Dhruva and the Pole Star
Part 1: No room on the king's lap King Uttanapada had two queens, Suniti and Suruchi, and two young sons. Suniti's son was Dhruva. Suruchi's…
How the Birds Picked a King
One season, birds from every corner of the forest gathered beneath an ancient fig tree. They felt that their distant king, Garuda, was too…
King Joy and Secretary Splendor
King Joy was admired across his land, and his secretary Splendor was famous for thoughtful advice. Yet both men had one weakness: when…
Loss of Gains: The Monkey and the Crocodile
Beside the sea, a rose-apple tree bent over the shining water. A cheerful monkey named Red-Face lived in that tree. One day a crocodile…
The Bird with Golden Dung
On a mountain tree lived an unusual bird. Whenever its droppings touched the earth, they changed into small golden pebbles. An elderly…
The Brahman’s Goat
Mitra Sharma, a village scholar, was given a strong young goat to care for. As rain began to fall, he lifted it onto his shoulders and…
The Butter-Blinded Brahman
Theodore, a village scholar, noticed that much of the family’s butter and sugar disappeared each week. His spouse said the rich cakes were…
The Cat’s Judgment
A partridge lived in a hollow beneath a tree, beside the nest of his friend, an old crow. One day the partridge flew to distant rice fields…
The Cave That Talked
Rough-Claw the lion wandered all day without finding food. At sunset he discovered a large cave and hid inside, hoping its owner would…
The Gullible Carpenter
A skilled carpenter often noticed that his best tools and special sweet cakes disappeared whenever he worked in another village. His spouse…
The Snake and the Ants
A large black snake named Haughty lived beside an old anthill. He believed every small creature should move aside whenever he passed. One…
The Snake Who Paid Cash
A hardworking farmer often rested beneath a tree beside an anthill. One summer he noticed a hooded snake there and decided to treat the…
The Unsocial Swans
King Gay-Chariot protected a beautiful place called Lotus Lake. Golden swans lived there and offered one fallen tail feather to the palace…
A Remedy Worse Than the Disease
Beside a lotus pond stood an old banyan tree. A family of herons nested high in its branches. They loved the cool shade and the sparkling…
Mother Shandilee's Bargain
During the rainy season, a travelling scholar stayed with a kind Brahmin and his wife, Mother Shandilee. One morning the Brahmin said…
Poor Blossom
In Indra’s bright celestial garden lived a green parrot named Blossom. He was beautiful, clever and loved by everyone in the court. One day…
Self-Defeating Forethought
Deep in a forest, a hunter startled a great wild boar beside a rocky path. The boar charged. The hunter leapt aside, his bow flew from his…
Spot's Captivity
When Spot was a young deer, he loved racing ahead of the herd and waiting proudly for everyone to catch up. The older deer had taught him…
The Foolish Friend
A king loved his pet monkey and trusted him as a constant companion. The monkey was loyal and eager to help, but he often acted before…
The Mice That Ate Iron
Before travelling abroad, a merchant named Naduk left his heavy ancestral balance beam with Merchant Lakshman. When Naduk returned, Lakshman…
The Results of Education
Two young parrot siblings were separated during a storm. One found shelter near a noisy hunters’ camp. The other was cared for at a peaceful…
Akbar and Birbal: The Clever Answer
Long ago, Emperor Akbar's court was known for lively questions and thoughtful discussions. Among his advisers was Birbal, whose calm wit…
The Rope and the Well
In a small village lived a curious boy named Ravi. Every morning, he watched his grandfather lower a bucket into their old stone well and…
Smart the Jackal's Cleverness Trap
Thunder-Fang the lion injured his paw while defending the forest from a wild elephant. Until he healed, his court had little food. With him…
The Elephant and the Sparrow's Team
A little sparrow nested on a strong branch deep in the forest. One blazing afternoon, a tired elephant pushed beneath the tree searching for…
The Lion Who Misjudged the Ram
A ram once wandered away from his flock and found a meadow beside the forest. His fleece was thick, his horns curled like two polished…
The Plover Who Fought the Ocean
Sprawl and Constance, two little plovers, made their nest in a hollow above the line of wet sand. Constance worried that the tide might…
Ugly and the Broken Promise
A merchant once crossed the forest with many camels. One camel, named Ugly because of his uneven knees, grew tired beneath an overloaded…
Little Krishna and the Butter Pot
Long ago, in the green and beautiful village of Vrindavan, there lived a playful little boy named Krishna. He had a bright smile, a loving…
The Blue Jackal
Once, a hungry jackal wandered into a village in search of food. Before he could find anything, several village dogs spotted him and gave…
The Monkey and the Crocodile
There was a monkey who lived in a guava tree beside a river. He often gave guavas to a crocodile that passed underneath the tree. Soon, the…
Hanuman and His Teacher - Sun
When Hanuman grew a little older, a big question filled his heart: "I want to learn! I want to know all the shastras, all the wisdom in the…
The Naughty Little Hanuman
After the gods blessed baby Hanuman with wonderful powers, something funny happened — he became the naughtiest little monkey in the whole…
Little Hanuman and the Mango in the Sky
Long ago, in a forest kingdom, a baby monkey was born to Anjana and the wind god Vayu. His name was Maruti, and he was no ordinary baby — he…
The Race Around the Universe
One day, the sage Narada visited Mount Kailash, the home of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He carried a golden mango and said, "This is no…
Birbal’s Khichadi
Birbal sits beside a fire with a pot of khichadi hanging several feet above the flames as Akbar looks on in surprise Once on a cold winter…
The Crows in The Kingdom
On one fine sunny day, Akbar and Birbal were taking a leisurely walk in the palace gardens. Suddenly, Akbar thought of testing Birbal’s wits…
Magical Hen
One day, a poor man went to a farmer and in exchange for a hen, got himself a sack of rice. The farmer's wife became very angry when she…
Heron and cat
Once upon a time, the cat and heron became friends. One day the cat invited heron to eat at her house. Heron happily reached on time. The…