Children’s Bedtime Stories – At the end of a tiring day, children’s stories can be creative and fun resources to help children fall asleep.
This is because little ones often have difficulty relaxing and simply falling asleep, needing the attention of caregivers.
Thus, bedtime stories for kids can be told to induce sleep, while also stimulating imagination and fantasy.
18 Best Children’s Bedtime Stories 2024 (with interpretation)
1. Sleeping Beauty
In a kingdom far away, there was a king and a queen who were very happy, as they awaited the arrival of their first daughter.
One day, the queen gave birth to the beautiful girl, who was named Aurora. On the day of the baptism, the parents threw a party and invited the local fairies. Each of them offered a gift, a blessing, as a gift.
However, one fairy was not invited, and she was very angry. So, on the day of the party, she decided to appear by surprise and cast a spell on the little girl, saying that when she turned 15 she would prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die.
Everyone was very scared. But one of the good fairies had not yet granted her blessing and managed to change the curse by saying:
— I can’t completely undo the enchantment, but I can change it. Thus, Aurora will prick her finger on the spinning wheel, but she will not die. She will sleep for a hundred years and will only wake up with a prince’s kiss.
Aurora’s parents were distressed and ordered the destruction of all the spinning wheels in the kingdom. Time passed and everything seemed calm.
Even on the princess’s 15th birthday, she decides to take a walk around the castle and enter the forest.
There he finds a cabin and decides to go inside. Behold, he finds an object he had never seen before, a spinning wheel!
Aurora then, very curious, puts her finger on the needle and pricks herself, falling into a deep sleep.
One of the good fairies passing by enters the hut and sees the sleeping girl. She then takes her to the castle and lays her down on her bed. The spell ends up putting everyone in the castle to sleep as well.
The years pass and the forest takes over the place. The story of Sleeping Beauty is known to everyone as a legend and many princes try to get there, without success.
Until, after a hundred years, a brave prince manages to overcome all obstacles and find the girl sleeping. He kisses her and she wakes up, as does everyone in the castle.
The two fall in love and get married, living happily ever after.
Interpretation
In Sleeping Beauty, we have a story that tells us about the transition to a new phase of life . Here, the character falls asleep for a long period of time, which symbolizes that she is growing psychologically.
Thus, when feeling prepared, the princess awakens to encounter a masculine side of her psyche and can finally move on to adulthood.
2. The Princess and the Pea
Many years ago, there was a prince who lived with his father in a far away kingdom. The boy was sad, because he looked everywhere, but he couldn’t find a princess to marry.
So, on a cold and rainy night, a very beautiful girl knocked on the door of his castle. She was soaked and claimed to be a princess who had been trapped in the storm, unable to return to her kingdom. Therefore, the young woman asked for help and shelter for that night.
The king, who received her, was wondering whether she was really a princess. So, to be sure, he prepared a room with seven mattresses, one on top of the other, and under them he placed a small pea.
The girl was taken to the room and found the bed so different, but she didn’t question it, as she was very tired. Still, she couldn’t sleep well.
The next morning, the king and the prince asked the young woman how she spent the night and the girl replied:
— I really appreciate the stay, but unfortunately I wasn’t able to get a peaceful night’s sleep. I felt something bothering me all night.
With that answer, it was confirmed that she was a real princess. Thus, the prince fell in love, asking for her hand in marriage. The princess accepted and they lived happily ever after.
Interpretation
The Princess and the Pea is a story that deals with the search for someone who can see things beyond the material world . This is because the prince wanted a true princess as a companion, that is, someone noble in soul.
So, when the young woman is able to feel a small pea under seven mattresses, it is as if she manages to capture the “essence” of life, the things that are apparently not seen. Mattresses represent the various layers and distractions of the material world.
3. Snow White
A long time ago, there lived in a castle a queen who was embroidering in front of a window. Seeing the landscape covered in snow, she pricked her finger on the needle.
She then made a wish: that she would have a daughter as white as snow, with lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony wood.
Shortly afterwards the queen became pregnant and had a beautiful girl with the characteristics she had desired.
But unfortunately, she died after Branca was born, who was left in the care of her father.
After a while, the king married again. The stepmother was a beautiful and vain woman who was very jealous and envious of the girl’s beauty.
Therefore, she consulted an enchanted mirror and always asked:
— Mirror, mirror of mine, is there anyone more beautiful than me?
The mirror replied no, that the queen was the most beautiful woman in the entire kingdom.
But one day, when I asked the mirror, the answer was different. He said:
— Oh my queen, you are no longer the most beautiful woman in the kingdom, because Snow White is the most beautiful.
Then the evil stepmother decides that Snow should die. She orders a hunter to take the girl to the forest and rip out her heart, bringing it back as evidence.
The hunter obeys the order, but arriving in the forest, he feels sorry for the girl and tells her to run away. He then kills a deer and takes its heart to take to the queen.
From that moment on, Snow White lived in the forest. One day, very tired, she enters a house and falls asleep in one of the beds. The owners of the house were seven dwarfs and they were delighted to see her sleeping.
In a fright, Branca wakes up and makes friends with them. She starts to take care of the house, while the little men work.
One night, the queen discovers that her stepdaughter is still alive when she asks the mirror. The evil one then disguises herself as an old peasant woman and goes to Snow White to offer her a poisoned apple. When biting into the fruit, Branca falls into a deep sleep.
The dwarves, upon seeing the young woman unconscious, placed her in a crystal coffin in the middle of the forest.
One fine afternoon, a prince who was walking through the place, saw the beautiful girl in the crystal box. He then kisses her and she wakes up. The two get married and live happily ever after.
Interpretation
Snow White is a tale that also deals with moments of transformation in life . When the girl goes to the forest, it is as if she is searching within herself for new possible worlds, away from the castle and her stepmother.
In this way, he gains autonomy by living in another house, where he makes friends with seven dwarfs, who can be interpreted as his psychological resources to get through difficult times.
As she falls asleep, Branca is assimilating her new abilities before awakening again to another moment of her existence.
4. Cinderella
In a very distant kingdom, there was a young couple who had a beautiful daughter, Cinderella. They lived in a very beautiful house and were happy.
But one day, the mother died. After a while, the father remarried a very vain lady who had two daughters.
When Cinderella’s father died, her stepmother and her daughters treated Cinderella as if she were a servant. They forced her to do all the housework, sleep in the attic and dress in rags.
Cinderella suffered a lot, but she carried out her tasks.
One day, the whole village was in an uproar. It was announced that the king would hold a ball so that the prince could choose the one who would marry him and become a princess.
Then all the girls chose their best dresses for the event. Except Cinderella, who was prevented by her stepmother from going to the ball. Meanwhile, her “sisters” were excitedly trying on expensive dresses.
Cinderella was very sad and began to cry. But at that moment, a fairy godmother appeared and helped her. The girl received a wonderful sky blue dress full of sparkles. Her hair also looked amazing and she was ready for prom.
Furthermore, the fairy transformed a pumpkin into a carriage and a mouse into a coachman.
Cinderella could finally go to the ball. But she had one detail: she had to return home by midnight, which was when the spell would be broken.
And so the young woman headed to the party. Arriving there, she met the prince, who was enchanted. The two danced all night.
Cinderella lost track of time and when she looked at the clock, she realized that it was just a few minutes until midnight.
Then she ran away, hurrying to get home.
The prince went after her, but she was already gone. In her haste, Cinderella dropped a glass slipper.
The handsome prince carefully kept the shoe and the next day he had an idea to find his beloved again.
He visited all the girls in the region and made them try on the shoes. The foot that fits would be that of the new princess.
So, when the prince arrived at Cinderella’s house, his sisters were ready to put on the glass slipper, but obviously it didn’t fit.
The prince was already leaving, but when he saw Cinderella, he asked her to try on the shoes too. So it was done. When he saw that the shoe belonged to Cinderella, he was very happy and took her to his palace, marrying her.
And then the young girl became a beautiful princess and they lived happily ever after.
Interpretation
Cinderella, also known as Cinderella, is a story that has crossed the centuries as a tale of overcoming .
It reveals how the protagonist, wronged by her stepmother and sisters, manages to create a new reality for herself and transform her difficult life.
The fairy godmother can be seen as an aspect of herself, which, with creativity , seeks to differentiate herself and achieve autonomy .
5. The princess and the frog
Once upon a time there was a young princess who loved to play with her golden ball. One day, she was playing near the royal lake when, by accident, she dropped the beautiful object into the water.
She was very sad because she didn’t want to go into the lake to retrieve the ball and get her beautiful dress wet.
Seeing the girl’s frustration, a frog nearby said:
— Oh princess, why are you so sad?
And she replied:
— My golden ball fell into the lake and I can’t get it.
—Then let me get it for you! But then you must give me a kiss! – said the frog.
The young woman thought for a while, but accepted the agreement and promised to keep her word.
But after the ball was handed over, she ran away without looking back. The frog was disappointed and started charging the young woman whenever he found her.
One day, already tired, he takes action. The frog goes to the king and explains what happened, saying that his daughter was not complying with what was agreed.
The king calls the princess, talks to her and says that we shouldn’t promise things we don’t want to keep.
So, the princess takes courage and kisses the little frog, who turns into a beautiful prince. He then explains that a witch turned him into a frog and that the spell would only be broken with a princess’s kiss.
From then on, the two become friends and later fall in love. They later get married and live happily ever after.
Interpretation
The story contains elements that suggest that the protagonist is growing, maturing. We can also highlight the importance of keeping your word. That is, we cannot promise things that we do not intend to fulfill.
Of course, there are commitments that we cannot fulfill, but when we promise, the promise must be sincere and not to get something in return. In other words, we should not use other people to gain anything .
6. Beauty and the Beast
Bela was a very kind girl who lived with her father, a simple merchant.
Near his house, a somewhat strange creature lived in a castle. He was a prince who had been transformed by a witch into a Beast. He was covered in fur and looked like a bear or similar animal.
Such an enchantment would only be broken with a sincere kiss.
Bela’s father one day needs to travel and asks if his daughter would like him to bring her a gift. She just asks him to bring a rose.
He leaves for his trip and, when he was returning, he is surprised by a storm. Then the guy sees the Beast’s castle and runs for shelter.
He rings the doorbell, but no one answers. However, the door was open and he entered the castle. When he sees the fireplace going, he gets warm and ends up falling asleep in the living room.
The next day, Bela’s father prepares to leave and, upon arriving in the castle’s backyard, he sees a rose plantation.
After picking some flowers for Belle, and still with the roses in his hand, the man comes across the Beast, who was very angry and said he was going to kill him.
The man explains what happened and asks to say goodbye to his daughter, a request that is granted.
When he gets home, he tells the girl what happened and she says she will go to the castle and talk to the Beast.
This is how it is done. Arriving at the castle, the Beast is enchanted by Belle and suggests that she live with him, so he can leave his father in peace.
Belle then goes to live with the Beast. At first, the two maintain a certain distance, then they become closer. Until one day the Beast falls in love with the young woman and asks her to marry him.
She refuses and asks him to go to her father’s house for a visit, promising to return in a week.
She then visits her father and takes longer than agreed to return. When she returns, she sees Beast collapsed on the floor, almost dead.
At that moment, the girl realizes that she also loved Beast and kisses her. In this way, the spell is undone and Beast returns to his old prince form.
The two get married and live happily ever after.
Interpretation
Beauty and the Beast brings a love story that, unlike other fairy tales, presents the building of a relationship and not “love at first sight”.
Belle becomes attached to the Beast little by little, through coexistence. Thus, she discovers that that creature, initially despicable due to its appearance, hides a charming human being.
Therefore, the story reveals how we should not judge people at first glance or by their appearance.
7. Rapunzel
Once upon a time there was a very poor couple who lived in a humble house. They were expecting a baby.
They had a very strange lady as a neighbor, they said she was a witch.
One day, the pregnant woman woke up really wanting to eat the vegetables that her neighbor grew in the garden.
So, the husband took courage and took some vegetables without asking the old lady.
When the witch saw the man taking her vegetables, she became furious. He then explains that they were for his wife, who was pregnant and had desire.
The neighbor is happy with the revelation and says he could take as many vegetables as he wanted, as long as he handed over the child as soon as it was born.
The deal is made. When the woman gave birth, the husband gave the girl to the neighbor.
The witch names the child Rapunzel and takes care of her until she is 12 years old, when she locks her up in a high tower in the middle of the forest.
The girl lives alone in the tower and lets her hair grow. To alleviate her loneliness, she was always singing a sweet melody that echoed through the forest.
Rapunzel’s long hair was braided and served as a rope for the witch to climb the tower from time to time.
Whenever the witch arrived at the tower, she shouted:
— Throw the braids, Rapunzel!
One day, a prince who was riding nearby and had already heard Rapunzel singing, saw the scene of the old woman climbing through the girl’s hair. He becomes curious and, after a while, decides to shout:
— Throw the braids, Rapunzel!
The girl throws her hair and the boy goes up to his room. She gets scared, but later they become friends.
The prince’s visits become frequent, until they fall in love.
But the witch ends up discovering the prince’s visits and, in a fit of evil, cuts her adopted daughter’s hair and abandons her in the forest.
The prince goes to visit his beloved and climbs up her hair (which continued to serve as a rope). But when he gets up there, the witch throws him out the window. He falls and is seriously injured, losing his vision.
So the prince starts to walk blind and aimless through the woods. Upon hearing Rapunzel singing, he recognizes her voice and goes to her.
The two hug and the beloved’s tears fall into her eyes, giving her back her vision.
So they get married and live happily ever after.
Interpretation
Rapunzel is part of the stories compiled by the Brothers Grimm, German writers who collected many folk tales in the 19th century.
In this tale, what we see is a trapped girl who uses her hair as a rope to connect with the world.
The narrative talks about freedom and love . Even in prison, the protagonist manages to get the prince’s attention through singing. In other words, she sought art to be able to escape her prison.
At first, the prince saves her, but later, she saves him by restoring his vision with her tears of love.
8. Goldilocks
In a very distant forest, a little girl with blonde, curly hair walked carefree.
The girl was quite curious and when she saw a house, she immediately went in to see what it was like. Goldilocks, as she was known, didn’t know that the house belonged to a family of bears. The residents had gone for a walk and left their bowls of porridge cooling on the table.
When Little Golds saw the plates of porridge, he tried them one by one. The first was cold, the second almost burned his tongue it was so hot. The third one, she ate it all, as it was warm and very tasty.
Then, the girl saw three chairs. The first was uncomfortable and hard, the second was too big, and the last was his size. But when she sat on it, she ended up breaking it.
Tired, Goldilocks then goes to the house’s bedrooms and tries out the three beds. Again, the first bed didn’t suit her, as it was too hard. The second one was too soft. The third bed was perfect, so she snuggled in and slept soundly in it.
When they returned from the walk, mother bear, father bear and little bear saw that their porridge had been stirred. The little bear was sad because he had no more food in his bowl.
Then they saw their chairs out of place and once again the teddy bear was upset because his was broken.
The three then ran to their rooms. Mom and Dad Bear saw that their beds were turned over and the little boy started crying when he saw that there was a little girl sleeping in his bed.
Upon hearing the commotion, Goldilocks woke up and, embarrassed, said that she would never enter other people’s houses without being invited again.
Interpretation
In Goldilocks, the theme behind the narrative is growth, the departure from early childhood. Through metaphors, the girl tries to experience the role of parents, but feels comfortable occupying her little son’s space.
Despite this, he realizes that he no longer fits in that child’s place, because when he sits on the small chair, it breaks. So, when the family arrives, she, who was asleep, absorbing the experiences, wakes up and realizes that she must live a new moment in her life.
9. Ugly duckling
Once upon a time there was a duck that had laid five eggs. She anxiously awaited her children to be born.
One day, the shells begin to break and the babies come out one by one. They were all very pretty, but the last one was a little weird.
Then the duck looked at him and said:
— What a strange duckling! So different, I can’t believe he’s my son!
The brothers also rejected the duckling, as well as all the animals in the place.
The duck grew up very sad and lonely, as he felt that no one liked him.
So, he has the idea of leaving that place to seek happiness.
He meets a man who takes him home, but there was a cat there and they didn’t get along.
Then he continues his search and arrives at a lake, where he sees several beautiful birds swimming, content. They were swans!
The birds look at him and invite him to join them. The duckling, still a little surprised, goes there. When he arrives, he realizes that those wonderful birds looked just like him. When he looks at his reflection in the waters, he sees that he was just like them! He wasn’t a duck, he was a swan!
And so, upon finding his true family, the duckling (who wasn’t a duck!) lives happily ever after.
Interpretation
The short story, written by Hans Christian Andersen, dates back to 1843. In it, there are several situations that display the search for belonging and acceptance .
The duckling, born into a family that did not recognize him as an equal, sets out on a journey of self-knowledge and ends up being welcomed.
History shows us the importance of being surrounded by people who value us. It also reveals the need to move away from situations that take away our energy and lower self-esteem.
10. Jack and the Beanstalk
Once upon a time there was a very poor little boy. His name was João and he lived with his mother in a simple house far from the city.
The two were going through difficulties and had nothing left to eat. The only thing they had was a cow, but it didn’t give milk because it was too old.
One day João’s mother told him to take the animal to the city and try to sell it, only then could they have some money that month.
The boy then obeyed his mother and left with the cow. Along the way, however, he met a very mysterious guy who offered him a handful of beans in exchange for the cow. The man said that the grains were magical and that they should be planted that day.
João accepts the exchange and returns home satisfied and confident.
But when his mother discovered that her son had sold the cow for a few beans, she didn’t believe the story that they were magic and threw them out the window, furious.
João was very sad and went to sleep reluctantly.
It turns out that in the middle of the night something incredible happened. The seeds sprouted and a gigantic beanstalk grew in the yard.
When he woke up, João almost couldn’t believe it, he thought he was still dreaming. But it was real!
The boy then didn’t think twice, he ran towards the tree and started climbing.
The climb was not easy and he felt scared, as it was a very tall tree that reached up to the sky.
When João finally reached the top he realized he was among the clouds. The boy then went down and came across a very different place where there was a huge castle.
So, he approached the castle carefully and found a lady. They talked and she told him that an evil giant lived there, so she hid the boy in the castle while the giant slept.
After sleeping for a long time, the giant woke up and, although he was still sleepy, he was starving! He had a great sense of smell and soon smelled like a child.
But the woman made him a big meal, which made him calmer. So, satisfied, he asked his enchanted hen to lay golden eggs for him and for his harp to play music by itself.
Meanwhile, João watched the whole thing with fascination.
The giant, who was very lazy, slept again. João then took advantage of the moment and, while the lady was doing other tasks, he took the chicken and the harp and fled towards the beanstalk.
The giant noticed and went after the boy, but by then, he was far away and was already climbing down the tree.
João manages to descend very quickly and the giant also begins to descend, but when the boy arrives, he cuts the big tree.
The giant then falls from above, sprawling on the ground and never getting up again.
João, now with the goose that lays the golden eggs, is able to make money and have prosperity. His mother is happy!
The lady who was the giant’s maid becomes the owner of the castle and also lives happily in heaven.
Interpretation
In Jack and the Beanstalk, we have a story that talks about the separation between mother and child and autonomy .
The boy is in search of new experiences, and with intuition as a guide, he acquires the seeds that will make him climb into the “unknown”.
So, this path is difficult and scary, but you have to do it. Upon arriving, the boy is faced with situations in which he needs to be careful and face the “giant”, which symbolizes aspects of his own identity, such as vanity and selfishness.
But there is success in this search and, upon returning from the journey, João brings with him the riches he gained from the process.
11. The lion and the mouse
Once upon a time there was a lion. One day, he was sleeping soundly in the jungle when he started to feel itchy and realized that a group of mice were running over him.
Then the lion woke up and, scared, the mice ran into the woods.
But one of them couldn’t escape and ended up trapped between the paws of the enormous king of the forest.
In fear, the little mouse begged:
— Oh you lion, please don’t eat me! I ask you!
The lion thought and asked:
—But why shouldn’t I eat it?
The mouse replied:
— Who knows, if one day you need me, I can help you!
Then the lion released the mouse, who went happily to his friends.
Time passed and one day the lion was captured by a group of evil men, who trapped him in a net.
The same little mouse, who was nearby, heard the lion’s cries for help and went there. Then, remembering that the lion had spared his life, the little rodent chewed and chewed the rope, managing to cut it and free the lion.
The two became friends from then on.
Interpretation
This little fable was created by Aesop, a writer from Ancient Greece, in the 6th century BC. W.
The narrative brings as its moral the idea that whoever does good receives good. It deals with issues such as solidarity, trust and friendship .
Furthermore, it shows us that regardless of size, all beings have their abilities and help can come from the simplest of friends.
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12. Pinocchio
Once upon a time there was a kind carpenter who lived alone. He was friendly and liked children. His name was Geppetto.
One day, tired of feeling lonely, Geppetto decides to build a wooden doll to keep him company and names him Pinocchio.
The carpenter worked all day and only went to sleep after the doll was ready. So, during the night, a beautiful Blue Fairy appears to Pinocchio and gives him life. She says:
– You will now be able to talk and walk. His creator, Gepeto, will be happy to see that he finally has company.
Pinocchio is surprised and asks if he will be a real boy, but the Fairy says no, that he will only turn into a human if he is kind like his father.
To help the poor wooden boy, the Fairy makes a talking cricket appear, which will serve as his conscience, helping him make better decisions.
When Geppetto woke up, he could hardly believe that the wooden doll could now speak! the man then adopted Pinocchio as his son and enrolled him in a school.
But Pinocchio didn’t want to go to school, he wanted to play and have fun. The boy then gets involved in many adventures and confusions, he lies to his father, which makes his nose grow.
The Blue Fairy appears and saves him from many troubles. But one day, after going through many challenges, Pinocchio ends up being thrown into the sea and is swallowed by a huge whale.
Surprisingly, the boy finds Geppetto inside the whale. His father had gone out to look for his son and also fell into the sea.
The two help each other and finally manage to get out of the whale. And then, as a reward, the Blue Fairy transforms the wooden doll into a real boy. Father and son live happily ever after.
Interpretation
This is a traditional Italian story written by Carlo Collodi in the mid-19th century. The original story is very different from the one that became known with the Disney adaptation.
Here, what we see is a narrative that tells about the importance of telling the truth and presents overcoming challenges. It also shows the love between father and son , regardless of whether he is a blood child or adopted.
13. The red hen
Once, a chicken with red feathers decided that she would make a delicious corn cake. So, she invited the other animals, her neighbors, to help her prepare.
But surprisingly, none of them wanted to help. The cat said he was very tired, the dog said he was busy. The cow just wanted to play and the pig didn’t even give an explanation.
Upset, the red hen did all the work. She harvested the corn, made the cake and set the table.
When they smelled the finished cake, all the animals ran over to try it. But the chicken said:
– Now that it’s ready, do you want to eat? No no! Only me and my chicks are going to eat, because I made the cake alone.
Interpretation
This is a story that tells about teamwork , in this case, the lack of teamwork. The red hen had a lot of determination and was not lazy, so she made a cake alone even without the help of her friends.
But after the cake is ready, everyone wants to eat it. The chicken feels wronged and doesn’t let anyone have her cake.
14. The fox and the grapes
A fox passing through a field saw a vine with very juicy grapes. She salivated with desire and decided that she would catch them to eat.
But as he got closer, he noticed that the fruits were very high. She jumped and jumped to try to reach them but it was in vain. The fox tried everything he could to eat the grapes and couldn’t.
A bird flying nearby saw the situation. When the fox noticed her presence, he said, with disdain:
– It’s okay, I really didn’t want them, they were green.
Interpretation
The moral of this Aesop’s fable is the saying ” Whoever disdains wants to buy “. The fox tried his best to eat the grapes, but as he was unable to reach them, he thought it would be a good idea to belittle the object of his desire.
The lesson that remains is about recognizing our inabilities and vulnerabilities.
15. The match seller
Once upon a time there was a very poor girl. She walked the streets at night shivering from the cold, as it was snowing and the weather was freezing, as the story takes place in the northern hemisphere.
It was Christmas and the poor girl was barefoot and helpless.
She was wearing an apron and had some boxes of matches in her pockets. People passed by and she tried to sell the boxes, saying “Do you want to buy matches? Quality matches at a good price!”
People barely looked and, in a mixture of guilt and disinterest, walked away.
Without money and starving, she was enchanted to look at the lights of the city, decorated for the Christmas festivities. She also smelled the aroma of food coming from the houses and salivated thinking about a feast.
She almost went home, but decided not to, as she hadn’t sold any matchboxes. And she wouldn’t find food at her house and she wouldn’t be able to keep warm.
She was freezing cold and thought that maybe if she struck a match it could get hotter, even if just for a short moment.
Without thinking too much, the girl lit a match. The glow of the fire amazed her and for a little while she had to imagine herself in front of a fireplace.
But it wasn’t long before the heat dissipated and she realized she was in the same place, sitting in the freezing snow.
He struck another match and had the illusion of being at a dining table, with a large supper of delicious things. She could almost smell the roasting meat.
But again, after the fire went out, she was faced with the harsh reality.
When she struck another match, she now found herself in a room with a beautiful Christmas tree with lots of gifts. It was an even more beautiful tree than the one she had seen through the window of a fancy house.
The tree was full of lights, but from one moment to the next the lights seemed to rise into the sky and disappear.
The girl then began to pay attention to the sky. A comet appeared and she thought “Someone might have just become a star!” This thought came because her beloved grandmother, who had died, once said that when a star streaks across the sky it is because some soul is leaving the Earth.
The girl then struck another match with her frozen fingers and soon her beloved grandmother appeared, who was shining and serene. The granddaughter was very happy and said: “Grandma! What a surprise! I want to go with you! I don’t want you to leave…”
Then grandmother and granddaughter went up to heaven, in a place without cold, hunger or sadness.
The next day the girl’s small body was found, she was all curled up, not moving. She had many extinguished matches in her hands. Many people who ignored her the night before now said: Poor thing! I think she tried to keep warm.
The girl left Earth on Christmas Eve, frozen by cold and hunger, with the illusion of having had a good time and having found her beloved grandmother.
Interpretation
This is a very sad story published in 1838 by Hans Andersen.
Even though it was written a long time ago, it brings reflections on solidarity, social inequality, lack of affection and the hypocrisy of people who ignored the girl in need on Christmas Eve, but mourned her death the next morning.
Although it is a sad tale, it can serve to address delicate topics with children, valuing empathy, solidarity and bringing important reflections on inequality and injustice.
16. The goose that lays the golden eggs
A couple lived on a farm and were lucky enough to have a hen in their henhouse that laid golden eggs every day. Even so, greedy, they decided to see what was inside the chicken, thinking that there would be a much greater fortune in its body.
So they decided to kill her and get all the gold in one go. But when they opened the chicken’s belly they saw that it was like any other, normal.
And so the two didn’t get rich and, worse, they lost the hen that gave them a golden egg every day.
Interpretation
This story tells about greed and ignorance. The couple failed to appreciate and realize how lucky they were to have a special chicken like this.
So, ambition got the better of them and they ended up in trouble.
17. The shoemaker and the elves
A long time ago, a humble shoemaker lived in a distant place. He was really poor and only had enough money to make one pair of shoes.
I don’t know what will happen to us if I don’t find a good buyer or if our luck changes – he told his wife.
So, he cut and prepared the leather he bought with the intention of finishing the work the next day, as he was already very tired. The next day the shoemaker was getting ready to start his work day when he saw two beautiful finished shoes on the work table. They were sewn so carefully, with such perfect stitches, that the poor man couldn’t believe his eyes.
They were so beautiful that when a person passed by and saw the shoes through the window, they paid more than the real price to buy them. The shoemaker was very happy and said to his wife: – With this money I will be able to buy enough leather to make two pairs. Like the day before, he cut the patterns and had them ready to finish the next day.
Again the miracle repeated itself, and in the morning there were four shoes, sewn and finished, on his bench. Also this time there were clients willing to pay large amounts for excellent work.
Another night and another, the same thing always happened: all the cut leather that the shoemaker left in his workshop turned into beautiful shoes the next day.
Time passed, the man’s shoes became famous in the region and he never lacked customers or food on his table.
Christmas was approaching when he said to his wife: – What do you think if we hide tonight to find out who is helping us like this? She thought it was a good idea and they waited, crouched behind a piece of furniture, for someone to arrive.
The clock struck midnight when two elves appeared and began sewing. The needle ran and the thread flew and in the blink of an eye they finished the whole job. In one leap they disappeared and left the shoemaker and his wife stunned.
– Did you notice that these little men who came were naked? We could make clothes for them so they don’t get cold. – Said the woman. He agreed with his wife and the next day they left the clothes on the table instead of the leather patterns, and at night they stood behind the furniture to see how the elves would react.
Twelve bells rang and the little elves appeared. When they jumped onto the table they were amazed to see the suits, even more so when they realized they were in their size. They got dressed and sang: – Now we are two beautiful and elegant young people! Why continue to be shoemakers like before? And just as they came, they left. Jumping and jumping, they disappeared.
The shoemaker and his wife were pleased to see the elves happy. And although, as they had announced, they would never return, they were never forgotten, as there was never a lack of work, food or anything else in the shoemaker’s house.
Interpretation
This is a story by the Brothers Grimm that tells about solidarity , perseverance and the search for a miracle.
It is interesting to note that even though the elves left and no longer did the shoemaker’s work, he and his wife were happy to also be able to help the little beings.
18. The Hare and the Tortoise
Once upon a time there was a hare who was always making fun of a tortoise, always saying that his colleague was too slow.
One day, the tortoise accepted the hare’s challenge and they set up a race to see who would be faster. The fox would be the judge.
This was done and both left the same place at the same moment. In a short time the hare was already very advanced and so he decided to sit down to rest. But she ended up falling asleep.
Time passed and the tortoise was closer and closer to the hare, who was sleeping soundly. And that’s how the slow tortoise overtook the hare and came first.
This Aesop fable brings as a lesson the need to never underestimate others . Teaches humility and focus . In the story, the tortoise wins, as it has more perseverance and determination, unlike the careless hare.