Animals

Once upon a time, a very clever but very careless fox named Felix was trotting through the forest, looking for adventure. He was busy watching a beautiful butterfly hovering in the air, and he was not watching where his paws were going at all. Whoops! Slip… WHOOSH! With a loud splash, Felix tumbled straight down into an old stone well. Luckily, the water at the bottom was not deep, and Felix was not hurt. But when he looked up, he realised he had a serious problem. The walls of the well were steep, and wet, and horribly slippery. However high he jumped, however hard he scrabbled at the stones, he simply slid straight back down into the puddle at the bottom. ...

Once upon a time, in a land long, long ago, there lived a little T. rex named Toto. Toto was a bright-eyed dino with tiny arms and a heart full of big dreams. There was only one problem. Toto did not want to go to school. Every morning, Toto’s mummy nudged him awake. “Come on, Toto. It’s time for school. All your friends are waiting.” But Toto burrowed under his cosy leaf blanket and shook his head. ...

In a meadow where the wildflowers danced and the sunbeams played tag with the shadows, two butterfly friends shared their daily adventures. Emerald, whose wings sparkled like dew on fresh leaves, was always ready to chase after the next exciting thing. Azure, whose wings shimmered like a summer sky, was thoughtful and careful, and always checked the wind before taking flight. Every morning they greeted each other with their special saying: “Shine bright, fly light!” And then they spent the whole day exploring their wonderful world together. ...

Once upon a time, on a warm late-summer afternoon, a sly old wolf named Wilbert was trotting along a dusty country road. His belly was letting out a long, low rumble — grumble, gurgle, roar! Wilbert was very hungry indeed, and he was on the hunt for a good meal. As he came round a bend in the road, he found a high wooden fence. And on the other side of that fence lay a grand, shimmering field of golden oats, the stalks swaying gently in the breeze, heavy with ripe crunchy grain. ...

Once upon a time, in a lush green forest, there lived a mighty lion named Leo. He was king of that forest, and every creature in it both feared and respected him. But for all his size and all his roaring, Leo had a kind heart, and he valued friendship above everything else in the world. His closest friend was a clever monkey called Miko, who always had a trick or two tucked away and who loved nothing better than making the great lion laugh until the branches shook. ...

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, 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. ...

Two friends were walking down a path in a big forest. The sun was starting to go down, and the trees were getting really tall and spooky. They were arguing about which way to go. One friend thought he knew a shortcut, but the other friend wanted to take the longer, safer path. Suddenly, they heard a loud ROAR! A huge, grumpy bear stepped out onto the path right in front of them. Its teeth, big and sharp, were clearly visible. ...

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.” ...