We read children's fairy tales in English for beginners. Fairy tales in English Easy stories for children in English

20.07.2023

On this page you will find the most kind, informative and interesting fairy tales in english for children. Learning English by reading fairy tales in English is a great pleasure. After all, a fairy tale is a journey, and a fairy tale in English is a journey into the world of the English language. Thanks to fairy tales in English, you will make learning English fun and interesting for your child.

Fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" in English will tell you about a kind, cheerful princess who at one moment, due to circumstances, falls asleep for the rest of her life. There are a lot of useful phrases in English in the fairy tale that can be applied in real life. Also, the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" will help you hone your pronunciation of your English.


Fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" in English is a popular English fairy tale for children. The fairy tale tells about a girl who went into the forest and got lost, and then the events fluttered more and more interesting. The tale in English is adapted and easy to read. You get a large vocabulary and good English practice.


Fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood in English will tell you about one interesting and informative story, which is easy to read in English and carries a lot of useful words in English, which can often be found in the modern world.


The fairy tale "Three Little Pigs" in English in English is one of the most popular fairy tales. From the fairy tale you will learn that you should always be prudent when solving issues and not be careless. And after reading the fairy tale three little pigs in English, you will learn a lot of new vocabulary and practice your English well.


Fairy tale Cinderella in English will tell you about one of the kindest and sweetest girl-heroines in the world of fairy tales. The moral of the story is very simple and accessible even to children. In the fairy tale you will meet many new English words.

Today we have three short stories on the “menu”, which are useful for both adults and children to read. These stories are very instructive, at the end of each of them a moral is stated. For those who still find it difficult to translate even such simple texts, a translation is presented. Most likely, you have already heard similar fairy tales in Russian, so it will be easier for you to understand their meaning.

The Ant and the Grasshopper

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great effort an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.

"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling away?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at the present."

But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing, every day, corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer.
Then the Grasshopper knew..

MORAL: Work today and you can reap the benefits tomorrow.

Ant and Grasshopper

On a field on a sunny day, a grasshopper jumped, chirped and sang to his heart's content. An ant passed by, dragging a corncob with great effort to his home.

The Lion and the Mouse

Once when a Lion was asleep, a little Mouse began running up and down upon him. This soon wakened the Lion, who placed his huge paw upon him and opened his big jaws to swallow him.

"Sorry, O King!" cried the little Mouse, “Forgive me this time. I shall never repeat it and I shall never forget your kindness. And who knows, but I may be able to do you a good turn one of these days?”

The Lion was so tickled at the idea of ​​the Mouse being able to help him, that he lifted up his paw and let him go.

Sometime later a few hunters captured the King and tied him to a tree while they went in search of a wagon to carry him on.

Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and seeing the sad plight in which the Lion was, ran up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that bound the King of the Beasts. "Was I not right?" said the little Mouse, very happy to help the Lion.

Read also: English for children. The Tale of the Sultan.

MORAL: Little friends may prove great friends.

Lion and mouse

Once, when the lion fell asleep, a small mouse began to run over him. Soon he woke the lion, who caught him with his huge paw and opened his jaw to swallow him.

"Excuse me, O king! sobbed the little mouse, “Forgive me this time. This will never happen again and I will never forget your kindness. And who knows, maybe one day I can also do something good for you.”

The lion was so amused at the idea that the mouse could somehow help him that he raised his paw and let him go.

A few days later, the hunters caught the king and tied him to a tree while they were looking for a wagon where they could put him.

Just then it happened that a mouse ran past, he saw the predicament in which the lion was, ran up to him and quickly gnawed through the ropes that tied the king of beasts. "Wasn't I right?" - said the mouse, joyful because he helped the lion.

Morality: Little friends can be great friends.

The Goose that laid the Golden Eggs

Once upon a time, a man and his wife had the good fortune to have a goose which laid a golden egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough.

They imagined that if the bird must be able to lay golden eggs, its insides must be made of gold. And they thought that if they could get all that precious metal at once, they would get mighty rich very soon. So the man and his wife decided to kill the bird.

Adapted fairy tales- these are texts adapted specifically for certain grammatical structures, words and tense forms that should be understood by a certain group of students. That is, they are built in such a way that the learner can easily master the basics of vocabulary, and also teach and motivate the student to continue learning the language. These tales are recommended to pass in turn, that is, if you are just starting to learn English or want to refresh your knowledge, then start from level zero - from the very first fairy tale, and then down in order without skipping- the complexity of the texts gradually increases.

All fairy tales on the site have audio accompaniment, which can be listened to and downloaded for free after registering and logging into your account. To remember the necessary words and phrases well, listen to the same fairy tale several times every day. in a week, after you disassemble it at least 70%. After that it is very important listen a lot and, if possible, repeat after the speaker (model his intonation and pronunciation). Can listen 2 to 5 fairy tales every day (each fairy tale 2-3 times), the main thing is that their total (total) duration was no more than 15 minutes. That is, it is enough to devote 30-45 minutes to English a day - the main thing is that the classes are daily. Follow this technique and you will notice positive progress very quickly.

Learning English in childhood is not only a complex and rather time-consuming process, but also a process subject to change. Today, experts insist on a versatile presentation of language aspects, a selection of the best moments from various methods, manuals and techniques. In the modern variety of educational materials, fairy tales in English for children are still relevant.

A fairy tale is a whole linguistic layer, including not only a lexical and grammatical, but also a cultural aspect. Reading and analyzing genre texts fairy tale, you can fully imbue not only linguistic features, but also English traditions and subtleties of mentality. That is why fairy tales in English can be offered for study not only to schoolchildren and preschoolers, but also to adult students.

English fairy tales: interest, outlook, benefit

The inclusion of fairy tales in the curriculum remains relevant for most modern methods. Their use is absolutely justified due to the following advantages:

  • Engagement and motivation. It is more interesting for children to study the material presented in the form of a fairy tale, thanks to which they themselves strive to read and understand the text.
  • Erudition and outlook. Reading English children's fairy tales, the child simultaneously studies the characteristics and traditions of other peoples and countries, learns to distinguish and feel the nuances of different languages, which allows him to develop linguistic inclinations and replenish his stock of knowledge.
  • Learning several language aspects at once. Fairy tales for children in English allow you to master grammar and vocabulary in an unobtrusive way, study temporary forms and sentence construction, and expand your vocabulary.
  • Development of perseverance and concentration. Children are ready to spend much more time on studying and translating an interesting story than on a boring text that requires the same processing.

Russian fairy tales with translation into English: is it worth using

Here the answer is unequivocal: of course, it is worth it. And first of all, in connection with a stronger motivation: many children are incredibly interested in reading Russian folk tales they have known since childhood in English. In addition, the inclusion of Russian texts translated into English helps to effectively develop the following skills:

  • linguistic intuition. When reading famous Russian fairy tales in English, children more easily grasp the meaning and grasp the meaning of unfamiliar words and expressions.
  • Lexicon. When, while reading, a child intuitively understands English words and expressions, he remembers them much faster - the secret lies in an in-depth cognitive interest.
  • erudition. Translation of a fairy tale from Russian into English helps to take a fresh look at familiar phenomena and traditions, to feel the difference in the formation of idioms and phraseological units in different languages.

Russian fairy tales in English can be offered for study in two versions: immediately with a translation for beginners or in an already translated version without the original for children with more solid language training.

An example of a Russian fairy tale with translation

Fox and Crane

Once upon a time, the Fox and the Crane were close friends. Once the Fox invited the Crane to dinner and said to him:

Come, friend! Come dear! I will feed you from the bottom of my heart!

The Crane came to the Fox for lunch. Lisa cooked semolina and spread it on a plate. He brings it to the table and treats the guest.

Eat a delicious lunch, kumanek. I made this myself!

The crane knocked with its beak with its beak, knocked, knocked - but could not pick up a crumb of treat. And the Fox licked the plate until she ate all the porridge.

When the porridge is over, the Fox says:

Don't be offended, friend. Nothing else to feed you.

And thanks for that, dear, - replies the Crane. Now it's your turn to visit me.

The next day, the Fox came, and the Crane prepared okroshka, poured it into a tall jug with a narrow neck, and served the Fox:

Help yourself to a delicious dinner, dear godfather. Really, there is nothing more to offer you.

The fox spins around the jug, and licks and sniffs, but she could not even get a drop of soup. The head does not fit into the jug.

In the meantime, the Crane sipped the whole soup with its long beak. When he ate everything, he said to the Fox:

Don't be offended, dear. Nothing else to feed you.

The fox was very angry, because she wanted to eat a week ahead. So she left without salty slurping.

As it comes around, it will respond! And since then, the Fox and the Crane are no longer friends.

The Fox and The Crane

It was long, long ago when the Fox and the Crane were close friends. One fine day the Fox invited the Crane to dinner with her and said to him:

Come, buddy! Come, my dear! I'll treat you heartily!"

And so the Crane came to the Fox for the dinner party. The Fox had cooked semolina for the dinner and smeared it over the plate. Then she served it and treated her guest.

“Help yourself to tasty dinner, my dear godfather. That was me who cooked it!”

The Crane went peck-peck with his beak, knocked and knocked but couldn't pick even a bit of fare. The Fox kept licking the cereal until she had eaten it all.

When there's no cereal at all, the Fox said,

"Don't feel offended, buddy. There's nothing more to treat you."

“And thanks hereon, dear,” the Crane said, “now it’s your turn to visit me.”

Next day the Fox came, and the Crane made okroshka and poured in into a tall pitcher with a narrow neck and treated the fox.

“Help yourself to tasty dinner, my dear godmother. Honestly, there's nothing more to entertain you."

The Fox spinned around the pitcher and licked it and sniffed it but couldn't extract even a drop of the soup. Her head wouldn't fit the pitcher at all.

Meanwhile the Crane sucked the soup with his long bill. When everything had been eaten, he said to the Fox,

"Don't feel offended, dear. There's nothing more to treat you."

The Fox got very angry as she hoped to be full up for the whole week along. So she left empty-handed.

And that was a tit for tat! So, the Fox and the Crane hadn't been friends anymore since then.

Choosing Fairy Tales for Effective English Learning

When choosing English fairy tales for children for classes, you need to focus on the following criteria:

  1. Correspondence of complexity of texts to age. Today they are usually divided into several groups - adapted fairy tales in English for beginners with translation, fairy tales of elementary, intermediate and advanced levels of complexity. When choosing a text, it is necessary to take into account both the age and the level of preparation of the students.
  2. moderate volume. A long text of a fairy tale can scare kids, too short - it may seem light and boring to an older student. The golden mean in volume is no less important.
  3. . An interesting plot, the presence of morality, the opportunity for discussion - all this is necessary to keep the child's attention, involve him in an active dialogue that contributes to the development of oral speech.

Today, in addition to the usual fairy tales presented in the form of texts, it is recommended to include animated storytellers in the language training program, watch videos and listen to audio fairy tales. A variety of genre material not only increases interest in English, but also helps to develop all language skills at once - reading, writing, speaking and listening.

Teaching English with the help of fairy tales: important nuances

Fairy tales for children in English can be both an effective means of learning a language, and an additional and interesting, but not always useful load. In order for the training to proceed according to the first scenario, then, when offering a fairy tale, it is worth observing a few simple rules:

  • No rush. The child can read the story for as long as it takes him to understand the content. To do this, it is important to create a calm environment conducive to concentration.
  • Mandatory removal of barriers. If the text of the tale speaks of realities that have no analogues in the native country, or there are any idioms or sayings, it is extremely important to explain their meaning in detail. This approach contributes to better understanding and memorization, as well as deepening into the language environment.
  • Indispensable repetition. English fairy tales should be re-read at least once - this helps not only to delve deeper into the content, but also pay attention to the nuances of grammar.
  • Content comprehension control. Leading questions about the plot of a fairy tale, the translation of new words and expressions are the best way to make sure that children really have learned the text.
  • Mandatory reading analysis. In addition to leading questions, it is equally important to discuss the moral of the tale, the author's, folk message. Through dialogue, children learn to express their opinions, develop English speech.

Another important aspect in the study of fairy tales is the variety of material. You should not use exclusively fairy tales and children's stories in English with translation: video fairy tales, authentic texts, audio recordings will help keep students interested longer.

Examples of fairy tales for English lessons

The list of English folk tales is very wide, and it is not so difficult to find texts suitable for studying in it. Below are short tales with translation and possible questions to control and analyze the read story.

Fairy tale number 1

The Ant and the Grasshopper

One summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about in the field, singing and chirping to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, carrying with great effort an ear of corn he was taking to his home.

"Why not come and have a chat with me," the Grasshopper said, "instead of fussing all day long?". "I am busy saving up food for the winter," the Ant said, "and that would be better for you to do the same." "Why bother about cold?" the Grasshopper answered; "we have got a lot of food at present."

But the Ant went on its supply. When the winter came the Grasshopper got very cold and hungry while it kept watching the ants replete with corn and grain from the stores they had collected and saved in the summer.

Then the Grasshopper understood…

Ant and Grasshopper

One summer day, the Grasshopper was jumping across the field, singing songs and having fun with all his heart. An ant passed by, dragging a corncob with difficulty to his home.

Why not come and chat with me, Grasshopper asked, instead of running around all day?

I am preparing supplies for the winter, - answered the Ant. And I advise you to do the same.

Why worry about the cold? - answered the Grasshopper. “Because now we have so much food.

However, the ant continued to stockpile. And when winter came, the frozen, hungry Grasshopper watched as the ants were fed thanks to the grain from the pantries that they had been collecting all summer.

And only then the Grasshopper understood everything ...

Questions:

Fairy tale number 2

The Lion and the Mouse

Once a Lion decided to have a rest. While he'd been asleep a little Mouse started to run up and down upon him. The Lion woke up because of that, put his huge paw upon the Mouse and opened his awful mouth to swallow him.

"I run your pardon, my King!" the little Mouse cried, “Forgive me please. I shall never do it again and I shall never forget how kind you were to me. And who knows, maybe one day I'll do you a favor in turn?

The Lion found the idea of ​​the Mouse being able to help him so funny, that he let him go.

Sometime later the Lion was captured by hunters. They tied him to a tree and they went away for a while searching for a wagon to carry him on.

Just then the little Mouse happened to pass by, and the Lion in trouble. At once he ran up to him and soon gnawed away the ropes that tied the King. "Wasn't I really right?" the little Mouse said, being very proud of his role of the Lion's saviour.

Lion and Mouse

One day Leo decided to take a break. While he was sleeping, the little Mouse began to run back and forth on him. This woke the Lion, he grabbed the Mouse with a huge paw and opened his terrible mouth to swallow it.

Forgive me my King! - shouted the Mouse. Please forgive me! I will never do that again and I will never forget how good you were to me. And who knows, maybe someday I will do you a favor in return?

The idea that the Mouse could help him seemed so ridiculous to the Lion that he let him go.

A little later, the Lion was caught by the hunters. They tied him to a tree and walked away briefly in search of a wagon to take him away.

Just at this time, the Mouse ran past and saw the Lion in trouble. He immediately rushed to him and quickly gnawed through the ropes that entangled the King of Beasts.

Well, wasn't I right? - asked the Mouse, proud that he became the savior of the Lion.

Questions:

Fairy tale number 3

The golden goose

Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife who were happy to own a goose that laid a golden egg daily. In spite of their luck, however, they soon stopped being satisfied with their fortune and wanted even more.

They imagined that if the goose can lay golden eggs, it must be made of gold inside. So they thought that if they could get all that precious metal at once, they would get very rich immediately. Then the couple decided to kill the bird.

However, when they cut the goose open, they were shocked to find that its innards were just like any other goose has got!

golden goose

Once upon a time there was a husband and wife who were lucky enough to have a goose that lays golden eggs every day. Despite such good fortune, one day they felt dissatisfied with their condition and wanted more.

They imagined that if a goose could lay golden eggs, then inside it was made of gold. And if you get all the precious metal at once, you can immediately become very rich. And then the couple decided to kill the bird.

However, when they cut open the bird, they saw with horror that its insides are exactly the same as those of any other goose!

Fairy tales in English for adults and children. The section includes classic fairy tales written by Oscar Wilde, as well as Scottish and English fairy tales, which are suitable for both adult English learners and children to read.

Fairy tales in English for children:

Fairy tales in English for adults:

Little Pip is going to London! The mouse will help preschool children to fall in love with English.

The protagonist of the book - a curious little mouse Pip loves adventure and goes to explore London. Every day Pipa travels is a new lesson.
The book "English in the footsteps of Pip" is English for children of preschool and primary school age. Learn English with Pip the Mouse!

The book "English in the footsteps of Pip"— an exciting journey into the world of learning English, this is English for children of preschool and primary school age. The protagonist of the book - a curious little mouse Pip loves adventure and goes to explore London. Every day Pipa travels is a new lesson.

Following in the footsteps of Pip...

Pip the mouse accidentally gets on a ship that is preparing to sail. There he meets the girl Keti and her family, the ship is anchored - and the fun begins. The girl becomes his teacher - and instead of Pip, little readers in an easy, playful way throughout the book study such important topics: "Great Britain and its parts with capitals", "Family", "Acquaintance", "Food and Drinks", "Illness " and many others.

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Want to read to your child 25 funny stories in English the wonderful children's writer Jane Thayer? The stories are good and funny. The text of each story is provided with a commentary, as well as exercises. The text refers to the level for beginners (beginners). To begin with, I propose to read excerpts from the first 10 stories, the publication of which will continue a little later. Those who wish can still purchase the book. And the first story about the cat Timothy can be read right now on our website.

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This is a short English story for children and grown-ups. It may remind you about your childhood or your velveteen rabbit. Or it may be a velveteen bear or some other toy. The story is adapted for pre-intermediate. You can also enjoy and its Russian translation.
A touching story in English which is called "Plush Bunny". This story is adapted and will be of interest to adults and children. Voiced video and a translation into Russian with a detailed analysis of the text is attached. Another story from Majerie Williams for those who study English on our website!

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Tales in English are suitable for learning English and, above all, because the words are repeated in them. And this Scottish tale is no exception. The second part in it is absolutely similar to the first, exactly the opposite. This fairy tale is similar to a Russian fairy tale, in which we are talking about good and evil girls. The text of the tale refers to the level intermediate. In the tale, however, there are expressions that are difficult to understand, which are in italics.

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This fairy tale in english for young children. After reading this fairy tale to your child, you and he will memorize 10 words on the topic “Danger”. In this case, this danger is represented by a dragon spewing fire. Pay attention to expressions 3-6. These are the so-called "verb be + adjective with preposition" constructions. These constructions are translated into Russian with a verb (sometimes the preposition remains, sometimes it disappears), so these stable constructions must be memorized along with the preposition. You don't need to learn words to understand! You can find out the translation of a word by double-clicking on it. The fairy tale is translated into Russian.

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Many fairy tales in english for children about animals. The British love animals. Here we offer to read a fairy tale about a horse with a beautiful name Reginald and a dog Chernysh. The events of this tale, as expected, took place a long time ago in England, when houses were heated with coal and milk was transported by cart. So, Reginald and Chernysh had a cherished dream: Reginald dreamed of becoming a racehorse, and Chernysh dreamed of becoming a hound.

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Are you just starting to learn English? We offer you to read and listen online to Oscar Wilde's fairy tale "The Nightingale and the Rose" from books in English for beginners.

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