Easy Stories in English

Ariel Goodbody, Polyglot English Teacher & Glassbox Media
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Jan 26, 2026 • 18min

How the Moon Became Beautiful (Beginner)

Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! The moon is beautiful, but it wasn't always that way. True love was needed, as well as breaking a mother's heart... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Moon for the full transcript. Level: Beginner. Genre: Myths & Legends. Vocabulary: Astronomy, Poem, Pick (flower), Sharp, Gentle, Ridiculous. Setting: China. Word Count: 843. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 01:11 Vocabulary 04:53 How the Moon Became Beautiful 12:58 Transcription problems 16:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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21 snips
Jan 12, 2026 • 1h 8min

Christmas in Japan (Conversation)

Discover the unique quirks of Christmas in Japan, where humiliation and strange food await! Ariel shares tales from bustling Osaka to serene Fukuoka, including humorous travel mishaps, encounters with local customs, and a delightful first onsen experience. Enjoy the contrast between Christmas traditions and the lively atmosphere of Japanese nightlife. Tune in for insights on cultural differences, epic karaoke sessions, and a memorable chazuke meal that will leave you craving more!
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Dec 30, 2025 • 36min

Hansel and Gretel (Pre-Intermediate)

Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! What if the witch in Hansel and Gretel was Chinese? Well, then things would be very different. In this twisted version of the classic fairy tale, the two young children run away from the house of sweets and end up somewhere far more exotic... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Hansel for the full transcript. Level: Pre-intermediate. Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Woodcutter, Sweet tooth, Twig, Abandon, Breadcrumbs, Quitter, Betrayal, Witch, Belly, Prison bars. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 2357. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 10:55 Hansel and Gretel 29:52 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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10 snips
Dec 15, 2025 • 38min

It's My Podcast and I'll Ramble If I Want To (Conversation)

Join a whimsical discussion about the nuances of holiday cheer in China, where Christmas feels muted. Discover the curious experience of trying bone marrow and pondering ancient eating habits. The conversation shifts to personal style transformations with a flair for old-world British fashion. Ariel shares travel plans to Japan, highlighting unique pronunciations of place names. Dive into the frustrations of video production and the desire for creative freedom, plus engaging thoughts on AI art and the importance of diverse challenges in language learning.
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Dec 1, 2025 • 22min

The Three Goats (Rerun)

Three clever goats embark on a daring journey across a bridge to find new grass. They encounter a menacing troll eager to eat them. With quick thinking, the middle goat distracts the troll, allowing the eldest to confront him directly. In a surprising twist, the eldest goat uses her strength to defeat the troll, sending him tumbling into the river. This delightful fairy tale features themes of bravery, teamwork, and cleverness, making it a perfect imaginative adventure for young listeners.
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Nov 17, 2025 • 44min

Hangzhou and the Joy of Cycling (Conversation)

Discover the beauty of Hangzhou, from its stunning West Lake to the vibrant atmosphere of local temples. Hear about a transformative cycling journey after an 18-year hiatus, and the liberating joy it brings. Ariel shares hilarious mishaps, like a moped crash while cycling, and the quirky experiences of navigating life in China, including unique cafes and delightful noodles. Plus, find out about her language learning triumphs and the fascinating little conveniences of living abroad!
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Oct 30, 2025 • 22min

The Demon Cats (Beginner)

Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Would you go fishing on Halloween night? That's when demons walk the Earth, and nobody is truly safe... But Murdo McTaggart doesn't believe in superstitions like that, and he heads out to catch fish while the other villagers go to church. He'll come to regret that mistake as the Devil - Auld Clootie himself - comes to him in the form of 13 tone-deaf cats. Have a spooky time with today's Scottish folk tale! Apologies for the changes to the usual schedule - I'm recovering from an appendicectomy (having my appendix removed) so I've had to move things around a bit. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/DemonCats⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Beginner Genre: Horror. Vocabulary: Demon, Fisherman, Superstition, Fur, Disappear, Bone, Stab, Scratch, Bite, Priest, Holy water. Setting: Scotland. Word Count: 1423. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 00:00 Intro 01:09 Pumpkin Day? 02:28 Vocabulary descriptions 02:32 Demon 03:12 Fisherman 03:30 Superstition 04:10 Fur 04:24 Disappear 04:47 Bone 05:09 Stab 05:35 Scratch and bite 06:01 Priest 06:16 Holy water 06:52 The Demon Cats 08:02 Murdo ignores the warnings 09:14 Something dark is coming... 10:13 The cats sing a cumha 11:48 The first gift 12:32 Another 'song' 13:20 Another offering 13:54 More singing?! 14:57 A clever trick 16:11 A fight to the death? 17:07 A cry for help 18:01 Just in time! 19:32 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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4 snips
Oct 13, 2025 • 30min

Doggo and Kitty Bake a Cake (Pre-Intermediate)

Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! It's Kitty's birthday! And how better to celebrate than by baking a cake? Just one problem: how do you do it? Well, if you add five delicious things, it will be five times as delicious, and if you add a hundred delicious things... Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/CakeL2 for the full transcript. Level: Pre-Intermediate. Genre: Children's. Vocabulary: Sandpit, Nuts, Eggshell, Divine, Pretend, Wag, Naughty, Stomach rumbles, Mud. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 1947. Author: Ariel Goodbody. 0:00 Intro 0:52 You can see me! 2:31 Relevelling 6:26 Vocabulary 11:03 Doggo and Kitty Bake a Cake 26:10 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Oct 6, 2025 • 36min

How Slow Can I Go? (Conversation)

Get episodes without adverts + bonus episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Listen to me articulate and enunciate every word as I discuss unusual beverages, insane apps, doing Pilates in Chinese, and how I'm feeding you all worms. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Slow⁠ for the full transcript. Vocabulary: Latte, Beetroot, Pistachio, Red envelope, Massage, Pilates, Monologue, Worm, Nest 0:00 Intro 01:41 How slow can I go? 05:33 A mysterious drink 08:10 Crazy Chinese apps 13:00 Inappropriate videos 17:20 Pilates à la Chinoise 19:15 Levelling up abroad 20:59 Autumn, anyone? 22:00 Where to find my funky food pics 24:20 My upcoming travels 27:08 Let's speed things up a bit 32:23 Mother has arrived 33:19 Outro Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Sep 29, 2025 • 51min

The Juniper Tree (Advanced)

Get episodes without adverts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Your support is appreciated! Skin as white as snow and eyes as red as blood. Some would call it beautiful, but to Nicholas's parents, he is a demon child. But when Nicholas discovers that his 'mother' is not his real mother, his whole world starts to change. Today's story has themes of child abuse, cannibalism and violence. It is not appropriate for children. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠EasyStoriesInEnglish.com/Juniper⁠⁠ for the full transcript. Level: Advanced. Genre: Horror Vocabulary: Juniper berry, Torment, Console, Demon, Witch, Chest (box), Padlock, Millstone. Setting: Fairytale. Word Count: 4623. Author: Ariel Goodbody. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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