India
Folk tales from the diverse traditions of India.
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 9-12
Frogs That Rode a Snake
The framing tale of pride and slow-motion ruin from Book III of the Panchatantra — an old cobra named Mandavishya pretends weakness, and the proud frog king Gangadatta rides him to the doom of his entire kingdom. A two-thousand-year-old story about flattery, deception, and the most dangerous kind of enemy: the one who appears to surrender first.
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
The Cunning Mediator
The Cunning Mediator: Beware of a rascal who pretends to be holy.” Two partridges (quail-like birds) lived in a certain tree in the jungle. While one of them
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
Of Crows and Owls
Of Crows and Owls: Keep your counsel to yourself and thus stay away from trouble.” Once upon a time, all the birds the swans, cranes, parrots, cuckoos, owls
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 9-12
The Dove and the Hunter
The Dove and the Hunter: Self-sacrifice is the highest stage of sacrifice.” There was a mean hunter, who used to roam in the jungle in search of birds and
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 9-12
The Cunning Hare and the Witless Lion
The Cunning Hare and the Witless Lion: Deceive the wicked and destroy them without mercy.” There was once a powerful lion called Bhasuraka who ruled the jungle.
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 3-5
The Turtle that fell off the Stick
The Turtle that fell off the Stick: Never fail to listen to the advice of your friends.” There lived a turtle called Kambugriva in a lake, who had two swans as
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
The Elephant and the Sparrow
The Elephant and the Sparrow: Even the low and humble achieve results when they work together.” A couple of sparrows lived happily in their nest on top of a
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
Meeting a New Friend
Meeting a New Friend: Hiranyaka, the mouse, and Laghupatanaka, the crow, became great friends. One day, the crow came calling on the mouse with eyes full of
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 9-12
The Fall and Rise of a Merchant
The Fall and Rise of a Merchant: One should treat one and all, even the lowest, with respect.” In a city called Vardhamana, lived a very efficient and
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
Shandili and Sesame Seeds
Shandili's endless greed for sesame seeds transforms a magical gift into the agent of her doom.
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 3-5
The Fighting Goats and the Jackal
The Fighting Goats and the Jackal: One day while a sage was going through a jungle, he saw two golden rams (billy goats) fighting each other. Even though both
Panchatantra Stories
Ages 6-8
Shandili and the Sesame Seeds
A Panchatantra tale about a poor Brahmin's wife Shandili, a suspicious trader, and why something too good to be true usually isn't. A classic lesson in caution.