Can you recommend some good English short stories around 398 words?

Sure. 'The Tortoise and the Hare' is a great one. It teaches us the value of perseverance. The hare is overconfident and takes a nap during the race while the tortoise plods along steadily and wins in the end.

Well, 'The Lottery' by Shirley Jackson is an interesting short story. It takes place in a small village where an annual lottery is held. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that this lottery is not what one would expect. It's a rather dark and thought - provoking story. And 'To Build a Fire' by Jack London is also good. It shows the struggle of a man in the harsh Alaskan wilderness, trying to survive against the extreme cold.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great one. It tells a heartwarming story about a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, which shows the consequences of vanity. And 'A Sound of Thunder' by Ray Bradbury is also excellent, exploring the idea of time travel and its potential impacts.

Sure. One of the great short stories from it could be 'The Gift of the Magi'. It's a story about a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions for each other. It shows deep love and selflessness.

Sure. 'The Moth' is a great one. It features real - life stories told by the people who experienced them. Another is 'Serial', which focuses on in - depth investigations presented in a story - like format. And 'This American Life' also has some wonderful short - story - like segments that are both engaging and thought - provoking.

Sure. 'The Elephant and the Tailor' is a great one. In this story, an elephant goes to a tailor's shop regularly to have its trunk cooled. One day, the tailor pricks the elephant's trunk with a needle out of irritation. The elephant then fills its trunk with muddy water and sprays it all over the tailor's shop, teaching the tailor a lesson about kindness.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great one. It tells the story of a young couple who are very poor but sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's a chilling tale of a man's descent into madness over an old man's 'evil eye'.

Sure. 'The Gift of the Magi' by O. Henry is a great one. It tells a heartwarming story about a young couple who sacrifice their most precious possessions to buy gifts for each other. Another is 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, which shows the consequences of vanity. And 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens, a classic about Ebenezer Scrooge's transformation during Christmas.

There's a short story where an English teacher discovers a student with a hidden talent for writing. The teacher nurtures this talent by providing extra reading materials and personalized feedback. As a result, the student gains confidence and starts to shine in English classes. It shows how a dedicated teacher can have a huge impact on a student's growth in the subject.

Another nice short kids story is 'The Little Red Hen'. The little red hen finds some grains of wheat and asks other animals for help to plant, harvest and make bread. But they all refuse. In the end, the hen does all the work by herself and enjoys the bread alone. It shows kids the value of hard work.