ST.

ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

A HOLE IN THE FENCE

In a small village, a little boy lived with his father and mother. He was the only son.
The parents of the little boy were very depressed due to his bad temper. The boy used to
get angry very soon and taunt others with his words. His bad temper made him use
words that hurt others. He scolded kids, neighbours and even his friends due to anger.
His friends and neighbours avoided him, and his parents were really worried about him.
His mother and father advised him many times to control his anger and develop
kindness. Unfortunately, all their attempts failed. Finally, the boys father came up with
an idea.
One day, his father gave him a huge bag of nails. He asked his son to hammer one
nail to the fence every time he became angry and lost his temper. The little boy found it
amusing and accepted the task.
Every time he lost his temper, he ran to the fence and hammered a nail. His anger
drove him to hammer nails on the fence 30 times on the first day! After the next few
days, the number of nails hammered on the fence was reduced to half. The little boy
found it very difficult to hammer the nails and decided to control his temper.
Gradually, the number of nails hammered to the fence was reduced and the day
arrived when no nail was hammered! The boy did not lose his temper at all that day. For
the next several days, he did not lose his temper, and so did not hammer any nail.
Now, his father told him to remove the nails each time the boy controlled his anger.
Several days passed and the boy was able to pull out most of the nails from the fence.
However, there remained a few nails that he could not pull out.
The boy told his father about it. The father appreciated him and asked him pointing
to a hole, What do you see there?
The boy replied, a hole in the fence!
He told the boy, The nails were your bad temper and they were hammered on
people. You can remove the nails but the holes in the fence will remain. The fence will
never look the same. It has scars all over. Some nails cannot even be pulled out. You can
stab a man with a knife, and say sorry later, but the wound will remain there forever.
Your bad temper and angry words were like that! Words are more painful than physical
abuse! Use words for good purposes. Use them to grow relationships. Use them to show
the love and kindness in your heart!
Moral Unkind words cause lasting damage: Let our words be kind and sweet

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
It was two days before Christmas. Harry, Cornelius, Monty and I were busy building
a snowman when Fritz appeared with his little niece Emily and introduced her.
Emily is from the South and has never seen snow before, Fritz told us. She
doesnt know much about our winters.
It turned out that Emily didnt know much about Christmas also. Who is Santa
Claus, Waldo? she asked me, shivering in the cold air.
Santa Claus, I explained, brings presents and toys to human children at
Christmas time.
Does he bring presents to animal children also? Emily asked.
Well, I said, he hasnt been around this part of the forest for many years. I
guess he is too busy visiting all the human children to have much time left for animals.
Do you think he will come if I write to him? Emily asked.
I dont think so, said Monty. Ive never seen him, myself.
Neither have I, Harry added, shaking his head.
You see. Santa Claus is only for human children, Fritz said to Emily. So forget
about the whole idea. Lets go home now before you catch a cold.

THE HUNGRY FOX WHO GOT CAUGHT IN THE TREE TRUNK

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

Once upon a time, there was a hungry fox that was looking for something to eat.
He was very hungry. No matter how hard he tried, the fox could not find food. Finally he
went to the edge of the forest and searched there for food. Suddenly he caught sight of a
big tree with a hole in it.
Inside the hole was a package. The hungry fox immediately thought that there
might be food in it, and became very happy. He jumped into the hole. When he opened
the package, he saw slices of bread, meat and fruit in it!
An old woodcutter had placed the food in the tree trunk before he began to cut
down trees in the forest. He was going to eat it for his lunch.
The fox happily began to eat. After he finished eating, he felt thirsty and decided to
leave the hole and drink some water from a nearby spring. However, no matter how hard
he tried, he could not get out of the hole. Do you know why? Yes, the fox had eaten so
much food that he became too big to fit through the hole!
The fox was very sad and upset. He told himself, I wish I had thought a little
before jumping into the hole.
Yes children, this is the result of doing something without thinking about it first.

RAJ LEARNS A LESSON

Raj is a middle aged man. Although he was born in a poor family, he was raised
well by his father and mother. His father owned a welding shop, and used to work for
more than 12 hours a day, so that his family could lead a comfortable life.

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

However, Rajs father could not earn sufficient money to provide a decent life to his
family. Raj was an average student in school, and used to score around 70 percent
marks. Rajs dream was to become a doctor. Since his marks werent very high, he could
not get the desired course that he wanted to study. Instead, he joined a bachelors
degree course, completed the course successfully, and got a job in a company. While his
life was going on with no dramatic change, his father continued to work in his welding
shop, so that he did not have to depend on Raj. After getting a permanent job, Rajs
parents wanted him to marry. He got married to a girl from his native town, and at the
same time was also promoted in his job. After a few years, his wife gave birth to
beautiful twin boys.
Later, Raj began to earn a handsome salary, and started to live luxuriously. He
bought a new house and a new car. Some of the luxuries were really unnecessary.
Although his company provided him with a car, Raj purchased a new car! After an
extravagant life that spanned almost 6 to 7 years, Raj was neither able to manage all the
household expenses, nor pay for the childrens education and other basic necessities.
It so happened that Rajs father fell sick, and as a result, could not continue his
work in the welding shop. He requested Raj to give some money for his treatment and
other household expenses. Raj, who was already suffering from financial crisis, shouted
at his parents and told them that he had no money to provide. He complained to his
parents, You never sent me to a big school. I was not provided with expensive clothes.
You rarely fed me with my favorite food. I was not able to taste different varieties of food.
When I got low marks you didnt have enough money to provide me with private tuition,
and it took me more than 10 years to get settled. Now, while I am again struggling for
money, you are not doing anything to help me, but instead are a burden to me! So,
please dont come to me again.
His parents were left shattered.After a week, while Raj was on an official tour, he
met a small boy aged about 10 years selling toys. The boy requested Raj to buy
something. Raj asked the boy why he was selling toys instead of studying. The boy
replied, My father met with an accident a year ago and he lost one hand. He cannot
work now. My mother works as a maid in a few houses. Im helping my parents by selling
these toys. I go to school in the morning, and sell toys in the evenings. I work for 3 hours
a day and study at night!
Raj purchased a few toys from the little boy. He thought about what the boy had
said. He realized that he had been wrong in the way he treated his parents. He had
learnt a lesson from the small boy. At a very small age, this boy was helping his parents,
but Raj, in order to meet the demands of his lavish lifestyle, had neglected his parents.
LOVE AND TIME STORY
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness,
Sadness, Knowledge, and all the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the
feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible
moment. When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.
Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, Richness, can you take
me with you?
Richness answered, No, I cant. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There
is no place here for you.
Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. Vanity,
please help me!
I cant help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat, Vanity
answered.
Sadness also passed close by, so Love asked, Sadness, let me go with you.
Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!
Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear
when Love called her.
Suddenly, there was a voice, Come, Love, I will take you. It was an elder.
So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were
going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way. Realizing how much
she owed to the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, Who helped me?
It was Time, Knowledge answered.
Time? asked Love. But why did Time help me?
Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, Because only Time is capable
of understanding how valuable Love is.

THE ANT AND THE DOVE

One hot day, an ant was searching for some water. After walking around for some
time, she came to a spring. To reach the spring, she had to climb up a blade of grass.
While making her way up, she slipped and fell into the water.
She could have drowned if a dove up a nearby tree had not seen her. Seeing that
the ant was in trouble, the dove quickly plucked a leaf and dropped it into the water near

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

the struggling ant. The ant moved towards the leaf and climbed up onto it. Soon, the leaf
drifted to dry ground, and the ant jumped out. She was safe at last.
Just at that time, a hunter nearby was about to throw his net over the dove, hoping
to trap it.
Guessing what he was about to do, the ant quickly bit him on the heel. Feeling the
pain, the hunter dropped his net. The dove was quick to fly away to safety.
One good turn begets another.

THE APPLE TREE AND THE FARMER

Once upon a time, there lived a farmer in a village, beside a forest. He had a big
garden that had an old apple tree and other plants, trees and beautiful flowers. When the
farmer was a little boy, he spent much of his time playing with the apple tree. Those
days, the apple tree had given the choicest of apples to him. However, as time passed,
the apple tree became old and stopped bearing fruits. Now that the farmer was not
getting any apples from the tree, he decided that the tree was useless. Therefore, he
decided to cut the tree and use its wood to make some new furniture. He felt that since
the tree was old and huge, he did not have to cure it, and it would make great furniture.
He forgot that as a boy, he had spent his entire childhood climbing the tree and eating

ST. ANNE CHILD STUDY CENTER

104. C. REYES ST., SAN RAFAEL, RODRIGUEZ, RIZAL
READING ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM MATERIAL

its apples. Now the apple tree was home to several little animals in the neighborhood.
This included squirrels, sparrows and a huge variety of birds and insects. When the
farmer took his axe and began chopping the tree, all the little animals came rushing
down.
They all began to plead with the farmer. They gathered round the farmer and said,
Please dont cut the tree. We used to play with you when you were small, under this
very tree. This is our home and we have no other place to go.
The farmer was adamant. He raised his axe and the commotion grew.
Please dont chop and destroy my home and kids, cried the squirrel.
Please dont chop and destroy my nest, cried the little birds.
Please dont cut the apple tree, cried the grasshopper.
The farmer, however, forgot his childhood and his animal friends. He began to chop
the tree harder. All the little animals became desperate, and wanted to protect the apple
tree at any cost. The little animals said, We will sing for you when you are toiling away
in the fields. We will look after your little boy. He will not cry, but instead will be
entertained and happy. You will like our songs and will not feel tired. However, their
cries for help fell on deaf ears. Despite all their requests, the farmer continued to chop
down the tree. All of a sudden, he noticed something shiny. On inspecting it, he realized
that it was a beehive, full of honey. He took a little and put it in his mouth. The taste of
the honey woke up the little boy in him. Suddenly, the memories of his childhood came
rushing back. The honey tasted so good that he wanted more. It brought a sense of
happiness to him. He smiled and exclaimed, This tastes amazing.Realizing the change
in the farmers attitude, the little animals spoke in unison: The bee said, I will always
provide you with sweet honey. The squirrel said, I will share any amount of nuts that
you want. The birds cried, We will sing as many songs as you want.Finally, the farmer
realized his folly, and put down his axe. He understood that the tree was home to many
lovely animals that provided him with so many things. He wanted his little boy to have
the childhood that he had. The farmer realized that the apple tree was not that fruitless.
The little boy in him saved the apple tree.
He threw away the axe and said to the little creatures, I promise that I would
never cut this tree. I have realized my mistake and you all can now live in peace and
harmony.
The little creatures thanked the bee profusely. If the farmer had not found the
beehive, they would have been homeless by now. They continued living happily in the
old apple tree.