Stories For Third Graders | Ririro | Imagination over knowledge

Welcome to the Top 79 Stories for Third Graders, a fantastic collection of stories specially curated for kids and children to read online! These bedtime stories are available in PDF format, making them free, downloadable, and printable. They’re perfect for parents and teachers looking for fun, educational, short stories to tell to their young ones. Delight your children with stories that come with pictures, easy-to-read words, and are the best of the best in storytelling. With the audio version of each story available in English, your kids can enjoy these great tales during story time or read aloud moments.

Each night, before falling asleep, children can rediscover classic fairy tales, good stories for both boys and girls. Beyond entertainment, these stories often share valuable moral lessons that can be beneficial to early years, preschool, kindergarten, elementary students, and EYFS toddlers. Reading these stories can become a treasured part of your child’s daily routine, as they learn important life lessons and drift off to sleep filled with vibrant stories and memorable characters.

Our collection includes a wide range of stories from famous, beloved authors, keeping story time fresh, engaging, and exciting. Introduce your children to the magic and wonder of these tales and watch their love for reading grow. So gather around, and dive into our incredible selection of Stories for Third Graders – there is something for every child to enjoy!

Top 79 Stories For Third Graders for kids to read online:

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves: The story is about Ali Baba, a hardworking man who stumbles upon the hideout of forty robbers in a forest and learns the password to enter their cave filled with treasures. However, his secret is discovered when his sister in law finds a piece of gold in a borrowed scale. Ali Baba’s brother, Kassim, becomes greedy and attempts to enter the cave, but is killed by the robbers. The robbers later disguise themselves as oil merchants and plan to kill Ali Baba, but are thwarted by Morgiana, a brave and intelligent slave girl, who kills them all with hot oil. The story ends with Ali Baba being grateful to Morgiana and allowing her to marry his son, and the secret of the cave passing down through generations of Ali Baba’s family.
Brother and Sister: Two siblings, Brother and Sister, run away from their cruel stepmother. While searching for water, Sister warns Brother not to drink from two streams that will turn him into a tiger and a wolf. Brother becomes a deer after drinking from the third stream. Sister ties a golden ribbon around the deer’s neck and cares for him, leading him to an empty house, where they live together. The king falls in love with Sister and takes them both to his castle. The evil stepmother tries to kill Sister, but is caught and burned. Brother becomes human again, and they live happily ever after.
King Trushbeard: A proud and arrogant princess refuses to marry anyone, and mocks all the suitors her father presents to her. In anger, the king makes her marry the first beggar who knocks at the door. The beggar happens to be a musician who was previously mocked by the princess, and he takes her away to a humble cottage where she learns to be humble and live a simple life. Eventually, she is given a chance to make amends when she is forced to work in the kitchen of the king’s castle, and ends up being reunited with King Thrushbeard, the beggar, who reveals himself to be a king in disguise. They marry and live happily ever after.
One Eye, Two Eyes and Three Eyes: The story is about a girl named Two Eyes who was mistreated by her mother and sisters because she had two eyes like everyone else. A wise woman gave her a goat that could provide unlimited food, but her sisters found out and had the goat killed. Two Eyes buried the goat, and a wondrous tree grew at the burial site that could only be climbed by Two Eyes. A knight saw her climbing the tree and took her to his castle where they got married. The tree followed Two Eyes to the castle, and she later helped her repentant sisters when they begged for food.
Rumpelstiltskin: A poor miller’s daughter is brought to a room full of straw by the king and expected to spin gold from it. A small man appears and offers to help in exchange for the girl’s necklace. This happens two more times, with the stakes getting higher; the last time the girl promises the little man her first child. When the child is born, the little man returns and offers to spare the baby if the girl can guess his name within three days. On the third day, the girl learns that the little man’s name is Rumpelstiltskin and he disappears forever.
The Queen Bee: The story begins with two princes who are on an adventure. The younger one, Simpleton, encounters his brothers who ridicule him for being too stupid to find the right way. As they continue their journey, they come across an anthill, a lake full of ducks, and a bee’s nest. Simpleton prevents his brothers from harming these creatures who later help him complete three tasks required to break a spell and win the hand of the youngest princess. Simpleton is successful, marries the princess, and becomes king, while his brothers marry the older sisters.
The Town Musicians of Bremen: This is a story about an old donkey who runs away seeking a musical adventure. He meets an old dog, an old cat, and an old rooster on the way, and they all join together to make music and travel to Bremen. However, on their way, they come across a cottage, where robber’s live and decide to scare them by standing on each other and singing loudly. They succeeded in frightening the robbers and enjoyed their meal and slept in the cottage. Later, when robbers found that the house was haunted, the animals decided to stay there and lived happily ever after.
Riquet with the Tuft: In this fairy tale, a queen has a smart and funny son that is not aesthetically pleasing; while a neighboring queen has a beautiful but dumb daughter and an ugly daughter. The smart son has the power to make the one he loves smart like him, and the dumb daughter has the ability to make the one she loves pretty. When the ugly daughter meets the prince, she promises to marry him in a year, and he gives her his intelligence as a gift. The beautiful daughter meets a prince but must decide if he is the right one. When she goes for a walk, she remembers the promise she made to the ugly prince and decides to marry him. She discovers the fairy’s gift and makes him handsome. They marry and live happily ever after.
Cinderella: This story is about a sweet girl named Cinderella, whose mother died when she was young. Her wealthy father married again and had two more daughters who were mean to Cinderella. When all three girls were old enough to be married, the prince was looking for a bride and threw a three-day party. Cinderella’s stepmother refused to let her go to the party because she had no nice clothes, but with help from a bird, Cinderella went to the ball and danced with the prince every night. On the third night, she lost her left shoe while running away from the prince, who then searched the kingdom for the girl whose foot fit the shoe. Cinderella was found, she and the prince got married and lived happily ever after.
Pippo: A father gives his sons a sieve and a cat before he goes to prison. The elder son uses the sieve to make money, while the younger son complains about receiving the cat. However, the cat begins bringing gifts to the king and claiming they are from Gagliuso, the son. The king becomes interested in meeting Gagliuso and sends his servants to find him, who are repeatedly told by the cat and its accomplices that Gagliuso owns everything in the area. Eventually, Gagliuso is found and rewarded with a wedding to the king’s daughter and a dowry, which he uses to buy land in Lombardy. However, he forgets the cat’s role in his success and the cat leaves him.
Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp: The story is about Aladdin, his encounter with a wizard who gave him a magic lamp with a genie, a beautiful princess, and a series of adventures. Aladdin was poor until the wizard came, took him to a cave to get a treasure, but trapped him, and Aladdin found the lamp. He used the lamp to improve his life and marry the princess, but the wizard stole the lamp, the palace, and the princess. Aladdin retrieved his wife and palace with the genie’s help and lived happily ever after.
Rapunzel: In this fairy tale, a man promises to give his newborn daughter to a wicked witch in exchange for Rapunzel, a salad ingredient that his pregnant wife craves. When the daughter is born, the witch takes her and locks her in a tower. A prince hears Rapunzel sing and falls in love with her. She asks him to bring a silk ribbon each time, which she uses to make a ladder and escape. The witch finds out and cuts Rapunzel’s hair, exiling her to a distant place. When the prince returns, the witch blinds him and sends him away. But after years, he finds Rapunzel and their twins, and with the help of her tears, he regains his sight and they live happily ever after.
The Three Princes And The Princess Nouronnihar: In this story, a sultan has three sons who all want to marry his niece, princess Nouronnihar. The sultan creates a challenge to see which son brings home the most unique and valuable item, and the winner gets to marry the princess. The three princes go on their respective journeys and bring back a flying rug, an ivory tube that can see faraway objects, and a plastic apple that can heal anyone who smells it. They use all three gifts to save Nouronnihar’s life when she falls ill. However, the sultan decides to hold a bow and arrow competition to determine which son will marry the princess, and the winner is the son who shoots the arrow the farthest.
The Little Match Girl: The story is about a poor little girl who is walking alone in the cold snow with no shoes on and carrying a lot of matches. At nightfall, she lights the matches and sees visions of wonderful things, including her grandmother who takes her to heaven as the matches go out. The next morning the girl is found dead, frozen in the corner, but with a smile on her face, no one knows about the fantastic things she saw.
The Little Mermaid: The story is about a little mermaid who dreams of visiting the world of humans. One day, she saves a prince from a shipwreck and falls in love with him. Desperate to be with him, she makes a deal with a sea witch to turn her tail into legs, but it comes at a painful cost. The prince takes her into his castle, but he only wants to marry the girl who found him on the beach. The mermaid accompanies him on a journey, but he falls in love with another princess. Heartbroken, the mermaid refuses to harm the prince and chooses to sacrifice herself instead. She becomes a creature of the air, hoping to obtain an immortal soul through good deeds.
The Nightingale: The story is about an emperor who was enchanted by the beautiful voice of a nightingale in his garden. Upon discovering its existence, the Emperor requested its presence in his palace and became obsessed with it. He even obtained a mechanical golden bird to replace it when it flew away, but realises his mistake when the fake bird breaks down and he falls ill. The nightingale returns to sing for him and heal him, with the Emperor promising to keep their relationship a secret and use the bird’s stories to help with his ruling.
The Red Shoes: The story is about a poor girl named Karen who received a pair of red shoes on her mother’s funeral day from Mrs. Shoemaker. An old rich lady took Karen to live with her and gave her new clothes. Karen saw beautiful red shoes on the little princess, and years later, she bought the same pair disregarding the old lady’s disapproval. Karen could not stop dancing in the shoes, even in church, and eventually danced herself into the dark forest. A kind executioner chopped her shoes off, and Karen went back to living a good and quiet life.
The Snow Queen: The story is about an evil troll who creates a mirror that shows only bad and ugly things. When the mirror shatters and its shards get into people’s eyes and hearts, it turns their hearts into ice. Kay, a boy in the story, gets affected by it and eventually gets taken away by the Snow Queen. His friend Gerda goes on a long journey to find him and manages to save him with her tears. Together, they return home as adults, but deep down, they are still the same children. The story is available for download as a PDF.
The Tinderbox: A tough soldier meets a witch who sends him to a tree with three doors and a dog guarding each chest. He brings the witch her tinderbox and is rewarded with riches beyond his dreams. When he spends it all and becomes poor, he discovers that he can summon the dogs with the tinderbox and get more money. He falls in love with a princess locked in the castle, and the dogs help him sneak into her room to see her. They fall in love, and he is imprisoned for it. The soldier summons the dogs to take revenge on the king and queen, and they make him the new king and allow him to marry the princess.
The Travelling Companion: In this story, Johannes sets out on a journey after his father dies and meets a strange companion who helps him solve three riddles to marry a princess. The companion, it turns out, had died and Johannes paid off his debts to some bad men. After the wedding, the companion reveals himself to be the dead man and thanks Johannes before disappearing.
The Wild Swans: The story is about a princess and her eleven brothers who were cursed to be swans by their evil stepmother. The princess goes through many challenges to break the curse and save her brothers. She has to make jumpers out of nettles for each of her brothers but must not speak a word during the process. She gets locked up for being suspected as a witch and has to finish the last jumper during her execution. In the end, she saves her brothers and the king acknowledges his mistake.
Prince Darling: A fairy offers a king a wish which he uses to ask for his son to become a good person. After the king’s death, the fairy visits his son and gives him a ring that stings him whenever he behaves badly. Despite this, the prince continues to act poorly and eventually becomes a monster. The fairy transforms him into different animals until he learns to show kindness by saving a man’s life and helping a young girl. He returns to his human form and becomes a good person, ruling alongside the love of his life.
The Happy Prince: A little swallow befriends a golden statue of a prince, who sheds tears because he sees all the misery of the town from his vantage point. The prince convinces the swallow to bring a ruby from his sword to a worried mother of a sick child, and then a sapphire from his eye to a hungry writer. The prince then asks the swallow to take his other eye to a girl who needs it for work. Eventually, the swallow stays with the prince, who is now blind, and tells him of all the sorrow he sees in the town. The prince says, “Swallow, take all the gold leaf of my body and give it to the poor.” The swallow eventually dies at the feet of the prince, and both are chosen by God to live in paradise.
Father Frost: In the story, a girl named Natasha lives with her stepmother and two stepsisters who make her do all the hard work. One day, her stepmother tells her father to take Natasha to the forest to marry Father Frost. Natasha waits in the freezing cold until Father Frost arrives and asks if she is warm enough. Each time she responds kindly, he rewards her with beautiful clothes and gems and leaves. When her stepsisters are sent to marry Father Frost, they are nasty and mean to him, so he leaves them to freeze. Natasha eventually marries a nice man and lives happily ever after.
Sinbad the Sailor: In this story, Sinbad the Porter complains about the unfairness of life until he is invited into the home of Sinbad the Sailor, who tells him stories of his travels and adventures. The Porter is awed and humbled by the Sailor’s experiences and receives gifts of gold after each visit. By the end, the Porter apologizes for his previous attitude and the two men become friends who live happily ever after. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
The Adventures of Florian: A noble-born girl named Isabella is left with nothing but her father’s teachings after he passes away. She cuts her hair and disguises herself as a boy to find work in the city, where she meets a black knight and is recruited to serve a wizard in a castle inhabited by demons. After working there for several years and proving her courage, the wizard gifts her three items before she leaves, including a necklace that sings when danger is near, a key that can open any door, and a sphere to help her find her way. She finds a job at the royal castle and falls in love with the brave prince Florizel. When the wicked witch kidnaps Florizel and turns everyone in his company into stone, Isabella (now known as Florian) uses her gifts to find and rescue the prince. In the end, Florizel marries Isabella, who is transformed back into her human form by the wizard.
The Origin of Rubies: A queen and her spoiled prince son go on a ship and stumble upon rubies floating in the sea. The queen tries to convince her son not to take them, but he takes one and keeps it secret. The prince brings the ruby to the king’s daughter who is willing to do anything for more rubies to add to her hair. The prince goes on a mission to find more rubies and ends up finding a beautiful woman under the sea who he saves. They return to the kingdom with lots of rubies and the prince marries both the ocean woman and the king’s daughter, living happily ever after.
The Yellow Dragon: The story is about a boy named Woe who lives on a farm with his father Yin. One day, a yellow dragon and his four servants visit and ask to rest at their home. After a delicious dinner, the dragon leaves, and Yin and Woe discuss how strange the visitors were. They consult with their wise grandmother, who informs them that a storm is coming. Sure enough, a violent storm destroys the surrounding area, except for Yin and Woe’s farm. The dragon returns and gives Woe a scale, which brings him good luck and magical powers when he shows it to the emperor. Woe ends up becoming a magician and working for the emperor. The story teaches the lesson of being kind and hospitable to strangers.
Battle of Frogs and Mice: The story is about a party thrown by King Puff-jaw, ruler of the Frogs. During the party, a little frog informs the king that five strange little men arrived from the next door forest and might drink the entire lake. The king sends a general and ten soldiers to investigate and, upon realizing that the little men come in peace, invites them to the party. The most important of the men introduces himself as Crumb-snatcher, prince of Mice, and tells the king about his country and family. While crossing the lake to visit Puff-jaw’s castle, the group encounters a water snake, causing the mice to drown. As a result, the mice declare war on the frogs, leading to a battle between the two kingdoms. Ultimately, with the help of the lobster army, who pinches the ears and tails of the mice, the frogs emerge victorious, and the two kingdoms live in peace.
The Four Skillful Brothers: The story is about four brothers who set out into the world to learn new trades. The oldest becomes a thief, the second becomes a stargazer, the third becomes a hunter, and the youngest becomes a cutter. When they reunite after four years, they prove their skills to their father by completing a task involving a sparrow’s nest. Later, they rescue a princess from a dragon, and each brother claims credit for the success. As a happy compromise, the king rewards them all with a piece of land to live on.
The Six Servants: In this fairy tale, a prince seeks to marry the daughter of an old, angry queen but must pass three impossible challenges, which in the past have always resulted in the suitor’s death. He sets out on his journey with six magical servants with amazing abilities who help him complete each challenge, but the final challenge requires the princess to marry a pig keeper for eight days and nights. When the prince reveals his true identity, they live happily ever after. The story illustrates the power of humility and the pitfalls of pride.
How The Birds Got A King: This is a story about birds that used to understand people and vice versa. One day, a cuckoo suggested that they needed a king, and many birds agreed except for a peewit who preferred to remain free. The birds agreed on a king who could fly the highest, and an eagle won the contest. However, a little bird with no name that had hidden between the eagle’s wings flew even higher and declared himself the king, causing the birds to change the contest to the one who could poke the deepest into the ground. The little bird with no name tricked the other birds and was sentenced to starvation, but he escaped with the help of an owl who later got in trouble. The little bird is known as the winter king today.
The Water of Life: In this story, an old king needs the water of life to be saved and his three sons search for it. The youngest and kindest son finds it with the help of a dwarf and a princess. He also saves three kingdoms from war and hunger along the way. However, his two jealous brothers steal the water and give the king sea water instead, causing the youngest son to be falsely accused of betrayal. He is ultimately proved innocent and becomes lord of the kingdom after being chosen by the princess in a test.
My Lord Bag of Rice: In ancient Japan, Fujiwara Hidesato comes across a bridge blocked by a sleeping dragon, which he climbs over. As he crosses, he hears a voice behind him and turns back to find the dragon has disappeared, replaced by the Dragon King of the Lake, who requests Hidesato’s help in slaying his archenemy, the centipede. Hidesato agrees and together with the Dragon King, they create a plan to kill the centipede. After successfully killing the centipede, the grateful Dragon King rewards Hidesato with four magical gifts, including a bag of rice that never runs out, which earn him the nickname, “My Lord Bag of Rice.”
The Three Sillies: The story is about a farmer’s daughter who notices a hammer in the basement and worries about it falling on her future son’s head. Her parents join her and start crying, then her boyfriend arrives and laughs at them. He later leaves on a journey and encounters people doing silly things. He realizes there are many more sillies in the world and returns home to marry the farmer’s daughter. They live happily ever after. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
The Gnome: The story is about a rich king with three daughters who disappeared after eating an apple from a tree and were taken to the middle of the earth. The king announced that whoever could bring his daughters back could marry one of them. Three brothers went to find them but only the youngest managed to rescue them from a well guarded by dragons. However, he was betrayed by his older brothers who cut the rope while he was being pulled up. The youngest brother discovered a way to escape and returned to the castle where the king heard his story and decided that he would marry the youngest daughter, while the older brothers were never heard from again.
The Christmas Masquerade: A new shopkeeper arrives in a city just before Christmas with a treasure trove of beautifully made costumes. Rich kids choose costumes of simple folk, while poor kids choose the costumes of royalty and magical creatures. At the end of the party, all the children find they cannot remove their costumes and are stuck with the personalities of their costumes. In desperation, the mayor asks the Wise Woman for help, who advises giving the children castor oil, which fails. Months pass with the children stuck in their costumes before the mayor’s daughter remembers the cherry man, who discovers the new shopkeeper is living in his tree and makes a deal with him to release the children from their costumes. The shopkeeper wants to reward the cherry man, so bargains for the eldest daughter’s hand in marriage and a law mandating that poor children get a stocking of gifts at Christmas. The children are freed from their costumes, the law is enacted, and the cherry man and the daughter get married, with the shopkeeper leaving them beautiful wedding gifts.
The Lost Years: In this story, a king takes great care of his subjects and they all live in comfort and peace until small trolls begin to appear and kidnap people. The king takes drastic measures including banning flowers from blooming, no more swimming, no more cookies, and no more playing in order to prevent people from being kidnapped. An evil wizard appears offering a magic potion that makes people invisible to trolls, but it only works for a short time. The king banishes those who didn’t drink the potion and continues to make trades with the wizard for better potions, ultimately leading to years of fear and banishments until the king becomes ill and realizes he hasn’t enjoyed anything in years. A fairy appears and gives the king a chance to enjoy his lost years before he passes away.
The Young Crab and His Mother: In this short story, a mother crab advises her son to walk forward with his toes turned out instead of walking sideways. The young crab agrees to learn and asks her to show him. However, the mother crab is unable to walk straight and falls on her nose when she attempts to turn her toes out. The story carries a lesson about parenting through actions.
Belling the Cat: In this fable, the mice are trying to find a way to be warned when the cat is approaching, fearing for their lives. A young mouse suggests hanging a bell around the cat’s neck, but an older mouse points out the problem is finding someone brave to do it. The story teaches the importance of thinking through practicalities before implementing a plan. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
The Eagle and the Jackdaw: The story is about a Jackdaw who saw an Eagle carrying a lamb and thought that he too was strong enough to carry away a Ram. However, when he tried to fly away, his claws got entangled in the fur and he couldn’t move. The Shepherd saw the Jackdaw and clipped its wings, giving it to his children as a pet. Despite being a Jackdaw, the bird believed it was an Eagle. A downloadable PDF version of the story is available.
The Nutcracker and the Mouse King: On Christmas Eve, Maria and Frederic were playing in their playroom when their godfather Dr. Drosselmeyer gifted Maria a Nutcracker doll. Frederic later broke the Nutcracker’s jaw, and while Maria was putting him to bed, the playroom clock started ticking, and an army of mice led by the Mouse King appeared. The Nutcracker came to life and led his army of toy soldiers in battle against the mice. Maria fainted during the battle and when she woke up, her mother told her she fell off her bed and broke her arm. Later, Maria encountered the Mouse King again, and the Nutcracker came to life again to defeat him. The Nutcracker then took Maria to the Candy Meadow Kingdom, where she was greeted by the people who had been helped by her bravery. When Maria woke up again, Dr. Drosselmeyer’s nephew arrived and promised to marry Maria when she was older before whisking her away years later to live happily ever after in the Candy Kingdom.
Hercules And The Wagoner: In this story, a Farmer is stuck in the mud and calls upon the legendary Hercules for help. Hercules appears and advises the Farmer to put in some effort before he comes to his aid. The Farmer learns a lesson and when he puts in the work, he manages to get his wagon out of the mud and ride off contentedly. An eBook of the story is available for download.
The Kid And The Wolf: In the story, a young kid is left by the herdsman on the roof of a sheep shelter. The kid begins to taunt and insult a wolf, which responds by saying it holds no grudges. The story ends with a download link for an e-book version of the story.
The Town Mouse And The Country Mouse: In this story, a Town Mouse invites a Country Mouse to visit her and shows her a lavish lifestyle complete with fine food, but the two mice become frightened by the appearance of a cat and a dog. The Country Mouse decides that she prefers her simple life in the country, and quickly leaves after picking up her things, realizing that though she may not have all the luxuries of the city, she values the peace and security of her own home.
The Fox And The Grapes: A fox spots a delicious-looking bunch of grapes hanging high up on a vine, but can’t reach them. He tries to jump for them multiple times and finally gives up, calling the grapes sour and not worth the effort.
The Bundle Of Sticks: This is a story about a Father who had quarrelsome sons. He asked them to break a bundle of sticks, but they were unable to, however, when he gave them the sticks one by one, they were easily broken. The Father explained to his sons that if they can work together and support each other, then they will not be easily defeated by their enemies. But if they continue to quarrel and work against each other, then they will be as weak as an individual stick. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
The Lion And The Mouse: In this story, a mouse accidentally crosses a lion’s nose and begs for mercy promising to repay the lion one day. The lion thinks it’s amusing but still lets the mouse go. Later on, the lion gets caught in a hunter’s net but the mouse chews through the ropes and frees him. The lion then realizes that even small animals can repay kindness. An ebook download link is provided at the end of the story.
The Gnat And The Bull: In this short fable, a gnat lands on a bull’s horn and before departing apologizes to the bull for using his horn. The bull replies that he didn’t even notice the gnat and didn’t care if he stayed or left. The moral of the story may be that we often worry about things that are insignificant or unnoticed by others.
The Plane Tree: Two travelers take a rest under the shade of a plane tree. One of them complains about the tree being useless as it doesn’t bear fruit, while the other points out its cooling shade. The tree responds to their comments, calling them ungrateful creatures and reminding them of the blessings they have received. This story highlights the importance of gratitude towards the blessings we have in life.
The Farmer And The Stork: A Stork is convinced by a group of Cranes to visit a newly planted field but, unfortunately, they all get caught in a net set by the Farmer. When the Stork pleads for mercy, he reminds the Farmer that he is of good character and did not have any ill intentions like the Cranes. However, the Farmer argues that the Stork was caught with the Cranes and thus, must suffer the same punishment. The story teaches the lesson of how getting involved with the wrong company can lead to bad consequences.
The Birds, The Beasts, And The Bat: The story tells of a war between the Birds and the Beasts, which stemmed from the persecution of the race of Geese by the Fox family. Many animals died, and the Bat family chose to side with the winning team, which caused disgust among other animals. In the end, both Birds and Beasts came together to expel the Bat family because of their deceit, and, henceforth, the Bat family only ventures out at night.
The Sheep And The Pig: In the story, a shepherd catches a fat pig while his sheep look on in amusement. The sheep ask the pig why he makes such a fuss, but the pig explains that the shepherd wants to turn him into bacon, unlike the sheep who are just used for wool. The story ends with download options for an ebook version of the story.
The Travellers And The Purse: Two men were traveling together when one of them found a purse. He claimed it for himself, but his companion suggested they should share it. As they argued, a mob appeared, and the man who found the purse panicked, realizing that they were in big trouble. His companion reminded him that he refused to share earlier and told him to stick to his claim of ownership. The story ends with the travelers’ fate unknown.
The Lion and the Donkey: In this story, a Lion walks through the forest and hears a Donkey make a disrespectful comment towards him. Although the Lion feels angry at first, he chooses not to retaliate and walks away quietly. The story comes with a downloadable ebook (PDF) that can be read offline on a phone or e-reader or printed.
The Frogs Who Wished For A King: The story is about a group of Frogs who got tired of governing themselves and asked Jupiter to give them a king. Jupiter put a huge log in the water, which the Frogs thought was their king. The poor Frogs soon found themselves disappointed and made complaints. Jupiter then sent a Crane to rule over them, and the Frogs realized their mistake when the Crane began to eat them. The story ends with the Frogs begging Jupiter to take away the cruel tyrant and Jupiter reminding them that they have only themselves to blame for their misfortunes. An ebook (PDF) can be downloaded from the website.
The Hares And The Frogs: The story is about a group of timid hares who are debating how best to face death, but become reassured by the fear of a family of frogs who they encounter. At the end of the story, a downloadable ebook (PDF) is offered for those who wish to read the story offline or print it.
The Fox And The Stork: A cunning fox invites a stork to dinner and serves soup in a shallow dish that the stork cannot eat, while the fox has no trouble. The stork invites the fox to dinner next, serving fish in a jar with a narrow neck that the fox cannot get to, but the stork can. The fox learns the lesson not to play tricks on others that he cannot take himself. The story has downloadable ebooks available.
The Wolf And The Goat: In the story, a hungry wolf tries to trick a goat into coming down from a steep cliff to eat her. The wolf pretends to be concerned for her safety and offers her the finest, tenderest grass in the country. However, the goat is wise to the wolf’s true intentions and refuses to be deceived. The story ends with a warning about the dangers of trusting those who have ulterior motives.
The Peacock: The story recounts how the Peacock was granted a beautiful train of feathers by Juno and how his new appearance instigated envy in the other birds. However, the Peacock soon realizes that his plumage is so heavy that he cannot fly, unlike an Eagle he sees soaring in the sky, and is now trapped on the ground. The story concludes by reminding the reader of the importance of embracing one’s true nature and not becoming arrogant or envious of others.
The Crow And The Pitcher: In the story, a thirsty crow finds a pitcher with water in it, but the water is too low for the crow to reach. The crow solves the problem by throwing in small pebbles to raise the water level until he can drink. An ebook download is also provided.
The Lion and the Donkey: In this fable, a lion and an ass go hunting together and come across a group of wild goats hiding in a cave. The plan is for the ass to go in and make noise to drive out the goats while the lion waits outside to catch them. The plan works and the ass boasts about scaring the goats, to which the lion responds by saying that he would have been afraid too if he didn’t already know the ass’s kind. An ebook version of the story is available for download.
The Dog And His Master’s Dinner: A faithful dog carries his master’s dinner every day, despite the tempting smell of the food in the basket. Other dogs in the neighborhood notice the routine and try to steal the basket. The faithful dog is able to guard it until one day, the other dogs confront him and make him feel ridiculous, causing him to drop the basket and allowing them to take the food. The faithful dog tells them to divide the food and goes home to his master empty-handed.
The Boys And The Frogs: A group of boys were playing by a pond and throwing stones, causing the frogs who lived there to be scared for their lives. The oldest and bravest frog pleaded with the children to stop as it was causing harm to them. A downloadable ebook of the story is available.
The Dog And The Oyster: This is a story about a greedy dog who loved to eat eggs. One day, he finds an oyster on the seashore and eats it whole, including the shell. This causes him a lot of pain and he learns a valuable lesson that not everything round is an egg. The story is available for download in PDF format.
The Monkey And The Cat: The story is about a Cat and a Monkey who are friends and are always looking for something to eat. One day, they see chestnuts roasting on the hearth and decide to try and get them. The Monkey convinces the Cat to pull them out of the fire, but while the Cat does all the work, the Monkey eats the chestnuts. The Cat ends up with a burnt paw and no chestnuts, and from then on, she avoids the Monkey and sticks to hunting mice and rats.
The Bees And Wasps, And The Hornet: In this story, a group of wasps and a group of bees found a store of honey in a hollow tree and both claimed ownership. They agreed to have a judge decide the matter, but after several weeks of testimony, the judge couldn’t make a decision. A wise old bee suggested a test: both groups should be instructed to build a honeycomb, and it would soon become clear who the honey belonged to. The wasps protested, knowing they couldn’t build a comb, and the judge declared the honey belonged to the bees.
The Bear And The Bees: A bear tries to steal honey from a swarm of bees but is stung and chased away. In a fit of anger, the bear tries to destroy the nest but is overwhelmed by the whole swarm. The bear ends up having to dive into a pool of water to save himself, while the bees keep their honey safe.
The Heron: In this story, a Heron is walking along a stream looking for breakfast. He finds the clear water swarming with fish, but decides that they are not big or impressive enough to eat. As the sun continues to rise, the fish swim deeper into the water, leaving the Heron hungry. Eventually, he settles for a tiny Snail to eat. An ebook (PDF) download is available.
The North Wind And The Sun: In this story, The North Wind and the Sun argue about which of them is stronger. They agree to a test to see which can make a traveller remove his cloak first. The North Wind blows hard, but the traveller holds his cloak tight. Then the Sun comes out and warms the traveller, causing him to take off his cloak to enjoy the warmth. The story teaches that kindness and gentleness often work much better than force when trying to achieve a goal.
The Cat, The Cock, And The Young Mouse: A young Mouse who had never seen anything of the world almost came to grief when he saw a Barnyard Cock and a Cat for the first time. The Mouse was scared of the Cat with its terrifying appearance, but the Mother Mouse explained that the gentle-looking Cat would bear a grudge against them. The lesson learned was to never judge people by their looks. An ebook (PDF) download is available to read the story offline on a phone or e-reader or to print.
The Wolf, The Kid, And The Goat: A story about a Mother Goat who warns her kid not to let anyone in the house unless they say the password: “Down with the Wolf and all his race.” A hungry Wolf overhears this and tries to trick the Kid into letting him in by using the correct password. However, the Kid is smart and asks the Wolf to show a white paw, which he cannot do, and so the Wolf goes away hungry. A downloadable PDF of the story is available.
The Milkmaid And Her Pail: The story is about a milkmaid who was daydreaming about her future earnings with the milk she had collected. She plans to sell the milk products in the market, buy eggs, and sell the chicks. She also plans to use the money to buy a new dress to wear to the fair. However, as she was lost in thought, she tossed her head, and the milk pail fell, resulting in all her future plans and dreams being lost.
The swallow and the crow: The story is about a Swallow and a Crow that argue about their plumage. The Swallow boasts about its bright and downy feathers and criticizes the Crow’s black stiff quills. The Crow retorts that while the Swallow’s feathers may do well in spring, it never sees the Swallow during winter when the Crow enjoys itself the most. The story can be downloaded as an ebook in PDF format.
The Flies and the Honey: In the story, a jar of honey spills and attracts a large number of flies who begin to feed on it. However, the honey is so sticky that the flies become stuck and ultimately die, unable to escape. A downloadable ebook of the story is also available.
The Cat And The Old Rat: The story is about a watchful cat who terrorizes mice, but after the mice start hiding in their dens, the cat comes up with a plan to trick them. He pretends to be dead and when the curious mice come out to investigate, the cat attacks and kills a few. Later, the cat tries another trick by rolling in flour and pretending to be a heap of meal in order to catch a mouse, but an old rat warns the mouse and they both escape. The story teaches a lesson about not letting curiosity or hunger cloud your judgment and to always be cautious.
The peacock and the crane: A vain Peacock boasts about his colorful feathers to a humble Crane, who challenges him to fly together. The Peacock declines while the Crane soars high into the sky, proving that true freedom is more important than outward appearances. The story is available as a downloadable PDF.
The horse, hunter and stag: In this story, a Horse asked a Hunter to help him take revenge on a Stag after a quarrel. The Hunter agreed with the condition that he put a piece of iron between the Horse’s jaws, saddle him, and use reins to guide him. The Horse agreed, and they successfully defeated the Stag. However, the Hunter refused to remove the piece of iron from the Horse’s mouth and the saddle from its back, revealing he preferred to keep the Horse under bit and spur.
The farmer and his sons: In the story, a wealthy and elderly farmer tells his sons that there is a hidden treasure on their land and instructs them not to sell the property. The sons diligently search for the treasure after their father passes away, only to discover that the treasure was the bountiful harvest achieved through their hard work and dedication, leading them to understand the true value of their land. The story emphasizes the importance of hard work and perseverance in achieving success.

In conclusion, the Top 79 Stories for Third Graders offer a delightful and enriching collection of tales that not only entertain young readers, but also enhance their imagination, vocabulary, and understanding of the world around them. As they explore these captivating stories, children will meet memorable characters, embark on thrilling adventures, and learn essential life lessons that will not only inspire them but also foster their love for reading. The worlds created within these stories serve as a perfect platform to foster their curiosity and creativity, providing invaluable resources to parents, educators, and young readers alike. So let’s dive into this wonderful collection and discover the magic that lies within these pages for our beloved third graders.