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
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.
Indian Folk Tales
The Goldsmith’s Fortune
After his wife's murder, a goldsmith extorts a stranger and deceives a greedy village with claims about selling bodies and finding cattle underwater. His wealth ends in isolation.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Good Husband and the Bad Wife
A kind Brahmin invites a guest to dinner, but his bad-tempered wife tells a wild lie about a wooden pestle, and the poor visitor runs for his life.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Grain of Corn
A crow drops a stolen grain into a crack in a tree and must return it to an angry farmer's wife, so he begs a woodman, a king, a queen and others for help.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Hermit’s Daughter
A hermit’s daughter who talks with forest animals marries a king, until a jealous lady and a scheming barber convince him she is a poisoning witch.
Indian Folk Tales
The Ivory City and Its Fairy Princess
An exiled prince and his devoted friend reach Gulizar's Ivory City through secret signs and dangerous escapes, but poisoning and a fabricated accusation complicate their royal happy ending.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 6-8
The Jackal and the Crocodile
A sweet-talking jackal tricks Miss Crocodile into ferrying him across a stream to a plum tree, and she spends the rest of the tale trying to pay him back.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 6-8
Sun, Moon, and Wind Go Out to Dinner
Sun and Wind feast without saving food for their mother Star, but Moon hides a share; gifts explain heat, gale, and soft moonlight.
Indian Folk Tales
Ages 9-12
The Close Alliance
A farmer's wife tricks a tiger to save the household's animals, then turns its suspicion against the jackal who persuades it to return with their tails tied.