Panchatantra Tales
Panchatantra Talesdesc
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Gaining Friends
This is the second strategy of Panchatantra known as Gaining Friends beginning with this stanza:Even without the where...
The Crow-Rat Discourse
After he saw how Hiranyaka had helped Chitragriva, Lagupatanaka came down from his tree perch and called out the rat in ...
Meeting A New Friend
Hiranyaka, the mouse, and Laghupatanaka, the crow, became great friends. One day, the crow came calling on the mouse wit...
The Hermit And The Mouse
“In the southern city of Mahilaropya,“ said Hiranyaka, “lived a hermit named Tamrachud in a Shiva temple on the outskirt...
Shandili And Sesame Seeds
“Brihat began telling the story. “I sought the hospitality of a Brahmin one day for sacred ceremonies connected with the...
Son Of A Merchant
“Sagargupta was a merchant living in one of the country‘s big cities. He had a son, who, one day purchased a book whose ...
The Unlucky Weaver
Somilaka was a weaver living on the edge of the city. He was an expert at making fine garments worthy of kings and princ...
The Rescue Of A Deer
Mandharaka ended the story of Somilaka telling Hiranyaka and Laghupatanaka that a rich person who does not spend money i...
Of Crows And Owls
This third part of the Panchatantra begins with a verse:Trust not even a close friendWho earlier was your enemy.Thi...
Elephants And Hares
Once upon a time a great elephant called Chaturdanta ruled over a vast stretch of forest as the king of his subjects. Th...
The Cunning Mediator
A sparrow was living in the hollow of a big tree that I had made my home. His name was Kapinjala. We became good friends...
The Brahmin And The Crooks
Mitra Sarma was a Brahmin living in a small village. He used to daily worship Fire. It was the month of Magha (February)...
The Brahmin And The Cobra
Haridatta was a Brahmin living in a hamlet. He was a farmer but the piece of land he cultivated gave him very little to ...
The Old Man, His Young Wife And The Thief
There lived an old widowed merchant in a city in the south.Though old, he did not give up his desire for another wife. T...
The Tale Of Two Snakes
Once upon a time there was a king named Devasakti. He had a son who was very weak and growing weaker by the day. It was ...
The Wedding Of The Mouse
Once upon a time, three sages, who were also brothers, chose a riverbank to do penance. Their names were Ekata, Dwita an...
Tale Of The Golden Droppings
On a big tree in the lap of a mountain lived a bird named Sindhuka. His droppings used to turn into gold as soon as they...
Frogs That Rode A Snake
A black snake named Mandavishya lived in a forest on the Varuna hills. He was becoming old and worried that he would not...
The Croc And The Monkey
Vishnu Sarma begins his fourth Tantra with the following stanza:“He overcomes all problemsWho does not lose his cool...
The Greedy Cobra And The King Of Frogs
A big well was the home of Gangadatta, king of frogs. Unable to bear harassment by his relatives, the king abandoned his...
The Lion And The Foolish Donkey
A lion named Karalakesara was living in a forest, loyally served by Dhoosaraka, a jackal that used to accompany the lion...
The Story Of The Potter
Once upon a time, there lived in a village a potter named Yudhishtira. One day, he drank a lot of liquor and got intoxic...
A Three-In-One Story
Once upon a time, there was a popular king called Nanda. His people respected him for his learning and valour. He had a ...
The Carpenter'S Wife
Once upon a time, a carpenter lived in a village with his wife. He had heard bad stories about her and wanted to know th...
The Price Of Indiscretion
In the city of Nagara, there was a carpenter whose name was Ujjwalaka and who was extremely poor. One day he was pained ...
Strategy Of Jackal
Mahachataraka was a jackal living in a forest. One day, he found the body of an elephant and was happy that it would hav...
Imprudence
The fifth strategy begins with the following verse:“Whoever without judgmentDoes what the foolish barberIn this chap...
The Brahmani And The Mongoose
In a city in the north lived a Brahmin whose name was Deva Sarma. His wife delivered a son at the same time as a she-mon...
The Lion That Sprang To Life
Four friends lived in a city. Three of them were very learned in all sciences but had no common sense. The fourth boy na...
The Tale Of Two Fish And A Frog
Two fish named Sahasrabuddhi and Satabuddhi made a lake their home. They had a frog as a friend whose name was Ekabuddhi...
The Story Of The Weaver
There was a weaver called Mandharaka in a southern city. One day, when he was weaving clothes, the wooden frames necessa...
The Miserly Father
Swabhavakripan was a Brahmin living in a city in the south. He was known for his miserliness. Every day, he would go out...
Tale Of The Bird With Two Heads
A great bird named Bharunda lived on the banks of alake. He had two heads but a single body. One day,as the bird was wan...
Introduction
For more than two and a half millennia, the Panchatantra tales have regaled children and adults alike with a moral at th...
The Loss Of Friends
Once upon a time, Amarasakti ruled the city-state of Mahilaropyam in the south of India. He had three witless sons who b...
The Monkey And The Wedge
A merchant once started building a temple in the middle of his garden. Many masons and carpenters were working for the m...
The Jackal And The Drum
A hungry jackal set out in search of food and ended up at an abandoned battlefield whence he heard loud and strange soun...
The Fall And Rise Of A Merchant
In the city of Vardhaman, there lived a wealthy merchant named Dantila. He held a great reception for his wedding attend...
The Foolish Sage And The Jackal
In a monastery far away from human habitation lived a saint called Deva Sarma. He amassed a lot of wealth by selling clo...
The Crafty Crane And The Craftier Crab
Once upon a time an old crane lived on the rim of a large lake in the middle of a jungle. Because of age, it was not abl...
The Cunning Hare And The Witless Lion
Bhasuraka was a lion lording over the jungle, killing deer, boars, rabbits, bison‘s, etc. Yet he was not happy with his ...
The Bug And The Poor Flea
Once upon a time a bug named Mandavisarpini made for itself a small home in the folds of the milk-white sheets of linen ...
The Story Of The Blue Jackal
Chandaraka was a jackal living in a forest. One day, driven by hunger, he came to a nearby town in search of food. Seein...
The Camel, The Jackal And The Crow
In a far off forest, there lived a lion named Madotkata served by a leopard, a jackal and a crow. One day they sighted K...
The Bird Pair And The Sea
Once upon a time, a pair of pheasants lived close to the Sea. They spent their time happily singing and dancing on the b...
Tale Of The Three Fish
Three fish lived in a pond. Their names were Anagatavidhata, Pratyutpannamati and Yadbhavishya. Some fishermen passing b...
The Elephant And The Sparrow
Two sparrows, husband and wife, built a nest on a banyan tree where the female sparrow laid eggs. One afternoon a wild e...
The Lion And The Jackal
Two sparrows, husband and wife, built a nest on a banyan tree where the female sparrow laid eggs. One afternoon a wild e...
Suchimukha And The Monkey
A gang of monkeys made their home in a mountain slope. When winter came, it brought not only severe cold but also heavy ...
How A Sparrow Came To Grief
A pair of sparrows made their home on a branch of a big tree and lived happily there.Soon it was winter and it began to ...
The Foolish Crane And The Mongoose
A big banyan tree was home to a number of cranes in a forest. In the hollow of that tree lived a cobra, which used to fe...
The King And The Foolish Monkey
Once upon a time, there was a king who kept a monkey as a pet. The monkey served the king in whatever way he could. He h...