Grade 3-4 Story by Ruskin Bond. An old man finds an orphan tiger cub and takes it home as a family pet. When the cub grows out of its ‘playful’ stage, he donates it to a zoo. He gets an unexpected surprise when he visits it six months later.
Short Stories by Mark Twain. Although the characters in these two stories appear to be opposites, they actually support the same themes: 1) all people have a bad and/or selfish side; and 2) whether good or bad, people don’t always get the reward/punishment they deserve.
Short Story by Gregorio C. Brillantes. A country doctor, disillusioned by the suffering of patients and his oldest son’s suicide, has lost faith in religion and become detached from his wife and younger son. A late night house call to attend a dying baby leads to a momentary epiphany.
Novelette by Willa Cather. An internationally renowned opera singer derives pleasure from “giving” to her husbands and extended family, most of whom ruthlessly exploit the poor woman. Their indolence and greed leaves her “mined out”, both financially and emotionally.
Short Story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. A seaside town is a smelly, unpleasant place thanks to garbage and rotting fish washed in with every tide. Things change when a local man notices something different about the sea breeze and a strange foreigner arrives with bags of money to give away.