Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

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The Strange Case of the Wishing Well

Benny discovers that true wishes bring joy when he and Sam share laughter with their village.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a tiny village nestled between green hills, there was an old wishing well. People believed it could grant wishes but warned that it was strange. Benny, a curious boy, wanted to see if the well really worked. After school, he went there with his friend Sam, who liked to tease him.

Benny leaned over the well and whispered, “I wish for a giant chocolate cake!” The ground shook, and with a splash, a huge cake jumped out of the well. But when they cut it, it was full of rubber ducks! Sam laughed and said, “I guess the cake quacks!” Even though they didn’t get chocolate, they laughed a lot.

Benny tried again, “I wish for a pet dragon!” This time, a baby dragon with rainbow scales popped out. It flapped its wings and knocked over hay bales. Instead of fire, it blew confetti everywhere. “Our dragon is a party animal!” Sam giggled.

They made more silly wishes: grape soda waterfall, a bouncy trampoline castle, and a dancing chicken statue. They were tired but happy. “The well is having fun with us!” Sam said. Their wishes were crazy but fun.

For the last wish, Benny asked, “I wish to know how the well works!” The well’s voice said, “Be careful what you wish for! The best wishes help others.” The boys understood and wished for the whole village to have fun. Balloons and confetti burst out, and everyone had a great time. Benny and Sam learned that sharing joy is the best wish.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1nestledSnuggled or settled comfortably
2grantTo give or allow something
3curiousWanting to know more about something
4teaseTo make fun of someone in a playful way
5whisperedSpoke very softly
6quacksThe sound a duck makes
7flappedMoved wings up and down
8confettiSmall pieces of paper thrown during celebrations
9balesLarge bundles of hay
10statueA carved or molded figure of a person or animal
11crazyVery wild or silly
12burstSuddenly broke open

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What did Benny wish for first at the wishing well?
2. What came out of the well when Benny wished for a giant chocolate cake?
3. How did the baby dragon act when it came out of the well?
4. What kind of wishes did Benny and Sam make after the dragon?
5. What important lesson did Benny and Sam learn at the end of the story?
6. How did the village celebrate after Benny and Sam made their last wish?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a tiny village (1)______ between green hills, there was an old wishing well. (2)______ believed it could (3)______ wishes but warned that it was strange. Benny, a curious boy, wanted to see if the well really worked. After school, he went there with his friend Sam, who liked to tease him.

Benny leaned over the well and whispered, “I wish for a giant chocolate (4)______!” The ground shook, and with a splash, a huge cake jumped out of the well. But when they cut it, it was full of rubber ducks! Sam laughed and said, “I guess the cake quacks!” Even though they didn’t get chocolate, they laughed a lot.

Benny tried again, “I wish for a pet (5)______!” This time, a baby dragon with rainbow scales (6)______ out. It flapped its wings and knocked over hay bales. Instead of (7)______, it blew confetti everywhere. “Our dragon is a (8)______ animal!” Sam giggled.

They made more silly wishes: grape soda (9)______, a bouncy trampoline castle, and a dancing chicken statue. They were tired but happy. “The well is having fun with us!” Sam said. Their wishes were crazy but fun.

For the last (10)______, Benny asked, “I wish to know how the well works!” The well’s voice said, “Be (11)______ what you wish for! The best wishes help (12)______.” The boys understood and wished for the whole village to have fun. Balloons and confetti burst out, and everyone had a great time. Benny and Sam learned that sharing joy is the best wish.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a wish you would make if you found a wishing well?

2. How would you feel if a giant chocolate cake jumped out of a well?

3. Do you like the idea of a pet dragon? Why or why not?

4. What is a funny wish you would want to make?

5. Do you think it’s important to share your wishes with others? Why?

6. How would you feel if your wish didn’t come true, but you still had fun?

7. Do you like surprises? Why or why not?

8. What is the best way to make others happy?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. nestled
2. grant
3. curious
4. tease
5. whispered
6. quacks
7. flapped
8. confetti
9. bales
10. statue
11. crazy
12. burst

Meanings:
(A) To make fun of someone in a playful way
(B) Moved wings up and down
(C) The sound a duck makes
(D) Very wild or silly
(E) Small pieces of paper thrown during celebrations
(F) Large bundles of hay
(G) Spoke very softly
(H) Suddenly broke open
(I) To give or allow something
(J) Snuggled or settled comfortably
(K) A carved or molded figure of a person or animal
(L) Wanting to know more about something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What did Benny wish for first at the well?
(a) A pet dragon
(b) A bouncy trampoline castle
(c) A giant chocolate cake
(d) A dancing chicken statue

2. What unusual item was found inside the giant cake?
(a) Candy
(b) Sprinkles
(c) Fruit
(d) Rubber ducks

3. What did Benny wish for after the chocolate cake?
(a) A pet dragon
(b) A giant pizza
(c) A magic wand
(d) A superhero costume

4. What did the baby dragon blow instead of fire?
(a) Bubbles
(b) Confetti
(c) Smoke
(d) Water

5. What was one of the silly wishes Benny and Sam made?
(a) A flying car
(b) A treasure chest
(c) A giant robot
(d) A grape soda waterfall

6. What did the well warn Benny about when he wished to know how it worked?
(a) Wishes can be dangerous!
(b) Not all wishes come true!
(c) Be careful what you wish for!
(d) Always share your wishes!

7. What did Benny and Sam wish for in the end?
(a) For the whole village to have fun
(b) A never-ending party
(c) A giant playground
(d) A magical treehouse

8. What lesson did Benny and Sam learn from their experience with the well?
(a) Always make serious wishes
(b) Sharing joy is the best wish
(c) Wishes should be kept secret
(d) Never trust a wishing well

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Benny and Sam make several silly wishes, including a grape soda waterfall and a dancing chicken statue.
2. Benny is a curious boy who wants to test if the wishing well can grant wishes.
3. When Benny wishes for a giant chocolate cake, the well produces a cake full of rubber ducks instead.
4. The baby dragon breathes fire; instead, it blows confetti.
5. Sam is Benny’s friend who enjoys teasing him.
6. In the end, Benny and Sam learn that the best wishes are the ones that help others and bring joy to the village.
7. Benny’s third wish is for a pet dragon, and a baby dragon with rainbow scales appears.
8. The story takes place in a vast city surrounded by green hills.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What did Benny wish for first at the wishing well?
Benny wished for a giant chocolate cake.

2. What came out of the well when Benny wished for a giant chocolate cake?
A huge cake jumped out of the well, but it was full of rubber ducks.

3. How did the baby dragon act when it came out of the well?
The baby dragon flapped its wings and knocked over hay bales, blowing confetti everywhere.

4. What kind of wishes did Benny and Sam make after the dragon?
They made silly wishes like a grape soda waterfall, a bouncy trampoline castle, and a dancing chicken statue.

5. What important lesson did Benny and Sam learn at the end of the story?
They learned that sharing joy is the best wish.

6. How did the village celebrate after Benny and Sam made their last wish?
Balloons and confetti burst out, and everyone had a great time.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) nestled
(2) People
(3) grant
(4) cake
(5) dragon
(6) popped
(7) fire
(8) party
(9) waterfall
(10) wish
(11) careful
(12) others
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. nestled
Answer: (J) Snuggled or settled comfortably

2. grant
Answer: (I) To give or allow something

3. curious
Answer: (L) Wanting to know more about something

4. tease
Answer: (A) To make fun of someone in a playful way

5. whispered
Answer: (G) Spoke very softly

6. quacks
Answer: (C) The sound a duck makes

7. flapped
Answer: (B) Moved wings up and down

8. confetti
Answer: (E) Small pieces of paper thrown during celebrations

9. bales
Answer: (F) Large bundles of hay

10. statue
Answer: (K) A carved or molded figure of a person or animal

11. crazy
Answer: (D) Very wild or silly

12. burst
Answer: (H) Suddenly broke open
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What did Benny wish for first at the well?
Answer: (c) A giant chocolate cake

2. What unusual item was found inside the giant cake?
Answer: (d) Rubber ducks

3. What did Benny wish for after the chocolate cake?
Answer: (a) A pet dragon

4. What did the baby dragon blow instead of fire?
Answer: (b) Confetti

5. What was one of the silly wishes Benny and Sam made?
Answer: (d) A grape soda waterfall

6. What did the well warn Benny about when he wished to know how it worked?
Answer: (c) Be careful what you wish for!

7. What did Benny and Sam wish for in the end?
Answer: (a) For the whole village to have fun

8. What lesson did Benny and Sam learn from their experience with the well?
Answer: (b) Sharing joy is the best wish
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Benny and Sam make several silly wishes, including a grape soda waterfall and a dancing chicken statue. (Answer: True)
2. Benny is a curious boy who wants to test if the wishing well can grant wishes. (Answer: True)
3. When Benny wishes for a giant chocolate cake, the well produces a cake full of rubber ducks instead. (Answer: False)
4. The baby dragon breathes fire; instead, it blows confetti. (Answer: False)
5. Sam is Benny’s friend who enjoys teasing him. (Answer: True)
6. In the end, Benny and Sam learn that the best wishes are the ones that help others and bring joy to the village. (Answer: True)
7. Benny’s third wish is for a pet dragon, and a baby dragon with rainbow scales appears. (Answer: False)
8. The story takes place in a vast city surrounded by green hills. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧

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Freddie the squirrel goes on an adventure to find a secret feather, but learns that happiness is about being together, not finding things.

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