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Once there was a king who had a beautiful garden, and in that garden grew a tree that bore golden apples. The apples were counted every day, and as soon as they began to ripen, the king noticed that every night one of them went missing. The king was very angry indeed, and he ordered the gardener to keep watch all night beneath the tree. The gardener sent his eldest son to do the watching. But at midnight the young man fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. So the second son was sent. He too fell asleep at midnight, and another apple disappeared. ...

One fine morning, Raffee, the mischievous rabbit, twitched his little nose and sighed. “I’m so bored!” he muttered, thumping his foot against the ground. “I need a new friend to play with!” Off he went, hopping across the meadow, his big ears bouncing with each leap. First, he spotted Ox, chewing lazily on some grass. “Hey, Ox! Let’s play chase!” Raffee called. Ox snorted, his heavy body barely moving. “Chase? No thanks. I’m too big and slow for that.” He flicked his tail and went back to munching. ...

Once upon a time, in a kingdom filled with forests and mountains, there lived a brave knight. He was famous for fighting dragons. He had already defeated dragons with two heads, three heads, and even seven heads! One sunny morning, as he rode through a thick, dark forest, the knight suddenly heard a strange noise. Hiss! Roar! Grumble! Cough! He pulled on his horse’s reins and peered through the trees. To his amazement, out stomped the biggest dragon he had ever seen. And not just big: this dragon had one hundred long necks! At the end of each neck, a head snapped, hissed, or sneezed fire. ...

Long ago, in a rich and prosperous village, everyone owned a real calf, except for one very poor man. He wanted one more than anything, so he decided to make a calf of his own. With his own hands and a good piece of wood, he carved a perfect calf, from its tiny tail to its head. He even carved a small hole for a tail, so he could put a real one in later. ...

A long time ago, in a land filled with tall trees and blue mountains, there lived a dinosaur named Charlie. Charlie was kind and gentle, always helping others and sharing his snacks. But Charlie had a very long neck, so long, in fact, that birds sometimes perched on it thinking it was a tree branch! Although Charlie was good and well-behaved, his long neck made him sad. His dinosaur friends would sometimes laugh and say, “Hey Charlie! How’s the weather up there?” or “Careful! You might poke the clouds!” Even though they meant it as a joke, Charlie would smile on the outside but feel hurt deep inside. ...

Once upon a time, high above the clouds, there lived a magnificent eagle named Aquila. Aquila was the undisputed king of the sky. His wings were as wide as a doorway, his talons were as sharp as steel, and his eyes could pick out a field mouse moving in the grass from miles and miles away. Every afternoon, Aquila flew to the highest, sharpest cliff in the valley. He would settle upon his rocky throne, puff out his chest, and survey the wide and beautiful land below with keen and lordly eyes. ...

Toby the tortoise lived in a quiet pond, shaded by tall reeds and whispering trees. But though the pond was peaceful, Toby often felt restless. “I’ve lived here my whole life,” he said one morning. “But I want to see the world beyond this water. I want adventure!” Two ducks, Dilly and Dally, who often visited the pond, heard his wish. “We can help,” said Dilly kindly. “But it’s risky.” ...

Once upon a time, deep in the middle of a warm, squelchy green marshland, there lived a great community of frogs. Now, these frogs had a wonderful life. They had no bosses, no rules, and no bedtime. They were completely free to govern themselves, which meant they spent their days swimming, catching juicy flies, and taking long naps on the lily pads. But all this freedom had spoiled them. Because they never had any real problems to solve, they grew incredibly bored. They did nothing all day but sit about puffing out their green throats and croaking in a grumpy, half-hearted way. ...

Once upon a time, in the deep blue ocean, there lived a small red fish named Finn. He was known for his bright red scales that shimmered in the water, much like the scarlet cloak worn by Red Riding Hood. Finn was a curious little fish who loved to explore the coral reefs and play among the seaweed. One day, Finn’s mother asked him to deliver a basket of kelp to his grandmother, who lived in a cave near the edge of the reef. Before Finn left, his mother warned him, “Be careful of the Shark Gang, Finn. They are tricky and dangerous. Stay close to the reef and don’t stray into the open waters.” ...

Deep in the heart of an ancient, sprawling forest stood a castle made of cold, grey stone. It was a lonely place, surrounded by miles of tangled oaks and a few struggling farms on its outskirts. A wide, rushing river flowed nearby, its dark waters churning with secrets. Inside the castle, the air was always chilled; the master was too stingy to keep the hearths lit, leaving the long corridors to feel like always-winter. ...