Welcome to the Top 19 Stories About Rich and Poor for kids to read online! Our collection includes educational and entertaining bedtime stories with pictures designed for children of all ages – from toddlers, preschoolers, and EYFS, to early years and elementary students. These fantastic stories are easy to read and perfect for story time, read alouds, and even story nights! They are available in various formats such as PDF, free to download, printable, and audio, making learning English fun and accessible for both girls and boys. Whether you prefer classic fairy tales or modern adaptations, these stories will teach important morals and values as kids follow the journeys of both rich and poor characters.

These stories about rich and poor are an excellent way to introduce the concepts of wealth, poverty, and social issues to children in a way that is engaging and fun. Through relatable characters and captivating storylines, kids will learn about the differences between the rich and poor and the essence of kindness, empathy, and fairness. By reading these stories, children will understand that true happiness and fulfillment come from helping others, being compassionate, and learning the importance of giving and sharing. Rich and poor stories provide great moral lessons for bedtime or any time of the day, helping kids develop a sense of empathy and kindness while fostering their love for reading. So go ahead, explore our remarkable collection of rich and poor stories which is perfect for a cozy night time read, and let your little ones fall asleep with good lessons and sweet dreams.

Top 19 Stories About Rich And Poor for kids to read online:

1. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: The story is about two brothers, Kassim and Ali Baba, living in Persia. Ali Baba discovers a hidden cave filled with treasures belonging to forty thieves. He takes some treasure, but his secret is revealed when one gold piece is left in a borrowed scale. Kassim finds out and goes to the cave alone but is killed by the thieves. The thieves try to kill Ali Baba by pretending to be merchants but Morgiana, a maid, and quick thinker, saves Ali Baba by killing the robbers. Morgiana saves Ali Baba again when the robber chief tries to befriend him. In gratitude, Ali Baba lets Morgiana marry his son, and the secret of the cave is passed down from generation to generation in Ali Baba’s family.
2. Little Claus and Big Claus: In this story, there are two men with the same name: Big Claus and Little Claus. Big Claus had four horses while Little Claus only had one, but on Sundays, Little Claus could use Big Claus’s horses to plow his land. One day, however, Big Claus beat Little Claus’s horse to death. In order to have something to show for his horse, Little Claus sold the horsehide and then stayed at a farm where he tricks the farmer and his wife by pretending his horsehide had magical powers. This got him a lot of money. Big Claus, who wanted the same riches, but no one would pay him for his horsehide, decided to drown Little Claus and steal his money. But before he could do that, they bumped into an old drover who swapped places with Little Claus. Finally, Little Claus came up with a plan to drown Big Claus and threw him in the river in a bag, while he himself enjoyed his newfound riches.
3. Jack and the Beanstalk: In this story, Jack is a curious and daydreaming son of a poor farmer who exchanges a magic bean for his old cow. His mother is upset but Jack still plants the bean, which grows into a tall stalk that leads to a meadow and a castle. A fairy tells Jack to retrieve a chicken that lays golden eggs and a talking harp from the castle, which belongs to a giant who killed the previous owner. With courage, cleverness, and the help of a giant’s wife, Jack is able to retrieve the items and kill the giant by chopping down the beanstalk. He returns to his castle and people celebrate his bravery. The story emphasizes the power of belief in magic.
4. Dick Whittington And His Cat: The story is about a poor orphan boy named Dick Whittington who wished to go to London. He arrived in London homeless and starving but was taken in by a rich merchant, Mr. Fitzwarren, where he worked in the kitchen. With the help of the servant, Dick learned how to read and write and was tasked to keep an eye on Alice, Mr. Fitzwarren’s daughter. Dick saved his money to buy a cat to keep the mice and rats in the attic away, but later had to give it up as part of a trade. On his way out of London, Dick heard church bells saying he would be the Lord of London. He went back to Mr. Fitzwarren’s house and later became very wealthy when a ship he had invested in brought back treasures. He married Alice, became Lord and mayor of London and donated a lot of money to the city.
5. Blanca and Rosalinde: The story is about an old woman who is helped by her kind-hearted daughters, one of whom is rewarded by a sorceress while the other becomes a queen. The Queen becomes unhappy as people around her begin to dislike her, and she goes to visit her contented sister in the countryside. The sorceress appears again and reveals that being content and happy requires only necessities, and the Queen decides to stay with her sister instead of returning to the palace.
6. The Dreamer: A poor couple lives in an old house by a river, struggling to afford bread. The man has a dream where an old man tells him to wait on a bridge for three days for someone to tell him how to become rich. On the third day, a tailor approaches him and shares his own dream about a chest of gold under an apple tree. Peter goes home and digs, finding the gold. He becomes wealthy and shares his happiness with others, including the tailor. A download link for an ebook version of the story is provided.
7. The Turnip: The story is about a poor soldier who becomes a successful gardener when he grows an enormous turnip. The king rewards him with riches, but his jealous brother thinks that he can do the same by giving even greater gifts to the king. When his plan fails, he hires thugs to kill his brother. The brother is saved by a student who discovers him hanging in a sack and the gardener tricks the student into taking his place.
8. The Golden Touch: This is a story about a king named Midas who became obsessed with gold. He loved his daughter Marygold, but even more, he wanted to give her lots of gold. One day, a stranger appeared and granted Midas’s wish to turn everything he touched into gold. At first, the king was thrilled, but then he realized that he couldn’t eat, drink, or touch his beloved daughter without turning them to gold. He begged the stranger to take back the gift and was told to bathe in a river to reverse the curse. After doing so, Midas learned that true happiness comes from the people and things you love, not material possessions.
9. The Water Nymph in the Pond: The miller meets a water nymph who promises him wealth and happiness in exchange for “something young” that he will give her if it enters his house. Later the miller’s wife gives birth to a son, and the miller realizes he has been deceived by the nymph. As the son grows up, he becomes a hunter and falls in love with a girl. One day, while washing his bloody hands in the pond, the nymph takes him. His wife dreams of three ways to rescue him and finally succeeds by using a golden spinning wheel; the couple is transformed into frogs but later reunited. They become shepherds and, one evening, while playing the flute, they recognize each other and live happily ever after.
10. The spindle, the shuttle, and the needle: The story is about a girl who, after losing her parents at a young age, is taken in by her godmother who teaches her to spin, weave, and sew. When her godmother dies, the girl inherits the cottage and tools and works hard to make a living. A prince searching for a bride comes across the girl and is captivated by her skills and kindness. With the help of magical spinning tools, the girl creates a beautiful carpet and wins the prince’s heart. They marry, and the spindle, shuttle, and needle are kept in the palace treasury.
11. The Star Money: This story is about a poor but pious little girl who gave away all of her possessions to those in need until she had nothing left. As a reward for her kindness, stars fell from the sky and turned into real pieces of money, making her rich for the rest of her life. The story can be downloaded as a PDF from the provided link.
12. A Heart of Stone: In this story, Peter Munk is a discontented charcoal burner who wants to be wealthy. He asks the Glassman Treasureman for riches, who gives him what he wants, but the money quickly runs out. He then goes to the Evil Michiel and makes a deal to give away his heart in exchange for unlimited wealth. When he wakes up the next day, he finds that he has a stone instead of a heart, and he becomes ruthless and feared. Eventually, he seeks to regain his heart and goes to the Glassman again, who helps him get it back from Michiel. Peter learns to appreciate his heart and lives happily ever after with his mother in their old hut.
13. Why the Sea is Salt: This is a story about two brothers, one rich and one poor. The poor brother asked for food on Christmas Eve, but the rich brother only gave him a piece of bacon and told him to go to hell. The poor brother followed the advice and was given a hand mill that could grind anything. Using the mill, he and his wife had delicious food every day. The rich brother found out about the mill and borrowed it but couldn’t stop it from producing soup that flooded his kitchen and farm. He returned the mill and the poor brother got it back in exchange for more money. He used the mill to build a golden farm by the sea. A sailor begged for the mill and took it but didn’t know how to stop it from producing salt, so his ship sank and the mill still grinds salt at the bottom of the sea.
14. The Treasure Castle: A hunter helping a trapped dwarf is rewarded with information about a treasure castle. He finds the treasure but is warned not to enter the tower. When he returns home, the king and his cohorts learn of his wealth, lock him up, and force him to reveal the location of the treasure. They go to the castle but are blown away by an explosion when they enter the tower. The treasure belonged to the dwarf king, and the trio is brought to him for their sentencing. The sentences are to clean all the chimneys, windows, and carpets in the palace for life, while the hunter becomes king. The treasure remains in the treasure castle, and future treasure hunters are warned not to go to the tower.
15. The Enchanted Elm: A prince goes horse riding with his friends in the forest, but his horse bolts and he finds himself alone in a deserted area facing a growling wolf. He hits the wolf with his whip, unaware that it belonged to an old witch who threatens revenge. The prince drinks enchanted water and is transformed into a giant elm. The King of the Trees promises to find help, but it is the love of a lumberjack’s daughter that saves him when she sings a protective song. With the help of the King of Trees and a wizard, the prince is returned to his human form and marries the girl, living happily ever after.
16. The Bogey-Beast: The story is about an old, poor and lonely woman who finds a black pot filled with gold coins on her way home. Overcome by excitement, she starts imagining the different ways she could spend her treasure. However, upon examining the pot later, she realizes it contains nothing but a lump of silver. She is still thrilled and believes that silver is less trouble than gold and easier to protect. The next time she checks, she discovers it is just a lump of iron, but she feels lucky to have something handy she can sell. Finally, when she reaches her cottage, the pot has turned into a big stone. But when she tries to untie her shawl, it transforms into the Bogey-Beast, and she is ecstatic to have such good luck.
17. Buttercup Gold: The story tells of a man who found a pot of gold hidden at the end of a rainbow but was too selfish to share it with anyone. As he carried the gold in a bag, he did not realize that a hole in the bag caused the coins to fall out along the way. When he reached the woods, he found all of the gold gone and went back to search for it. However, fairies had changed the gold into bright, yellow flowers, which brought joy to all.
18. The Gingerbread Rock: The story is about a brother and sister called Hans and Lisbeth who live with their miserly uncle. One night, they venture into the woods in search of food and stumble upon a rock that turns out to be made of gingerbread. They eat it and discover a house inside the rock, which belongs to a kindly old man who forgives them for eating his home. The old man turns out to be a wizard and helps Hans and Lisbeth find their family’s hidden treasure. They learn to be kind and grateful, and never forget the magic of the gingerbread rock.
19. The Story of the Silver Box: Hans and Nella, two orphans, offer shelter and food to an old man who arrives at their hut. The next day, after he leaves, they find a silver box and bury it in their garden. The next morning, a tree grows above the spot where they buried the box, and Hans finds a door that leads to a mountain of gold. After filling their pockets, they return home with the gold and find a charming cottage furnished for two. The tree whispers blessings to them, and they embrace its loving embrace, thinking it is the old man’s spirit protecting them.

In conclusion, the Top 19 Stories About Rich and Poor teach valuable life lessons to children about the importance of empathy, kindness, and understanding towards people from different backgrounds. These stories highlight that wealth does not necessarily define a person’s character, and that true happiness comes from helping others, appreciating what we have, and treating all individuals with respect and dignity. Overall, these tales serve as a great resource for kids to learn essential morals, promoting the spirit of compassion and equality in their lives.