Parables for children are instructive. Good parables for children Parable about advice to children
Creativity has been known since ancient times, and it has always been used as a powerful means of education. The reason is that the stories underlying each parable for children are as close as possible to real life and therefore understandable to everyone. They also help to identify vices without directly condemning a specific person. Let's remember the most interesting of them and see how you can use them for educational purposes when communicating with children.
About the bad and the good
Once two friends were walking through the desert. Tired from the long journey, they argued and one rashly slapped the other. The comrade endured the pain and did not say anything in response to the offender. I just wrote in the sand: “Today I received a slap in the face from a friend.”
A few more days passed, and they found themselves at an oasis. They began to swim, and the one who received the slap almost drowned. The first comrade came to the rescue in time. Then the second carved an inscription on the stone, saying that his best friend saved him from death. Seeing this, his comrade asked him to explain his actions. And the second replied: “I made an inscription in the sand about the offense so that the wind would quickly erase it. And about salvation - he carved it in stone so that he would never forget about what happened.”
This parable about friendship for children will help them understand that bad things cannot be kept in memory for a long time. But the good deeds of other people should never be forgotten. And one more thing - you need to value your friends, since in difficult times it is they who often find themselves next to a person.
About love for mother
Equally important are the relationships between family members. We often explain to children that they should show respect to their parents and take care of them. But parables for children, like the one below, will say everything better than any words.
An old man and three women were sitting by the well, and three boys were playing next to them. The first one says: “My son has such a voice that everyone will be heard.” The second boasts: “And mine can show such figures - you’ll be amazed.” And only the third is silent. The old man turns to her: “Why don’t you tell about your son?” And she replies: “Yes, there is nothing unusual about him.”
So the women fetched buckets full of water, and the old man stood up with them. They hear: the first boy sings and sounds like a nightingale. The second one walks around them like a wheel. And only the third approached the mother, took the heavy buckets and carried them home. The first two women ask the old man: “How do you like our sons?” And he answers: “Where are they? I only see one son."
It is these short parables for children, close to life and understandable to everyone, that will teach children to truly appreciate their parents and show the true value of family relationships.
Lie or tell the truth?
Continuing the topic, we can recall another wonderful story.
Three boys were playing in the forest and did not notice how evening came. They were afraid that they would be punished at home, and began to think about what to do. Should I tell my parents the truth or lie? And that's how it all turned out. The first one came up with a story about a wolf attacking him. His father would be afraid for him, he decided, and would forgive him. But at that moment the forester came and reported that they did not have any wolves. The second one told his mother that he had come to see his grandfather. Lo and behold, he’s already on the threshold. This revealed the lies of the first and second boys, and as a result they were punished twice. First for being guilty, and then for lying. And only the third came home and told everything how it happened. His mother made a little noise and soon calmed down.
Such parables for children prepare them for the fact that lying only complicates the situation. Therefore, in any case, it is better not to come up with excuses and not to hide your guilt in the hope that everything will work out, but to immediately admit the wrongdoing. This is the only way to maintain the trust of your parents and not feel remorse.
About two wolves
It is equally important to teach a child to see the boundary between good and evil. These are two moral categories that will always accompany a person, and, perhaps, fight in his soul. Among the large number of instructive stories on this topic, the parable of two wolves seems to be the most understandable and interesting for children.
One day, an inquisitive grandson asked his grandfather, the leader of the tribe:
Why do bad people appear?
To this the elder gave a wise answer. Here's what he said:
There are no bad people in the world. But every person has two sides: dark and light. The first is the desire for love, kindness, compassion, mutual understanding. The second symbolizes evil, selfishness, hatred, destruction. Like two wolves, they constantly fight each other.
“I see,” the boy answered. - Which one of them wins?
“It all depends on the person,” the grandfather concluded. - The wolf that is fed the most always wins.
This parable about good and evil for children will make it clear: the person himself is responsible for much that happens in life. Therefore, it is necessary to think about all your actions. And wish for others only what you wish for yourself.
Oh hedgehog
Another question that adults often ask: “How to explain to a child that you can’t blindly trust everyone around you?” How to teach him to analyze the situation and only then make a decision? In this case, parables for young children similar to this one will come to the rescue.
Once a fox and a hedgehog met. And the red-haired woman, licking her lips, advised her interlocutor to go to the hairdresser and get a fashionable “tortoiseshell” hairstyle. “Thorns are not in fashion these days,” she added. The hedgehog was delighted with such care and set off. It’s good that he met an owl on the way. Having learned where, why and on whose advice he was going, the bird said: “Don’t forget to ask to be smeared with cucumber lotion and refreshed with carrot water.” “Why is this?” - the hedgehog didn’t understand. “And so that the fox can eat you better.” So, thanks to the owl, the hero realized that not every piece of advice can be trusted. And yet, not every “kind” word is sincere.
Who is stronger?
Often parables resemble folk tales, especially if the heroes are forces of nature endowed with human qualities. Here is one such example.
The wind and the sun argued which of them was stronger. Suddenly they see a passerby walking. The wind says: “Now I’ll tear off his cloak.” He blew with all his might, but the passer-by only wrapped himself tighter in his clothes and continued on his way. Then the sun began to warm up. And the man first lowered his collar, then untied his belt, and finally took off his cloak and threw it over his arm. This is how it happens in our lives: with affection and warmth you can achieve more than with shouts and force.
About the Prodigal Son
Now we quite often turn to the Bible and find in it answers to many moral questions. In this regard, it is necessary to especially note the parables given in it and told by Jesus Christ. They will tell children more about goodness and the need for forgiveness than long instructions from their parents.
Everyone knows the story of the prodigal son, who took his share of the inheritance from his father and left home. At first he led a cheerful, idle life. But the money soon ran out, and the young man was ready to eat even with the pigs. But he was driven out from everywhere, as a terrible famine struck the country. And the sinful son remembered his father. He decided to go home, repent and ask to become a mercenary. But the father, seeing his son returned, was happy. He raised him from his knees and ordered a feast. This offended the older brother, who told his father: “I’ve been next to you all my life, and you even spared a kid for me. He squandered all his wealth, and you ordered a fattened bull to be slaughtered for him.” To which the wise old man replied: “You are always with me, and everything I have will go to you. You need to rejoice in the fact that your brother seemed to have died, but now he has come to life, was lost and has been found.”
Problems? Everything is solvable
Orthodox parables are very instructive for older children. For example, the story of the miraculous rescue of a donkey is popular. Here are its contents.
One peasant's donkey fell into a well. The owner pushed. Then I thought: “The donkey is already old, and the well is dry. I’ll cover them with earth and solve two problems at once.” I called my neighbors and they got to work. After a while, the peasant looked into the well and saw an interesting picture. The donkey threw the earth falling from above off its back and crushed it with its feet. Soon the well was filled, and the animal was at the top.
This is how it happens in life. The Lord often sends us seemingly insurmountable trials. At such a moment, it is important not to despair and not give up. Then it will be possible to find a way out of any situation.
Five important rules
And in general, you don’t need much to become happy. Sometimes it is enough to follow a few simple rules that are understandable to a child. Here they are:
- drive out hatred from your heart and learn to forgive;
- avoid unnecessary worries - more often than not they do not come true;
- live simply and appreciate what you have;
- give more to others;
- For yourself, expect less.
These wise sayings, on which many parables for children and adults are based, will teach you to be more tolerant of others and enjoy everyday life.
a wise man
In conclusion, I would like to turn to the text of another parable for children. It is about a traveler who settled in an unfamiliar village. The man loved children very much and constantly made unusual toys for them. So beautiful that you won’t find them at any fair. But they were all painfully fragile. The kid is playing around, and lo and behold, the toy is already broken. The child is crying, and the master is already giving him a new one, but even more fragile. The villagers asked the man why he was doing this. And the master replied: “Life is fleeting. Soon some person will give your child his heart. And it is very fragile. And I hope that my toys will teach your children to take care of this priceless gift.”
So, any parable prepares a child to face our difficult life. It unobtrusively teaches you to think about each of your actions, to correlate them with the moral norms accepted in society. Makes it clear that spiritual purity, perseverance, and readiness to overcome any adversity will help you navigate the path of life with dignity.
Hello, dear visitors of the Orthodox island “Family and Faith”!
Here is an amazing book: “Little parables for children and adults. Volume 1", written by the Russian writer, poet and playwright - monk Barnabas (Sanin).
Parables are a special genre that is very rare not only in Russian, but throughout world literature. Short allegorical and instructive stories enable a person to look at his shortcomings from the outside, think about eternal values, and help find answers to various questions of our existence.
Monk Barnabas (Evgeniy Sanin), having created in his parables an amazing fusion of high spirituality and morality with folk wisdom, at the same time managed to write them in a very capacious, fascinating, intelligible language, which allows these instructive stories to be read not only by adults, but also by children.
Monk Barnabas (Sanin)
SMALL PARABLES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS. Volume-1
PAGE 1
REAL LOVE
U I saw a beautiful lily on the shore of a pool. And he decided, at any cost, to take possession of her.
What he didn’t offer the beauty: a ride on his fast waves, the gentle coolness of the water in the unbearable heat and a whole whirlpool of all kinds of entertainment and pleasure.
The beauty hesitated.
The bug that hopelessly loved her noticed this and began to dissuade her:
- He will destroy you! You'll be lost!
Just where there!
“He’s so strong, beautiful and all sort of mysterious...” Lily objected. - No, I guess I’ll still accept his offer!
- Ah well? - the bug cried. “Well then, look what awaits you if you do this!”
And he, folding his wings, rushed to the surface of the whirlpool, which immediately mercilessly swirled, spun him, and soon disappeared forever from the eyes of the lily, who only now understood what true love is...
ENVY
P Envy went to the store with some money to buy some bread.
He looks and there is a guy buying a pie for a ruble...
And so the envy jumped out of the store!
She then decided to at least drink water from the well. She took the biggest tub so that everyone would envy her!
And at the well, the man’s wife – light buckets, painted rockers...
She threw away her envy and completely ran away from the village - without food, without drink...
She lay down on a higher hill and began to envy herself that there was a time when she did not envy anyone...
PROUD WIND
Z The wind blew out the candle and became proud:
- Now I can pay off everything! Even the sun!
A wise man heard him, made a windmill and said:
- What a miracle - the sun! Even the night can extinguish it. Try to stop this wheel!
And, with all his strength, he spun the large, heavy wheel.
The wind blew once, blew again - but the wheel did not stop. On the contrary, the more he blew, the more it spun.
Flour flowed into the smart man's bags, and he began to live: he himself was in abundance, and do not forget the poor!
And the wind, they say, still blows on this wheel. Where exactly? Yes, wherever there is room for pride!
REPENTANCE
U a man fell into a deep abyss.
He lies wounded and dies...
Friends came running. They tried, holding each other, to go down to his aid, but they almost fell into it themselves.
Mercy has arrived. He lowered the ladder into the abyss, but - oh!.. - it doesn’t reach all the way!
The good deeds once done by man arrived and threw down a long rope. But the rope is also short...
They also tried in vain to save a person: his great fame, big money, power...
Finally, repentance arrived. It extended its hand. The man grabbed it and... climbed out of the abyss!
- How did you do it? - Everyone was surprised.
But there was no time to respond to repentance.
It was rushing to other people whom only it could save...
CONSCIENCE
R I told a person’s conscience that he was wrong, another, a third...
On the fourth he decided to get rid of her. Not for a day or two - forever!
I thought and thought about how to do this, and came up with an idea...
“Come on,” he says, “conscience, play hide and seek!”
“No,” she says. - You will deceive me anyway - you will peep!
Then the man pretended to be completely ill and said:
“I’m sick for some reason... Bring me some milk from the cellar!”
My conscience could not refuse him this. I went down to the cellar. And the man jumped out of bed - and closed it!
He called his friends in joy and with a light heart: he deceived one, offended another, and when they began to be offended, he completely kicked them all out. And no remorse for you, no reproaches - your soul is good, calm.
Good, good, but only a day passed, then another, and something began to be missing for the person. And a month later he realized what - conscience! And then such melancholy fell upon him that he could not stand it and opened the lid of the cellar.
“Okay,” he says, “come out!” Just don't give orders now!
And in response - silence.
He went down to the cellar: here, here - there is no conscience anywhere!
Apparently, he really got rid of her forever...
The man began to sob: “How can I live without a conscience now?”
- Here am I…
To rejoice, the man called his friends, apologized and gave them such a feast!
Everyone thought it was his birthday and congratulated him on it. But he did not refuse, and his conscience did not object. And not at all because I was afraid of ending up in the basement again.
After all, if you look at it, that’s how it all happened!
WHO IS STRONGER?
Sh whether there is good and evil along the way. Two men met them.
“Let’s test,” says evil, “which of us is stronger?”
- Let's! - agreed goodness, who does not know how to object. - But as?
“Let these two men fight for us,” says evil, “I will make one of them strong, rich, but evil!”
- Fine! - says good. - And I am different - weak and poor, but kind!
No sooner said than done.
Instantly one man found himself on a horse, wearing rich clothes. And the other one is in rags, and even with a stick...
- Get out of my way! - the man turned into a rich man shouted at him, hit him with a whip and quickly galloped home to count the money.
The one made poor sighed and silently trudged behind.
- Yeah! - Evil rejoiced. – Is it clear now which of us is stronger?
“Wait,” says kindly. – Everything is easy and fast for you, but not for long. And if I do something, it’s forever!
And this is what happened. For a long time, no, the poor man walked, but suddenly he saw that the rich man was lying under the horse that had fallen on him and could not get up. He's already wheezing, choking...
A poor man approached him. And he felt so sorry for the man who was dying that where did the strength come from! He threw away the stick, strained himself and helped the unfortunate man free himself.
The rich man shed tears. He doesn’t know how to thank the poor.
“I,” he says, “I whipped you, and you saved my life!” Let's go live with me. Now you will be my brother instead of me!
Two men left. And evil says:
- What are you doing, good? She promised to make her little man weak, but what a heavy horse he was able to lift! If so, then I won!
But the good didn’t even argue. After all, it did not know how to object - even to evil.
But since then, good and evil do not go together. And if they walk along the same road, then only in different directions!
OLD ROAD
N It was no longer possible to carry the strength of people along the country road.
They've been trampling on it for a hundred years, trampling on it: it's time to retire - she knew about pensions from those who walked along it all their lives. And who needs it: now more and more highways and asphalt are in fashion!
The road curled up and lay down to rest on the sidelines.
People came out the next morning: there was no road!
What should I do? What to do?..
You can’t walk on the asphalt - the asphalt couldn’t withstand the spring streams, it’s all cracked, and now they’ll have to resurface it until the fall.
The highway is also soft, sticky in the heat. This is how the soles stick to it.
The road saw this, sighed and - nothing can be done! — began to serve people again.
WATERCOLOR PAINTS
U The watercolor paints knew that they were going to be diluted with water, and they were indignant:
- Why can’t we handle it ourselves?
“No,” she said, tired of rubbing even the softest brush over dry paints.
- You can’t handle it! – confirmed the paper, which has seen a lot in its time.
But the artist said nothing.
He diluted the paints with water and painted a picture.
Such that everyone was satisfied.
And first of all, the watercolor paints themselves!
TWO BOGATYRS
E the hero roamed across the field.
Helmet, armor, shield, spear, mace and even a sword in a sheath...
An old monk meets you.
A faded scarf on his head, a patched cassock, and a rosary in his hands.
- Be healthy, honest father!
- And you, baby, don’t get sick! Where are you heading?
- To the war. And you?
- And I’m already at war. Like you, I don’t even need to look for her!
The two heroes looked at each other with understanding.
And they hurried to save Rus' from visible and invisible enemies!
ICON
TO They were looking at paintings of icons in the museum and didn’t understand anything:
“And why did they hang her among us?” No bright colors, no beauty of movement, no vividness of the image! Right, black square?
But the black square did not answer. Behind silence he hid his complete emptiness and therefore was known as the wisest and even mysterious. Moreover, due to his price, he was very rich, and therefore even more respected.
The icon itself was very upset. And not at all with these gossip addressed to you. And the fact that people walked past and just looked at her.
But she was created not to be looked at, but to be prayed in front of her!
Parables for children are short and understandable stories that contain wisdom
Parables of the owl Anfisa
Parable for children “How a magpie was stopped from stealing”
At the edge of the forest, behind the same oak tree that reaches its top into the sky, the owl Anfisa lives in a crevice in the rock. The animals go to her every now and then for advice, since there is probably no one in the world wiser than Anfisa!
“Hey, magpie, what’s that sparkling in your beak?” – One day an owl asks its neighbor.
“Ky-ky, ky-ky, ky-ky,” muttered the magpie.
Then she sat down on a branch and carefully placed a tiny ring next to her:
- I say, I stole a trinket from a bunny.
Anfisa looks, and the neighbor beams with pleasure.
- When will you stop stealing, shameless one? – she hooted menacingly.
But the magpies are already gone. She flew to hide her treasure... Anfisa thought and thought about how to teach the villain a lesson, and then decided to turn to the bear.
- Listen, Prokop Prokopovich, I have something to do with you. Take the chest with the stolen “wealth” from the magpie. I have long noticed in which clearing she hides it. But I would never be able to lift it myself - forty years ago it has filled it to capacity!
- What should I do with him? – the clubfoot scratched the back of his head.
“It’s okay,” Anfisa grinned, “let it stay in your den for now...
Less than an hour had passed before the magpie alarmed the entire forest.
- Guard! Robbed! Villains! – she shouted loudly, circling over the clearing.
Here Anfisa says to her:
- Do you see, neighbor, how unpleasant it is to be robbed?
The magpie shyly covered her eyes with her wing and remained silent. And the owl teaches:
- Don’t do to others what you don’t want for yourself.
Since then, forty has not taken anyone else's. The animals, rejoicing at the things they found, threw such a feast in Prokop Prokopovich’s den that the clubfoot still cannot drive them out...
Parable for children “Terrible punishment”
One day the hedgehog came to the owl Anfisa and began to complain about her beloved son:
- My mischievous boy constantly strives to run away alone into the depths of the forest! And, you know, Anfisa, how dangerous this is! I told him a thousand times not to leave the nest without my father and me. It's all to no avail...
“Then come up with some kind of punishment for him,” the owl advised.
But the hedgehog sighed sadly:
- I can not. He told me that week: “Since you scold and punish me constantly, it means you don’t love me!”
Anfisa almost fell off the branch from such stupidity. Then she hooted busily several times and said:
- Go home, little hedgehog, and tell your son that now he can do anything, and you will never punish him. And when evening comes, I’ll fly to visit you...
So they did. As soon as the first stars lit up in the sky, the owl spread its wings and hurried to the other end of the forest. I flew up to a familiar bush, under which a family of hedgehogs lived, and there it was! The hedgehog has fluffed up its thorns with happiness and is happily jumping around the nest. The hedgehog wails, shedding burning tears. And only dad the hedgehog, as always, calmly, reads the newspaper. He already knows that if the owl gets down to business, then everything will be fine.
- Why are you making such a noise here? – Anfisa hooted, approaching the hedgehog.
“My mom allows me everything now!” – he joyfully exclaimed, “And he won’t punish you for anything again!” Eh, I’ll go conquer the forest now! I’ll go around all the nooks and crannies, I’ll crawl under every bush! After all, there are so many interesting things around... And I don’t need adults, I’m now my own boss!
The owl tilted its head to the side and said thoughtfully:
- A terrible horror, a terrible nightmare... A worse punishment in the whole wide world cannot be found...
“What is this, owl,” the hedgehog was surprised, “didn’t you understand or what?” Now, on the contrary, everything is possible for me!
Anfisa narrowed her huge eyes and said:
- How stupid you are! This is the worst punishment - when your parents stop raising you! Have you heard what happened to the hare whose mother did not punish him for lying? The big-eared one lied so much that the whole forest laughed at him, it was a shame to show his nose out of the hole.
The hedgehog became thoughtful, and the owl continued:
- Oh, have you heard about our bear? Prokop Prokopovich's whole family lives in the city. Both parents and brothers work in the circus - real stars! He alone was not accepted there. Do you know how offended he is? And, all just because he didn’t like to train since childhood. I even avoided exercising. The bear took pity on him and turned a blind eye to everything. And now our clubfoot dreams of a circus, but no one takes him there - he’s too clumsy.
Here the hedgehog dad decided to intervene in the conversation:
- That's okay! But what happened to the raccoon...
The adults looked at each other meaningfully. The hedgehog, who was even scared to imagine what happened to the poor raccoon, plaintively asked:
“I don’t need such a terrible punishment!” Let it be better as before...
The owl nodded:
- A wise decision. And remember, little hedgehog: whoever your parents love, they punish. Because they want to save you from harm!
The hedgehog kissed her subdued son on the nose and sat the owl down at the table. They began to drink tea and chat about all sorts of trifles. They were having so much fun that the hedgehog suddenly thought: “Why did I run away from my parents all the time? It's so good at home..."
Parable for children “About the Fox and the Squirrel”
Everyone in the forest knew that the squirrel was a real craftsman. If you want, he will make an ikebana from dried flowers, or if you want, he will weave a garland from cones. But one day she decided to make herself beads from acorns. Yes, they turned out so beautiful – you can’t take your eyes off them! The squirrel went to show off in front of all the animals. They are amazed and praise the needlewoman... Only the fox is dissatisfied.
- Why are you, red-haired, depressed? - Anfisa the owl asks her.
- Yes, the squirrel ruined the whole mood! - she answers, “He walks around here, you know, and brags!” We need to be more modest! Now, if I had some new thing, I would sit quietly in my hole and be happy. And, walking through the forest and wondering is the last thing...
Anfisa didn’t say anything to this. She flapped her wings and flew towards the stream. There, behind a rotten stump, lived her friend - a spider.
“Help,” the owl says to him, “weave a cape for the fox.”
The spider grumbled for order and agreed:
- Come back in three days, it will be ready. I can even weave a whole forest with cobwebs, for me some kind of cape is nothing!
And, indeed, three days later he showed Anfisa such a marvelous shawl that she took her breath away with delight! The owl gave the fox a gift, but she couldn’t believe her luck:
- Is this for me, or what? Yes, now I’ll be the most beautiful in the forest!
Before Anfisa had time to open her beak, the red-haired rogue threw a shawl over her shoulders, jumped out of the hole, and rushed to brag to everyone in the area:
- Oh, dear animals, I have a cape that cannot be found in any forest! Now the squirrel with his beads is no match for me!
So until late at night the fox visited friends and acquaintances until he became hoarse. Then an owl approached her and asked:
— Redhead, weren’t you the one who recently taught: “You have to be more modest!” Now, if I had some new thing, I would sit quietly in my hole and be happy. And, walking through the forest and wondering is the last thing?
The fox blinked once, blinked again, but didn’t know what to answer:
- What is this, Anfisushka?! How can I do this?!
The owl raised its wing and hooted:
- This, redhead, is a well-known wisdom: if you condemn someone, you will soon commit the same act!
The fox tucked its tail and whispered:
- I understood everything, Anfisushka...
I probably really did understand. Because no one else heard the fox condemning anyone. And, the spider has since become a famous fashion designer.
Parable for children “How the firefly wanted to become a beaver”
Anfisa the Owl once noticed that a firefly had gotten into the habit of flying to the river in the evenings. She decided to follow him. One day he watches, then another... Oh, the firefly doesn’t do anything special: it sits under a tree and admires the work of the beaver. “This is all strange,” Anfisa thought, but she decided not to pester the firefly with questions. However, soon a real commotion began in the forest.
- Anfisa, what in the world is going on?! – the ladybug was indignant, “Last week the firefly got some paint somewhere and painted the same spots on its back as mine!” Ah, I don’t need such a relative!
“Just think, it’s news,” the forest bee interrupted the ladybug, “I’m in trouble, I’m in trouble!” This firefly of yours asked to come to our hive. But he doesn’t know how to do anything, and he does more harm than good!
Just as Anfisa had time to listen to them, the fox came running:
- Owl, bring this stupid firefly to some sense! He demands from the beaver that he take him as an apprentice. Oh, the beaver is angry - he doesn’t need helpers. There's no chance they'll fight...
Anfisa flew to the river, looked, and the firefly shed burning tears:
- Well, what a stupid creature I am! I am of no use! Now, if I were a ladybug... They are beautiful! Or, for example, a bee... They know how to make delicious honey!
- Oh, now what? Have you decided to become a beaver? – the owl laughed.
“Yeah,” sobbed the firefly, “did you see how cleverly he does carpentry?!” Only, he doesn’t want to teach me anything. He says I won’t be able to lift even one log – I’m too small.
The owl listened to him and said:
“Come fly to my clearing when it gets dark, I’ll show you something interesting.”
The firefly waited until dusk and set off. He arrived, and the owl was already waiting for him.
“Look,” he says to him, “who is that lurking there in the bushes?”
The firefly took a closer look - and, indeed, behind the tree a little squirrel rustled with dry leaves, and was shaking all over with fear.
- Why are you sitting here? – the firefly was surprised.
“It’s so dark,” whispers the little squirrel, “so I’m lost.”
Then the firefly turned on his flashlight and commanded:
- Follow me, I will bless your path!
While he was seeing off the little squirrel, he also met a little fox. He also had to be taken home. And when he returned to Anfisa, she said to him:
- Well? Do you understand now that everyone has their own purpose? While you were offended that you were born a firefly, there were so many animals around that needed your help!
So the firefly began to patrol the forest at night. And when no one was lost, he flew to the beaver and complained:
“If it weren’t for my work, I would help you build a dam.” Eh, you and I could start a construction project like this! But, I have no time, friend, no time... You somehow manage yourself!
Parable for children “Malicious Pest”
Some particularly malicious pest has appeared in the forest. Everyone rushed to the owl Anfisa for advice. Please help us catch this scoundrel!
“He pulled out all the carrots for me from the garden,” the hare whines, “Ah, it’s too early to pick them!” I haven't grown up yet...
Here the wolf roars:
- Just wait, big-eared one, with your carrot! My case will be more serious. I was picking berries for a squirrel just now. I collected half a basket, lay down on a hillock to rest, and apparently dozed off. I wake up and my basket is filled to the brim! I think these are miracles! I brought the squirrel a treat, and she squealed: “Grey, are you planning to poison me or what?!” I brought “wolf” berries! They're poisonous!"
The animals giggle, and the wolf scratches the back of his head:
“I’m embarrassed, owl.” Squirrel doesn’t want to talk to me now. Help us find the person who put these berries in the basket! I’ll teach him some sense...
Suddenly a cuckoo came out into the middle of the clearing and said offendedly:
“This malicious pest is planning to send me into retirement!” I woke up yesterday and there was a clock hanging on a nearby tree! Yes, not simple ones, but with a cuckoo!
Here even the beaver clutched his heart with excitement, and the narrator, switching to a conspiratorial whisper, continued:
- So now she cuckoos instead of me, not knowing fatigue! Oh, what do you want me to do? It turns out that no one needs me in the forest anymore?!
Anfisa looked around at all the animals and hooted:
“Don’t worry, I’ll find your pest by evening.”
And, as soon as everyone had gone about their business, the owl flew straight to the bear. While the clumsy man was pouring tea into cups, Anfisa said to him:
- Why are you, Prokop Prokopovich, turning into a villain? You prevent the hare from growing carrots, and you slip poisonous berries to the wolf. I decided to retire the old cuckoo...
The bear froze:
- How did you guess that it was me?
The owl just waved its wing:
- What is there to guess? You weren't the only one at our meeting. So, why are you doing nasty things to everyone?
The clubfoot slammed the table and even the samovar jumped:
- They come up with everything! I tried for them... I just felt sorry for the hare, so I decided to help him collect the harvest. How was I supposed to know that the carrot hadn't grown yet? Oh, I was specifically looking for “wolf” berries. I thought that since they were wolves, that means wolves should love them... So, while the gray one was sleeping, I walked around the entire forest with the basket.
Anfisa suddenly became worried:
- Why did you hang the clock on the tree? Where did you even get them?
“So this... I borrowed it from the village doctor,” the bear became embarrassed, “They were hanging on the wall in his bedroom.” You must understand, Anfisa, I wanted the cuckoo to rest. Otherwise she’s all “peek-a-boo” and “peek-a-boo”! Who knew that cuckooing was a joy for her?!
The owl drank her tea and advised:
- You, Prokop Prokopovich, always think. Even if you are going to help someone. After all, there is no virtue without reasoning!
The animals, of course, forgave the bear. But they forced me to return the watch. Clubfoot, remembering Anfisa’s advice, tried to walk around the village on tiptoe so that no one would notice him. Well, last time both the doctor and his wife had to be treated with valerian. We caught some shy ones...
Parable for children “Medal for the Woodpecker”
On a fine spring day, a woodpecker flew to the owl Anfisa. He was beaming with joy:
- Give me a medal, friend!
- For what merit? – the owl calmly clarified.
The woodpecker pulled out from behind his back some huge scroll, covered with writing from top to bottom, and said busily:
- For good deeds! Look at the list I made.
— You can bake a blueberry pie and treat it to your friends. You can wake up early and help the bees collect nectar. You can go to the river, find a sad frog, and cheer him up.
Then the owl faltered and said uncertainly:
“You can take the old lady across the road...Listen, but we don’t have any roads in the forest!” Yes, and there are no old ladies either!
Then the woodpecker began to explain that he had read about the old woman in a book. However, it doesn’t even matter whether they are found in the forest or not. The main thing is to figure out how to do good. For this, he actually expected to receive a medal.
“Okay,” the owl agreed, “Let’s ask the animals what they think about this.”
The woodpecker was pleased. He was sure that no one could know more about good deeds than he did. After all, he’s been making his list all his life. Meanwhile, the owl flew to the fox.
“Listen, redhead,” she says to her, “why is your shed askew?”
“He’s getting old, so he’s squinting,” the fox sighed.
- So call the woodpecker. Let him fix it! – Anfisa advised.
Then she visited the hare, the squirrel and her bosom friend the hedgehog. The owl advised everyone to turn to the woodpecker for help. And, three days later, Anfisa called a meeting in the clearing.
“On the agenda,” she hooted solemnly, “is the issue of awarding the woodpecker a medal for good deeds!”
Then the animals screamed:
- What more! You can’t ask him for snow in winter!
“He didn’t want to fix my shed,” the fox was indignant.
“And he didn’t help us with the squirrel,” confirmed the hare.
“Oh, he didn’t even talk to me,” the hedgehog admitted with offense.
The woodpecker was confused and began to make excuses:
- But, I have a list... I know about all, all, all the good deeds in the world... I even learned them by heart!
The owl explains to him:
“It’s not enough just to know something good.” This definitely needs to be done!
The woodpecker was grieving that he was not given a medal. And then I thought: “The owl said it right. We need to help others." And, he set out on his exploits - he decided to do everything exactly according to the list. Was he wrong to compose it? True, grandmothers are not found in the forest. But, if even one comes across, he will certainly put her through something!
Natalia Klimova
Reproduction of material is possible only with indication of the author of the work and an active link to the Orthodox website
Very few parents read parables to their children. Most people think that their child is too young and unable to understand what is inherent in them. However, in vain. Children are little souls who look for meaning in everything that happens. Sometimes even something that seems to require no explanation at all raises the question “why?” in children. Therefore, it will be very interesting for kids to hear from adults an instructive version of a fairy tale. You can read parables for children from about 3 years of age. During this period, the baby is already aware of everything and can ask what he does not understand.
Over time, parables for children will do their job and form in the child a correct worldview, a simpler attitude towards life, and teach him to appreciate everything he has. In addition, children tend to “live the lives” of the characters in parables. This helps them share joy with others and also teaches them empathy and compassion. Good parables can help a child get rid of anxiety, develop self-confidence, and cure greed, boasting and envy.
Nowadays there is a huge variety of children's educational literature. For the little ones, fairy tales and parables for children are best suited. They are easy to understand, but at the same time develop the imagination and enrich the baby’s vocabulary. These instructive stories explain to children that life does not have a strict distinction between good and bad, the same problem has several solutions, and does not exist at all. Parables for children and adults captivate with their wisdom, presented in a simple, accessible, but at the same time interesting form.
Who is more tender?
The father had two daughters. The eldest had exceptional beauty. She had a tender pink face, fluffy soft hair and a sweet, pleasant voice. Her father loved her very much, tirelessly admired her beauty and always compared her to a beautiful rose.
The youngest daughter was quite good and obedient, but hers was rougher, and her skin was rough and dry from constant housework. That is why her father liked her much less. As a result, the father spoiled the eldest daughter, and “loaded” the younger daughter with work.
One day, when my father went hunting, misfortune overtook him. The gun exploded in his hands. His hands and face were burned and cut by shrapnel. The doctor treated all the man’s wounds, bandaged them, and told his daughters that their father had become helpless and for some time would not be able to see anything or eat himself.
The youngest daughter reacted to her dad’s illness with understanding; she promised to be his hands and eyes until his full recovery. Every day for a whole year she looked after her father, fed him and gave him medicinal herbs. The eldest daughter never found time for the sick. She refused his requests to stay nearby, citing the lack of free time and the need to go to the garden or on a date.
When the father recovered and the blindfold was removed from his eyes, he saw two daughters in front of him: the eldest, tender as a flower, and the youngest, the most ordinary. He hugged the second of them and said:
Thank you, daughter, for your care and concern. Never before could I imagine that you are so gentle and kind.
But I’m much more gentle! - the eldest daughter remarked arrogantly.
During my illness, I realized that tenderness does not lie in the softness of the skin,” the father explained.
This example of a parable for children clearly makes it clear that in people, first of all, one should appreciate the inner beauty, and only then the outer. It’s not for nothing that they say that appearances can be deceiving.
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Alone in the house Christian parable
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He found a Taoist parable
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She thinks I'm real! Modern parable
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Father and his daughters Christian parable
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Father's love Christian parable
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Fatherly restraint Modern parable
