German Short Stories

An ant falls into a stream and a dove saves her by dropping a leaf. Days later, the ant sees a hunter about to net the dove and bites his ankle, so the dove escapes. A retelling of the classic Aesop fable.

Tuffi, a small blue locomotive, volunteers to pull a train of toys over a steep mountain when the big engine breaks down. The other engines laugh, but Tuffi puffs “I think I can” all the way to the top and delivers the toys to the cheering children.

During Advent, Grandma Hilde bakes cinnamon stars, vanilla crescents and gingerbread for Christmas Eve. Leo secretly eats them until the tin is half empty. He’s tempted to blame the mice but confesses, and Grandma lets him help bake a fresh batch.

Tropfi the raindrop falls from a cloud onto a mountain, flows down a stream and a river, reaches the sea, and rises again as vapor when the sun warms the water. A gentle introduction to the water cycle.

Berta the cow dreams of flying like the swallows, but her ear-flapping and hay-bale jumps end in a plop. A swallow reminds her she gives the best milk in the village, which becomes cheese, butter and ice cream. At the farm festival, everyone loves Berta’s strawberry ice cream.