wrong route (although the decision had been made jointly) and in a fit of anger slapped him. The assaulted man said nothing, but wrote in the sand that on that day his best friend had slapped him (a reaction that surprised the first one).

Later, both arrived at an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. They were there when the previously attacked one began to drown, to which the other responded by rescuing him. The young man thanked him for his help and later, with a knife, wrote on a stone that his best friend had saved his life.

The first one, curious, asked his partner why when he had hit him he had written on the sand and now he was doing it on a stone. The second one smiled at him and answered that when someone did something bad to him he tried to write it on the sand so that the mark would be erased by the wind, while when someone did something good he preferred to leave it on stone, where it would remain forever.”

This beautiful legend of Arab origin tells us that what we should value and keep fresh in our memory are the good things that others do , while the marks left by the bad ones we should try to blur them and forgive them over time.

14. The fox and the tiger

“Once upon a time, there was a huge tiger that hunted in the forests of China. The powerful animal ran into and began to attack a small fox, which in the face of danger only had the option of resorting to cunning. So the fox rebuked him and told him that he could not harm him since he was the king of the animals by design of the emperor of heaven.

He also told him that if he did not believe him, he should go with him: that way he would see all the animals flee in fear when he arrived. The tiger did so, watching as the animals escaped. What he did not know was that this was not because they were confirming the words of the fox (which the tiger eventually believed), but that they were in fact fleeing from the presence of the cat.”

This fable of Chinese origin teaches us that intelligence and cunning are much more useful than mere physical power or strength .

15. The two falcons

“Once upon a time there was a king who loved animals, who one day received as a gift two beautiful falcon cubs. The king gave them to a master falconer to feed, care for and train them. Time passed and after a few months in which the falcons grew up, the falconer asked for an audience with the king to explain that although one of the falcons had already taken flight normally, the other had remained on the same branch since it arrived, not taking flight at any time. This greatly worried the king, who sent for multiple experts to solve the bird’s problem. Without success.

In desperation, he decided to offer a reward to anyone who managed to get the bird to fly. The next day the king could see how the bird was no longer on its branch, but was flying freely through the region. The sovereign sent for the author of such a prodigy, finding that the one who had succeeded was a young peasant. Shortly before giving him his reward, the king asked him how he had managed it. The peasant replied that he had simply broken the branch, leaving the falcon no choice but to fly away.”

A short story that helps us understand that sometimes we think we are incapable of doing things out of fear, even though experience shows that more often than not we do have the capacity to achieve them : the bird did not trust its possibilities to fly but once it put itself to the test it had no choice but to try, something that led it to success.

Bibliographic references:

  • Jacobs, J. (2016). Fables and legends of India. Editorial Quaterni. Madrid, Spain.
  • UNHCR UNHCR. (2017). Moral tales from ancient China [Online]. Available at: https://eacnur.org/blog/cuentos-moraleja-la-antigua-china/
  • TONES. (2005) Ancient Fables of China. TONES. Revista Electrónica de Estudios Filológicos, 10. Available at: https://www.um.es/tonosdigital/znum10/secciones/tri-fabulas.htm#_ftn6