Sommer-Time Story Classics

When Androcles’ enormous effort results in harsh punishment, he finally realizes the impossibility of satisfying his demanding slave master. Even though capture means his delivery to very hungry lions, Androcles escapes. When he comes across a wounded lion, he quickly and kindly offers aid. This results in a budding friendship between the pair until their unfortunate capture. What follows illuminates the significance of an act of kindness and gratitude for life and freedom.

While grownups understand the magnitude of guarding sheep, children may lack an ability to see the bigger picture. Nicholas finds tending his family's sheep to be mind-numbingly boring, which is why he ultimately makes the impulsive decision to cry "Wolf!" To his delight, his alert prompts the townspeople to drop everything and rush to his aid, but when the people discover they have been duped they are livid.

Believing in a foolish superstition, Chicken Little is convinced that the sky is falling. In her distress, she convinces a number of other animal friends that this is indeed the case. One after another, the animals join Chicken Little, soon forming a frantic pack. Fortunately, Chippy Chipmunk steps in with wise intervention. What follows confirms the importance of critical thinking and the possible dangers of gullibility.

Missing his city cousin, Country Mouse invites him for a visit. However, from the moment he arrives, the flamboyant and arrogant City Mouse shows contempt for his less-privileged cousin by incessantly bragging about his home and good fortune. In fact, he won't even consider spending the night and convinces Country Mouse to return with him for a visit in the city. His cousin cheerfully accepts, but what follows illustrates the significance of a simpler, safer life.

Excessive fondness for elaborate and expensive clothing allows a pair of dodgy tailors to hoodwink the emperor. Weaving a grandiose tale instead of actual clothing, the tailors tell the emperor that their exquisite garments, woven with the finest of materials, are invisible to less worthy individuals. Reluctant to admit possible imperfections, no one in the town is willing to be honest, with the exception of one small boy.

About to be devoured by the fearsome King of the Forest, Bitsy the Mouse manages to convince Leo the Lion to let her go in exchange for future assistance. While Leo cannot conceive of any way that a tiny mouse could help him, he does admire Bitsy's pluck and releases her. What he later discovers is that big help can indeed come in small packages. Through Bitsy, Leo also realizes the importance of keeping your word.

Sometimes it is hard to comprehend why certain individuals choose to spread gossip about others. In this rendition of Aesop's timeless fable, the reason is crystal-clear: The lion is hungry and would do anything to have a delicious bull for dinner. Using malicious gossip, the sly fox helps the lion by separating the bulls for capture on the promise that he will receive his own tasty portion of the meal. Will the lion eat the bulls?

While Little Red Hen works to grow her wheat, the dog, the cat, and the duck are full of excuses not to help. With each step, Little Red Hen offers to share the wheat in exchange for assistance, but the fair-weather friends always have more pleasant things to do. Will this affect their chances for a delicious slice of bread?

Sometimes there is danger in being too friendly; as is the case with kind-hearted Little Red Riding Hood in this loveable rendition of a Brothers Grimm classic. Distracted by the Big Bad Wolf with a bouquet of lovely flowers, the kind-hearted little girl forgets her mother's instructions and strays from the path on the way to Grandmother's house. Little does she know, the crafty wolf has devised a wicked plan to arrive at her house first. Will Grandmother meet an unfortunate end?

There is an old saying that states, "You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time." Miller Elmo most certainly could have benefitted from this sage advice. His constant effort to please the local farmers grows into an obsession to satisfy everyone, which the miller unfortunately passes on to his son. The two learn the hard way what can come of always taking the advice of others instead of listening to your heart.

In a village full of selfish inhabitants, the idea that making stone soup would bring them all together might be hard to swallow...literally! With a few stones as the initial ingredients, three famished soldiers cleverly convince the villagers to contribute all of the items needed for a delicious pot of soup. In this spirited adaptation of the beloved folktale, preparing a simple pot of soup teaches the villagers that sharing brings happiness and celebration.

Everyone enjoys a spirited competition, but when the challenger is a big-headed braggart, it's easy to cheer for the underdog - or in this case - the under-tortoise. The colorful characters in this retelling of Aesop's beloved fable will tickle the fancy of any child. The forest animals are beyond tired of Harry Hare's boasting. So what if he is the fastest animal in the forest?