The heron went to the edge of the pond and just stood there. He did not even try to catch the fish that came very near.

In the pond lived a crab. He went to the heron and said, “Uncle, why are you not catching fish for your food today ? Why do you stand there looking so sad ?”

The heron replied, “All these years I have lived here.

I have enjoyed fish for my meals. But now something terrible is going to happen to all of you. And when that happens, there will be no fish left here at all. That is what makes me so sad.”

“Uncle,” said the crab, “what is this dreadful thing that you speak of ?”

The heron replied, “Today I heard some fishermen talking as they passed near the pond. ‘This is a big  and full of fish,’ they were saying. “In a few days’ time we shall come back here and catch all the fish in our nets.”

When the fish heard this, they were all very frightened. They begged of the heron, “Uncle ! You are our friend ! Can you think of a way of saving us ? Please tell us how we can escape from those fishermen.”

The heron said, “I am a bird. I cannot fight with men. But one thing I can do – I can take you from this pond to another, which is much deeper. Nobody can catch you there.”

The fish were very happy. They all began to cry with one voice, “Uncle ! Uncle ! Take me first ! Take me first !”

The old cheat was very happy to hear them. “Don’t worry,” he said. “You will all get your turn. I shall take you to the new pond one or two at a time.” The heron lifted a fish in his bill and flew off. He carried the fish to a large rock far away from the pond. There he ate it. Day after day he kept eating the fish like this. Soon he became plump and strong.

One day the crab said to the heron, “Uncle, please save me too. Take me to the new pond.”

“Sure,” said the heron. “Hop on to my back.” By now he was tired of eating only fish. He thought it would be nice to eat a crab for a change. Carrying the crab on his back, the heron flew through the air.

After some time the crab said, “Uncle, where are we going ? don’t see a pond anywhere.”

The heron laughed and said, “Do you see that bi rock down there ? All the fish are resting there. Your turn has now come to rest there with the fish.”

At first the crab was very happy. Then he looked down and saw a lot of fish-bones on a large rock. He thought, “Oh, the rogue has eaten up all the fish ! Well, he won’t get me for his dinner !” He then caught the heron’s neck in his strong claws, and cut off the head.

The crab slowly walked back to the pond. The fish were surprised to see him. “Why have you come back from the other pond ?” they asked.

“The wicked heron was only cheating us,” said the crab. “He has eaten up all the fish that he carried from this pond. But he cannot cheat us any longer. I have killed him. Now we shall all live here in peace.”

The turtle gave him money for it.

The turtle took the bag. He started to walk to his house. On the way he felt thirsty. He put the bag near the road. Then he went to look for water.

A monkey was coming down the road. He saw the bag of peanuts. “Ah, what luck !” he said. “I shall have lots of peanuts to eat.”

The monkey picked up the bag. Then he climbed up a tree and began to eat the peanuts.

The turtle drank some water and came back. But he could not find the bag of peanuts. Then he heard a sound, ‘Munch-munch, munch-munch. ‘  He looked up and saw a monkey sitting in the tree. He was eating the peanuts.

“Give me my bag of peanuts,” said the turtle to the monkey. “It is mine. I paid money for it.”

“No,” said the monkey. “I found the bag. So it is mine.”

“Please give me the bag,” the turtle said again. “My children are hungry. I want to give them these peanuts to eat.”

“I shall not give you the bag,” the monkey said again. “I found it, so it is mine. I am going to eat the peanuts.”

The monkey had a long tail. It was hanging down. The turtle caught the tail. He gave it a big bite.

“OUCH !” the monkey cried loudly. He pulled his tail. But the turtle would not let go.

The monkey then threw down the bag of peanuts. “Here, take your peanuts,” he said. “Let go of my tail now.”

The turtle left the monkey’s tail and picked up the bag of peanuts. He went home and said, “Children, come and see what I have got for you.”

The children came running. They saw the bag of peanuts and were very happy. They all had a good feed of peanuts.

“Ah,” said the white cat. “There’s a roti there. How nice!”( Roti: round, baked at cake made of wholemeal bread, chapatti)

The black cat ran and picked up the roti. She opened her mouth to eat it, for she was hungry.

“Stop !” said the white cat. “I saw the roti first, so I shall eat it.”

“But I picked it up and so I shall eat it,” said the black cat.

Both wanted to eat the roti. So they said, “Let us go to the monkey who lives on the mango tree. He will tell us what to do.”

The two cats went to the monkey. He was sitting on the mango tree. Uncle, said the cats, “please come down from the tree. We want to ask you something.”

“Why don’t you both come up then ?” asked the monkey.

“How can we do that, Uncle ?” said the cats. We have this roti. If we come up, the roti will fall.”

“Oh, very well,” said the monkey. He came down and sat on the ground. “Now what’s the matter”, he asked.

“Uncle,” said the white cat, “this black cat is very greedy. to eat the full roti. But I saw the roti first, so it is mine.

“But I picked up the roti from the road,” said the black Cat. “So it is mine.”

“You tell us who should eat this roti,” said both the cats together.

“Hm,” said the monkey. “Let me think.” He closed his eyes for a minute. Then he said, “Give me the roti. I shall break it into two pieces. Then you can eat one piece each.”

The black cat gave him the roti. The monkey tore it into two pieces. Then he looked at the pieces in his hands and said, “Oh, one of the pieces is bigger than the other. Let me make it equal to the other piece.”

The monkey took a bite from the bigger piece. He looked at the two pieces again and said,

“Oh, now the other piece is bigger. I shall make both equal.” And he took a bite from the second piece.

The cats got worried. They did not want the monkey to eat up their entire roti. So they said, “Uncle, give us the two pieces now. Never mind if they are not equal.”

“How can I do that ?” he said. “That would be cheating. I must give an equal piece to both of you.”

The cats just sat and watched. They saw the monkey take a bite from the two pieces, turn by turn. At last the monkey said, “It’s no use giving you the two pieces now. They are too small.” And before the cats could stop him, he ate up both the pieces.

The poor cats were very hungry. But their roti was gone. They said, “We will not fight again. If we find some more food, we shall shan’t equally.” And they both went away to look for a mouse to eat.

“Be careful this time. Keep the pig for Christmas,” warned Jack. The stupid woman called the man who called himself Christmas and gave him the pig. When her husband came home and asked her about the pig, she said, “But you told me to give it to Christmas!” He held his head in despair and vowed never to say anything to her.

At Christmas time once, a man named Joseph and a woman named Mary were going to have a very special baby. An angel told Mary the baby was God’s own son! His name was Jesus.

No room at the inn

Joseph and Mary had to go to Bethlehem, a city far away. But when they got there, there was no room for them at the inn.

Born in a barn

The inn keeper told them they could stay in the barn. That night, bay Jesus was born among the animals in the barn!

Shepherds in the field

Nearby, there were some shepherds taking care of their sheep. Suddenly, the sky was filled with angels! they told the shepherds that Jesus had been born that night. The shepherds hurried away to find him.

The wise men

Even some wise men from far away heard of Jesus. God put a special star in the sky to lead them to where Jesus was! They traveled a long time. Finally, they found Baby Jesus.

Gifts to Baby Jesus

The wise men gave gifts to baby Jesus. They knew he was God’s own son because God had told them.