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(https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables) > The Story of Regulus
The Story of Regulus
Short story with exercises

The Story of Regulus is a short fable for grade 5 students, followed by reading
comprehension questions.
Fable:
Story
(/worksheets/reading-
comprehension/grade-
5-story-story-
of-
regulus.pdf)
660 Words
https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

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Grade 5 Reading Comprehension Worksheet
Read the short story. Then answer each question.
The Fairy Tree

Long, l ong ago, on an isl and in the sea, l ived a fam il y of seven sisters. The
ol dest girl rul ed the househol d, and her sisters obeyed her com m ands.
Fl ora, the youngest sis ter , was sen t to the forest each day to gather wood
for the k itchen fire.
Near the edge of the fores t was a cave under som e rocks. A stream of
water fel l over the rocks into a b asin in the cave.
This w as a del ightful l y cool spot, and Fl ora often rested here on her way
hom e after gathering w ood in the fore st. She woul d l ie on the m ossy bank
of the s tream for hours and dream .
One m orning as Fl ora ran al ong the grassy path th at l ed to the cave, she
saw a l ittl e fish in the stre am . Its scal es fl ashed al l the col ors of the
rainbo w.
“I am going to keep the fish for a pe t,” said the girl to hers el f. “I wil l cal l
him Rainbow.”
So she caught the pretty fish and pu t h im into the basin in the cave.
The nex t day Fl ora went to the fores t for wood. She carried som e
crum bs of bread which she had saved from her breakfast.
On the way hom e she stopped at the cave. The fish w as

wai ting for her. He cam e to the edge of the basin ,
and she fed the crum bs to him .
How del ighte d the girl was!

She had been so l onel y, and
now she had a friend !
Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

Every m orning, inste ad of eating the br ead which her sister gave to her,
Fl ora woul d save it and feed the crum bs to her pe t. The fish woul d l eap to
catch them .
“Here are som e crum bs, Rainb ow ,” she woul d say. “ This is al l today, bu t I
wil l com e again tom orrow.”
Then she woul d sing a l ittl e song.
Fl ora began to grow thin , and her sis te rs wondered what coul d be the
m atter.
One day the ol dest sister fol l owed her to the cave and saw her feed the
crum bs of bread to the fish.
Wh il e Fl ora was away in the forest, the ol dest sister caught the fish,
carried him hom e and baked him for supper. The bones were buried
under the kitchen fire.
The nex t m orning, Fl ora went to the c ave as usual , but no fish w as there.
She sang her l ittl e song, and he stil l did not com e.
“Rainbow canno t be dead ,” she said , “ for I do not see him in the water.”
Then Fl ora hastened hom e. She threw hersel f upon her bed and was soon
fas t asl eep.
The fol l owing m orning, a roos ter fl ew up to

Fl ora’s window and crowed,
“Cock- a-doodl e-doodl e-doo!
The bones o f Rai nbow w ai t for you,
Under the k itche n fire , too.”
Fl ora arose at once and went downs tairs. There,

under the kitchen fire , she found the b ones of her pe t.

She wept as she gathered th e bones and pl aced them in a box.
She went to the forest and buried the box near the cave.
Then Fl ora sat down on a m ossy bank near the cave and sang this song:
“Rainbow , Rai nbow , he ar m y cry,
M y great wish do not deny.
If you can’t com e back to m e,
Pray, O pr ay, becom e a tree!”
As the l ast words of the song echoed

through the cave, there sprang u p a
wonderful Fairy Tree bes ide the girl .
Its trunk w as of ivory. Its l eaves were of sil ver fringed with pearl s. Its
fl owers were gol d, and its frui t gem s from which sparkl ed the bright col ors
of the r ainb ow.
One day the sum m er breeze carried a l eaf from the Fairy Tree across the
sea to another isl and. It fel l at the fee t of the k ing.
He picked up the wonderful l eaf and said, “ I shal l never rest until I find
the tree from which this l eaf cam e.”
The king se t sail with his attendan ts. He soon l anded on the isl and where
the seven sisters l ived.
As the king and his m en were m arching through the fores t, they fou nd the
Fairy Tree grow ing at the entr ance to the cave.
The king tried to pick som e of the l eaves, bu t he coul d not. Then he heard
the sweet voice o f a girl . She was singing,
“Rainbow , Rai nbow , spe ak to m e!
Bend your branches, Fairy Tree!”

And Fl ora cam e tripping al ong the grassy path that l ed to the cave.
The king said, “ Fair m aiden, if you can pick a l eaf or a fl ower from th is
tree, you sh al l be m y queen.”
As Fl ora reached to pick a fl ower, the tree bowed l ow, and every l eaf
trem bl ed with del ight.
The m aiden at once presented the fl ower to the king. As he too k the
fl ower, the king excl aim ed,
“ To you bel ongs the Fairy Tree ;
Pray be m y bride and rul e with m e.”
Fl ora thought she m ust be dream ing, but they were m arried the next day
beneath the branches o f the F airy Tree .

Questions:
1. Why do you thin k Fl ora was so l onel y at the s tar t o f the s tory?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Wh at does Fl ora’s treatm ent of the fish tel l us about he r as a

person?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Wh at does the word basin m ean in the sentence, “She caug ht the
pretty fish and put h im into the basin i n the cave”?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. How does the au thor l et us know the F airy Tree is so speci al ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Answers:
1. Why do you thin k Fl ora was so l onel y at the s tar t o f the s tory?
Fl ora was l onel y at the star t of the stor y because she had no friend.
2. Wh at does Fl ora’s treatm ent of the fish tel l us about her as a

person?
Fl ora’s treatm ent of the fish tel l s us that she is kind and generous.
3. Wh at does the word basin m ean in the sentence, “She caug ht the
pretty fish and put h im into the basin i n the cave”?
The word bas in m eans bowl .
4. How does the au thor l et us know the F airy Tree is so speci al ?
The au thor l et us know how special the Fairy Tree is by describing it :

its ivory trunk , i ts l eaves of sil ver fringed with pe arl s and its fruits o f
gem s.

Read the short story. Then answer each question.
The Princess Who Never Smiled

Many long years ago, there was a Tsar in Russia. The Tsar had a beautiful
daughter who grew more and more lovely every year. To keep her happy,
the Tsar gav e her everything she could want. She had the finest clothes,
the most beautiful jewelry, the most delicious food, and the best
entertainment. Still, the princess never smiled. This pained the Tsar, and
each night he asked, “Are you happy, my dear?”
“Yes, Father. I am very happy,” the princess replied.
The Tsar did not believe her. After all, happy people
smiled, and the princess never did.
After years and years of watching his beautiful

daughter’s sad face, the Tsar announced that
whoev er made her smil e would have her hand in
marriage.
Young men came from all over Rus sia.
A clown dressed in colorful stripes and polka -dots juggled glasses filled
with water. The princess didn’t smile.
A troupe of actors performed a skit dressed as donkeys. The princess did

not smile.
A comedian told jokes dressed as a giant chicken. The princess didn’t

smile.
The Tsar looked on with tears in his eyes. Would anyone ever be able to
make his beautiful daughter smile?
The seasons passed. The birds sang in the spring. The crops grew in the
summer. Gorgeous colors stretched as far as the eye could see in the
autumn. Snow covered the land and shown like crystals in the winter.

Still, the princess did not smile.
The Tsar did not know what else to do. Young men continued to come to
the palace. Some brought sparkling jewels and laid them at the princess’s
feet. Some brought gowns of the softest silk with the most delicate
handmade lace. Others brou ght the fattest geese or the most
delicious chickens. Still, the princess did not smile.
In a nearby v illage, a young man named Jack

worked for a farmer. He plowed the fields. He
cared for the animals. He repaired the barn. He
constantly worked, and the f armer was pleased.
At the end of the year, the farmer called Jack into

his house. A large bag of money sat on the table.
“You’v e worked well this last year,” the farmer said.
“Take as much money as you would like.” The farmer
left the room.
Jack thought f or a few moments, then he took a single coin. He was an

honest man, after all, and he did not want to appear greedy.
Jack went to the town well for a sip of water. As he drank, the coin
slipped out of his hand and tumbled into the water with a splash ! The
young man stared into the well for a long moment. Perhaps, I di dn’t work
hard enough , he thought. That must be why I had such bad luck. He
resolved to work harder the next year.
Meanwhile, more and more people came to the palace. A zookeeper

brought a dancing bear. The king of a far -off country brought the
princess a pet parrot that spoke three languages. A falconer had his birds
perform an aerial dance. Still, the princess did not smile.
The seasons passed again. Jack planted the corn in spring. He cared for it
throughout the summer , and harv ested it in the autumn , so the farmer
had a full bin of corn by the time the snow sparkled in winter.

Once again, the farmer placed the money on the table and told the
young man to take what he wanted and left the ro om. Again, Jack took a
single coin so as not to be greedy. Again, the coin slipped from his hand
and landed in the well with a splash ! Again, the young man decided to
work harder the following year, since he had such bad luck.
The third year came and went. Jack worked as hard as he could. He
rarely slept. He rarely ate. He worked around the clock. At the end of the
year, he took a single coin and went to drink at the well.
“Ah!” Jack cried.
The two coins from the prev ious years floated to

the top of the water. Jack grabbed them and
placed them in his pocket. “It is now time for me
to see the world,” he said, and he left the
v illage.
Jack walked through a grassy field. The sun shone ov erhead and warmed
him, so he stopped for a m oment to enjoy its glow. A small mous e ran up
to him as he stood with his eyes closed.
“Please, sir. Give me a coin, and I will help you.”
Jack smiled down at the mouse and gav e him the coin. The mouse
scampered up the young man’s leg and settled in his p ocket.
Jack and the mouse continued their journey and soon came to a dense
forest. The trees grew close together and kept the ground in darkness,
and the creatures of the forest were unusually silent. Jack and the mouse
proceeded carefully, but they soon met a beetle.
Jack gave the beetle a coin, and the insect settled into Jack’s hair. The
group continued their way and soon came to a stream.
“Let’s stop for a drink,” Jack said. Mouse and Beetle agreed.

Jack looked down to see a toad swimming at the edge of the water. He
could not refuse, so he gave Toad his last coin. The toad joined Jack and
his friends on their journey.
Jack soon came to the city. Pe ople bustled here and there. Horses filled
the street. Voices shouted. The young man looked around, not sure where
to go. At last, he noticed the Tsar’s palace at the end of a long street
and decided to go in that direction.
Jack dodged people throughout the city and soon stopped for a break in
front of the Princess’s window. He looked up and was shocked by her
beauty.
Dizziness washed over Jack, and he fell into the mud in front of the castle.
Toad dove into the puddle and gently flapped Jack’s face to w ake him.
Beetle quickly cleaned Jack’s boots, and Mouse took his coat to rid it of
mud.
High above the street, the princess watched the small creatures take
care of the young man. Their actions touched her heart. “He must be a
v ery special man to inspire these creatures to care for him so w ell,” she
whispered, and she smiled.
“Look!” cried an old woman in the street.

“The princess is s miling!”
A cry of joy went through the city, and

the Tsar nearly burst with happiness. He
had the guards bring Jack to the palace
and treated him to a banquet. As the
Tsar had promised, Jack and the
princess were married. They liv ed
happily ever after.

Questions:
1. In what country does the princess live ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What kinds of entertainment does the princess se e?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Where does Jack work ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What creatures join Jack ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. Why does the princess smile when she sees the creatures caring for
Jack ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. What can we learn from the story ?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Answers:
1. In what country does the princess live?
The princess liv es in Russia .
2. What kinds of entertainment does the princess see?
The princess sees a clown juggling glasses of water, actors dressed

as donkeys, a comedian dressed in a chicken suit, a dancing bear,
and falcons flying.
3. Where does Jack work?
Jack works for a farmer in a nearby v illage.
4. What creatures join Jack?
A mouse, a beetle, and a toad join Jack.
5. Why does the princess smile when she sees the creatures caring for
Jack?
The princess smiles at their kindness and caring, and she thinks the
young man must be very special as well.
6. What can we learn from the story?
Answers may vary. An act of kindness and caring ca n be more

rewarding than the best entertainment, the best food, and the best
clothes and jewelry.

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Grade 5 (https://www.k5learning.

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(https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables) > The Story of Regulus

The Story of Regulus

Short story with exercises

https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

Reading by Topic (/reading-comprehension-worksheets/topics)

Subjects Resources About

https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

Copyright © 2023 K5 Learning

https://www.k5learning.com/reading-comprehension-worksheets/fifth-grade-5/stories-kids-fables/the-story-of-regulus 2024-04-09, 2:59 PM

Read the short story. Then answer each question.

The Fairy Tree

On the way hom e she stopped at the cave. The fish w as

How del ighte d the girl was!

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

Then she woul d sing a l ittl e song.

The fol l owing m orning, a roos ter fl ew up to

“Cock- a-doodl e-doodl e-doo!

The bones o f Rai nbow w ai t for you,

Under the k itche n fire , too.”

Fl ora arose at once and went downs tairs. There,

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

She wept as she gathered th e bones and pl aced them in a box.

“Rainbow , Rai nbow , he ar m y cry,

M y great wish do not deny.

If you can’t com e back to m e,

Pray, O pr ay, becom e a tree!”

As the l ast words of the song echoed

“Rainbow , Rai nbow , spe ak to m e!

Bend your branches, Fairy Tree!”

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

“ To you bel ongs the Fairy Tree ;

Pray be m y bride and rul e with m e.”

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

2. Wh at does Fl ora’s treatm ent of the fish tel l us about he r as a

4. How does the au thor l et us know the F airy Tree is so speci al ?

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

2. Wh at does Fl ora’s treatm ent of the fish tel l us about her as a

The word bas in m eans bowl .

4. How does the au thor l et us know the F airy Tree is so speci al ?

The au thor l et us know how special the Fairy Tree is by describing it :

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

Read the short story. Then answer each question.

The Princess Who Never Smiled

“Yes, Father. I am very happy,” the princess replied.

After years and years of watching his beautiful

Young men came from all over Rus sia.

A troupe of actors performed a skit dressed as donkeys. The princess did

A comedian told jokes dressed as a giant chicken. The princess didn’t

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

Still, the princess did not smile.

In a nearby v illage, a young man named Jack

At the end of the year, the farmer called Jack into

Jack thought f or a few moments, then he took a single coin. He was an

Meanwhile, more and more people came to the palace. A zookeeper

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com

“Ah!” Jack cried.

The two coins from the prev ious years floated to

“Please, sir. Give me a coin, and I will help you.”

“Please, sir. Give me a coin, and I will help you.”

Reading and Math for K-5 © www.k5learning.com