Raja Vikramaditya and the Five Lessons
Four travellers crossing a wide plain met a storyteller who offered them five lessons: “Money is useful on a journey. A true friend helps…
The Akhun's Son and the Impossible Rubies
An elderly Akhun, a respected religious teacher, once asked his four sons what work they hoped to do. Three chose familiar duties in the…
The Farmer's Wife and the Honey-Bee
In a Kashmir village, a farmer's wife worked from the first thaw of spring until the last golden days of autumn. She prepared the soil…
The Goldsmith's Clever Wife
In a busy city lived a goldsmith whose work was admired throughout the royal court. His wife delivered his finest ornaments to the palace…
The King Who Learned to Investigate
A king had two sons who loved learning. After their mother died, he married again. The new queen disliked the princes and falsely claimed…
The Merchant's Return and the Forest Spring
A merchant once left his town on a long trading journey. While he was away, a wandering beggar often visited his house. He spoke kindly at…
The Parrot and the Stolen Throne
Long ago, King Bahadur Khan ruled a prosperous land. In the palace garden, he met an old faqir who knew a strange secret: for a little while…
The Reed-Flute's Song
Beside a clear stream in Kashmir grew a tall canebrake. The reeds rose together in sunlight, bent together in rain, and whispered to one…
Yusuf, the Dream, and the Years of Grain
This Kashmiri telling remembers Yusuf as a young man of remarkable integrity and wisdom. In the royal household, Zulaikha tried to persuade…
Four Brothers and the Little Bird
Four brothers lived beside a lake in Kashmir. One was good at planning, one at building, one at remembering paths, and one at noticing small…
The Crow's Petition
One spring morning in Srinagar, the governor sat in the darbar, the hall where people brought questions and requests. Farmers spoke about…
The Jackal Who Wore a Crown
The jackals of the forest gathered beneath a chinar tree. "The lions have a leader," said one. "So do the wolves," said another. "Then we…
The Ruby That Chose Its Box
Four friends had crossed high passes and followed winding rivers on a long journey toward Srinagar. They had shared their bread, carried one…
The Weaver's Unfortunate Words
In Srinagar lived a weaver named Hamid who made cloth of extraordinary beauty. Every year he spent months at his loom, working strands of…