India
Explore stories associated with Indian traditions, including the Panchatantra, Jataka narratives and regional collections. A tale’s setting, the place where a version was recorded and the history of its publication are different kinds of evidence. Read the source note for the connection supported on each page.
219 stories are in this region right now.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Magic Shoes and Staff
Putraka, a generous young king whose own father plots his murder, tricks two brothers out of flying shoes, a wishing staff and a magic bowl.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 6-8
The Monkey with the Tom-tom
A crafty monkey loses the tip of his tail, then swaps and tricks his way from a razor to firewood to puddings and finally to a drum he loves to beat.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Mother and the Daughter Who Worshipped the Sun
Sent from home after giving half her mother’s cake to a hungry priest, a poor girl marries a prince and begs the Sun to help when her secret comes out.
Jataka Tales
The Pigeon and the Crow
A crow befriends a pigeon to reach the kitchen's fish, then fakes illness to stay behind. His theft leads to a cruel punishment and death while the pigeon leaves.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Poisoned Food
A young pilgrim shares rice with a starving elder; serpent venom from a kite’s meal kills the old man, and villagers blame the helper.
Indian Folk Tales
The Jogi’s Punishment
A holy man who is not as holy as he seems convinces a king that his own daughter is an evil spirit, but a floating chest brings a surprising rescue.
Indian Folk Tales
The King of Crocodiles
Crocodiles ruin a farmer's wheat until he promises his daughter; underwater she finds a gold-clad king, and her parents later join them.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Fish Prince
A prince transformed into a fish is cared for by a queen. Maya, brought as his bride after her father accepts payment, receives a cobra's help to end the spell.
Indian Folk Tales
The King Who Was Fried
King Karan is fried daily by a faqir for charity gold; after caging praise-singing swans he learns Bikramajit is more generous.
Indian Folk Tales
The Five Wise Words of the Guru
Ram Singh leaves a scolding stepmother with five guru rules; obeying them through court dangers proves his honesty to the rajah.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Foolish Weaver
A new shepherd misapplies instructions with serious consequences; later, seven travelling weavers share a counting mistake because each leaves himself out.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Gardener’s Cunning Wife
A gardener steals the goddess’s mangoes and fish, his greedy wife eats every bite, and then she pretends to be possessed by Kali to escape his anger.