Fairy Tales for Fun and Wisdom - страница 5

– Steered – turned or guided a boat or vehicle (управляли).

– Dim – not bright (тусклый).

High in the Himalayas, there was an ancient wooden bridge that connected two mountain villages. Over the years, it had carried traders, pilgrims, and travelers through wind, snow, and rain.

One summer, heavy rains brought floods that roared through the valley. The villagers worried, “The bridge will break! We’ll be cut off forever.”

The bridge felt the water pounding against its supports but held firm. It whispered to the river, “I will not fall. Too many lives depend on me.”

The river surged higher, laughing, “You’re just wood and rope. You can’t stop me!”

But the bridge tightened every knot and clung to the rocks with all its strength. By morning, the floods receded, and the bridge stood tall, though its ropes were frayed and its planks cracked.

The villagers repaired it and hung prayer flags along its sides, thanking the bridge for its bravery.

Moral:

True strength lies in enduring for the sake of others.

Notes:

– Trader – a person who buys and sells goods (торговец).

– Pilgrim – someone who travels for religious reasons (паломник).

– Frayed – worn or unraveling (истёртый).

– Recided – moved back or became less strong (отступила).

In a quiet valley in China, a single plum tree grew on a rocky cliff. This tree was special – it bloomed even in the harshest winters, its blossoms white as snow. A golden dragon, Ling, guarded it, for legend said its blossoms held the secret to eternal hope.

One year, a powerful warlord came to the valley, demanding, “Give me the tree, or I will burn this land!”

The villagers pleaded with Ling, “What can you do against such power?”

Ling replied, “I will not let greed destroy hope.”

When the warlord’s army arrived, Ling flew into the sky, his golden scales blinding the soldiers. He roared, shaking the mountains, and created a storm that drove the army away.

The warlord fled, and the villagers gathered around the plum tree, which now bloomed brighter than ever. They whispered, “Hope grows strongest when it’s protected by courage.”

Moral:

Courage protects what is most precious.

Notes:

– Warlord – a military leader who rules by force (военачальник).

– Blinding – so bright it’s hard to see (ослепительный).

– Scales – the small, hard plates covering a dragon or fish (чешуя).

– Greed – wanting too much, especially of something valuable (жадность).

Far above the Arctic Circle, where the nights last for months, lived a snowy owl named Salla. Her voice was deep and beautiful, but she rarely sang.

One long winter, the polar bears grew restless, the seals hid under the ice, and even the foxes stopped playing. The silence weighed heavily on the land.

Salla perched on a high rock and thought, What can I do to bring life back to this frozen world?

She opened her beak and sang. Her voice echoed over the icy plains, reaching every creature. The bears stopped pacing, the seals surfaced to listen, and the foxes came out to dance.

The animals gathered under Salla’s perch, their hearts warmed by her song.

From that day, whenever the Arctic grew too quiet, the creatures would say, “Sing for us, Salla. Remind us that even in the darkest winters, beauty can be found.”