Stories For Middle Schoolers

This collection offers a range of short stories, myths, and fables suited for middle school readers. The tales cover a variety of themes, from adventurous quests to moral lessons, offering both classic and lesser-known works.

Legends and Myths

• Captain Christy’s Thanksgiving tells the tale of Stuffy Pete and the Old Gentleman, whose Thanksgiving feast leads to an unexpected mystery.
• The Legend of Stingy Jack follows the story of Jack, who tricks the Devil and ends up roaming the earth as a Jack-o’-Lantern.
• Dracula chronicles Jonathan Harker’s encounter with Count Dracula and his friends’ efforts to stop the vampire’s reign.
• Frankenstein is the story of Victor Frankenstein and the creature he creates, exploring themes of loneliness and revenge.
• Prometheus tells of the Titan who defied Zeus to steal fire for humanity, leading to his punishment and eventual release.

Fables and Moral Lessons

• The Miller, His Son, and Their Ass is a story about a miller and his son who try to please everyone and end up losing their donkey.
• The Crow and the Sheep illustrates how the Crow bullies the Sheep without consequence, using manipulation to survive.
• The Lion and the Shepherd shows how a Lion, once helped by a Shepherd, later spares him when he is condemned to face the Lions.
• The Panther and the Shepherds explores the Panther’s revenge on those who treated him unkindly while sparing those who showed mercy.
• The Dog and Her Whelps is about a dog who claims ownership of land once her puppies grow up, rejecting the shepherd’s rights.

Love and Relationships

• Orpheus and Eurydice recounts Orpheus’s journey to the Underworld to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, but ultimately loses her forever.
• The Lame Dog tells of a princess who marries a seemingly lame dog, only to discover that he is a prince under an enchantment.
• Cupid and Psyche follows Psyche’s trials set by Aphrodite to win back the love of her secret husband, Cupid.
• The King Of The Polar Bears features the King of the Polar Bears, who regains his fur and his throne after being wounded.

Adventure and Transformation

• The Girl and the Snake is a story of a girl who, after being lost in the woods, helps a cursed prince who transforms from a snake.
• The Mount Of The Golden Queen is about a lad’s quest to meet a princess on a magical mountain, leading to the transformation of the mountain into a castle.
• The Skalunda Giant follows the story of a giant who rescues people, leading to a reunion with his home and family.
• Theseus and the Minotaur recounts Theseus’s journey to defeat the Minotaur with the help of Princess Ariadne.

Family and Home

• The Brother and the Sister explores sibling rivalry and the importance of character over appearance.
• The Paradise Of Children tells of Pandora opening a box and releasing troubles into the world, but also Hope, which offers comfort amidst chaos.
• The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County is a humorous story of a man tricked by a frog he bet on in a jumping contest.
• The Winter’s Tale centers on the fall and reunion of King Leontes with his wife and daughter after a period of separation and hardship.

This collection provides a broad mix of themes and genres, each story offering its own unique exploration of human experiences, relationships, and moral lessons.