This is one of the best animal short story to read for kids. Harvey, the monkey, and Stella, the crab were playing treasure hunt. It was a sunny day and the breeze was blowing lightly across the sand. “Look, what I found” Stella shouted. She held up a yummy rice cake. Just then, a seed from a persimmon floated through the air. Harvey grabbed it. “Well, look what I found,” he boasted. Also read,The Monkeys And The Bell

They examined each other’s treasures. Harvey’s mouth started to water as he wished he had been the one to find the yummy rice cake. “It surely looks delicious,” he said to Stella. “I’m sure it is,” she agreed, holding it up with her front claw. “I’m hungry. I think I should eat it right now.”

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“Wait!” Harvey cried. “I was thinking we could trade our treasures.” Stella looked confused and asked, “But why would I want to give you my rice cake in exchange for a tiny persimmon seed?” “Well,” Havey said, scratching his head, “If you eat the rice cake now, there will be nothing left for you to eat. But if you take this seed and plant it, in no time you’ll be enjoying fresh, juicy persimmons year after year.” Stella thought for a moment and she agreed. You may also like, The Tale Of Three Fishes

They switched each other treasures. Snatching the rice cake out of her claw, Harvey gobbled it down in one swallow. “I must go home and plant my seed! I’ll see you later, my friend!” Stella told him. She scurried off, leaving a trail in the sand. Harvey chuckled to himself and thought, “In no time, I’ll be the one enjoying the fresh, juicy persimmons.”

After planting her seed in the ground and caring for it day after day, Stella was happy when her persimmon tree started to grow. Finally, she looked up one morning and saw lots of red fruits hanging from the branches. Try as she might, Stella couldn’t manage to climb up the tree to pick any of the persimmons. Stella thought for a while and Harvey came to his mind.

“I need Harvey’s help,” Stella said and headed off to find her friend. When they returned, Harvey scampered up the tree. “I knew you would help me!” Stella said. “Help you?” the scheming monkey said. “I’m not here to help you but to help myself to all this yummy fruit.” He bit int a juicy persimmon and licked his lips.

“No!” Stella cried. “I gave you my rice cake, remember? The persimmons are mine. But since you’re helping me, I’ll be happy to share some with you!” “Go away you old crab!” Harvey shouted, throwing a green persimmon down at her. “Ouch!” she cried, as the hard fruit hit her. Before she could move aside, another persimmon cracked against her shell.

Harvey laughed as he threw several unripe persimmons on Stella. She quickly crawled into a hole to protect herself. When Harvey’s belly was too full to eat another bite, he slid down the tree and scuttled away. A bee flew by, attracted by the sweet smell of the broken fruit on the ground. He heard Stella crying. “What’s the matter down there?” he buzzed. The crab peeked out of the hole. Stella told the bee what the monkey had done. “I’ll take care of him,” the bee said. “But first, let me fly to my hive to gather my friends!”

Eager to taste the sweet fruit again, Harvey returned the very next day. As he reached for a persimmon, a bee stung his hand. “Ouch!” he yowled. Then he reached for a different piece of fruit with his other hand. “Ouch!” he yowled again. “What’s going on?”

Suddenly, a whole swarm of bees attacked him, stinging on his toes and his stomach and his back and his nose. “Take that!” they buzzed as they chased him down the tree and far away from Stella’s persimmons.

What seems to be a good deal is not a good deal after all, is it? Sometimes, if we’re not careful, someone who pretends to be our friend just might end up tricking us. But for every bad one out there, there is a swarm of others who can’t wait to be best friends forever. Also read, The Foolish Mouse

Here is a visual depiction of this amazing animal short story for kids,“The Monkey And The Crab”. See the video story below,

Animal Short Story Video