Retold from the Panchatantram by Rohini Chowdhury Once, three fishes lived in a pond.

One evening, some fishermen passed by the pond and saw the fishes. 'This pond is full of fish', they told each other excitedly. 'We have never fished here before. We must come back tomorrow morning with our nets and catch these fish!' So saying, the fishermen left. When the eldest of the three fishes heard this, he was troubled. He called the other fishes together and said, 'Did you hear what the fishermen said? We must leave this pond at once. The fishermen will return tomorrow and kill us all!'

The second of the three fishes agreed. 'You are right', he said. 'We must leave the pond.'

But the youngest fish laughed. 'You are worrying without reason', he said.

'We have lived in this pond all our lives, and no fisherman has ever come here. Why should these men return? I am not going anywhere my luck will keep me safe.' The eldest of the fishes left the pond that very evening with his entire family. The second fish saw the fishermen coming in the distance early next morning and left the pond at once with all his family. The third fish refused to leave even then. The fishermen arrived and caught all the fish left in the pond. The third fish's luck did not help him - he too was caught and killed. The fish who saw trouble ahead and acted before it arrived as well as the fish who acted as soon as it came both survived. But the fish who relied only on luck and did nothing at all died. So also in life.

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Retold from the Panchatantram by Rohini Chowdhury Once there lived a monkey in a jamun tree by a river. The monkey was alone he had no friends, no family, but he was happy and content. The jamun tree gave him plenty of sweet fruit to eat, and shade from the sun and shelter from the rain. One day a crocodile came swimming up the river and climbed on to the bank to rest under the monkey's tree. 'Hello', called the monkey, who was a friendly animal. 'Hello', replied the crocodile, surprised. 'Do you know where I can get some food?' he asked. 'I haven't had anything to eat all day - there just don't seem to be any fish left in the river.' 'Well,' said the monkey, 'I don't eat fish so I wouldn't know - but I do have plenty of ripe purple jamuns in my tree. Would you like to try some?' He threw some down to the crocodile. The crocodile was so hungry that he ate up all the jamuns even though crocodiles don't eat fruit. He loved the sweet tangy fruit and shyly asked whether he could have some more. 'Of course', replied the monkey generously, throwing down more fruit. 'Come back whenever you feel like more

fruit', he added when the crocodile had eaten his fill.

After that the crocodile would visit the monkey every day. The two animals soon became friends - they would talk and tell each other stories, and eat as much of the sweet jamuns as they wanted. The monkey would throw down all the fruit the crocodile wanted from his tree. One day the crocodile began talking about his wife and family. 'Why didn't you tell me earlier that you had a wife?' asked the monkey. 'Please take some of the jamuns for her as well when you go back today.' The crocodile thanked him and took some of the fruit for his wife. The crocodile's wife loved the jamuns. She had never eaten anything so sweet before. 'Imagine', she said, 'how sweet would be the creature who eats these jamuns every day. The monkey has eaten these every day of his life - his flesh would be even sweeter than the fruit.' She asked her husband to invite the monkey for a meal - 'and then we can eat him up' she said happily. The Monkey and the Crocodile cont'd... 1 2

The crocodile was appalled - how could he eat his friend? He tried to explain to his wife that he could not possibly eat the monkey. 'He is my only true friend', he said. But she would not listen she must eat the monkey. 'Since when do crocodiles eat fruit and spare animals?' she asked. When the crocodile would not agree to eat the monkey, she pretended to fall very sick. 'Only a monkey's heart can cure me', she wailed to her husband. 'If you love me you will get your friend the monkey and let me eat his heart.' The poor crocodile did not know what to do - he did not want to eat his friend, but he could not let his wife die. At last he decided to bring the monkey to his wife. 'O dear friend', he called as soon as reached the jamun tree. ' My wife insists that you come to us for a meal. She is grateful for all the fruit that you have sent her, and asks that I bring you home with me.' The monkey was flattered, but said he could not possibly go because he did not know how to swim. 'Don't worry about that', said the crocodile. 'I'll carry you on my back.' The monkey agreed and jumped onto the crocodile's back. The crocodile swam with him out into the deep wide river. When they were far away from the bank and the jamun tree, he said, 'My wife is very ill. The only thing that will cure her is a monkey's heart. So, dear friend, this will be the end of you and of our friendship.' The monkey was horrified. What could he do to save himself? He thought quickly and said 'Dear friend, I am very sorry to hear of your wife's illness and I am glad that I will be able to help her. But I have left my heart behind on the jamun tree. Do you think we could go back so that I can fetch it for your wife?' The crocodile believed the monkey. He turned and swam quickly to the jamun tree. The monkey leaped off his back and into the safety of his tree. 'False and foolish friend,' he called. 'Don't you know that we carry our hearts within us? I will never trust you again or ever give you fruit from my tree. Go away and don't come back again.' The crocodile felt really foolish - he had lost a friend and a supply of good sweet fruit. The monkey had saved himself because he had thought quickly. He realised that a monkey and a crocodile could never be true friends - crocodiles preferred to eat monkeys rather than be friends with them. The Monkey and the Crocodile 1 2

Retold from the Panchatantram by Rohini Chowdhury

Writers of fables

Once, in a certain lake, there lived a turtle and a pair of swans. The turtle and the swans were friends. They would spend all their free time together telling each other stories, and exchanging news and gossip. The turtle especially loved to talk and chatter, and always had something to say. One year, the rains did not come, and the lake began to dry up. The swans became worried. Supposing it did not rain at all, and the lake dried up completely? Where would they live in that case? But the turtle had a plan. She suggested that the swans fly in search of a lake that still had plenty of water. Once they found such a lake, all three of them could move there. The swans agreed and flew off. After flying for several hours they the perfect lake. They returned to the turtle with the good news. But now another problem arose: the new lake was

too far for the turtle to walk. How was the turtle to get there? The swans did not want to leave their friend behind. The turtle thought for a while and came up with another plan. She asked the swans to find a strong stick that they could hold in their beaks. The turtle would then hang on to the stick with her mouth, and the swans could fly with her to the new lake. The swans liked the idea, though they were worried that the turtle might begin talking and fall off the stick. 'You must be careful not to open your mouth while we are flying with you,' they warned her. 'Do you think you will be able to be quiet for such a long time?' 'Of course,' said the turtle. 'I will be careful - I know when to stop talking.' The Talkative Turtle cont'd... 1 2

So the swans did as she asked. They found a strong stick and each swan held one end of it in its beak. The turtle held on to the middle with her mouth, and away they flew, all three of them.

It was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to the turtle. She was amazed at the way the world looked so far above the ground. She was longing to say something, but remembered in time to keep quiet.

At last they reached the lake the swans had found. It was a beautiful lake, large and blue, with plenty of water. 'Oh look!' the turtle began in excitement, remembering much too late to keep quiet. The stick slipped from her mouth and down she fell from the sky onto the rocks below. The swans were sad to see the end of their friend - the turtle did not live to enjoy the lake, only because she did not know when to stop talking.

Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury Once there lived an ant and a grasshopper in a grassy meadow. All day long the ant would work hard, collecting grains of wheat from the farmer's field far away. She would hurry to the field every morning, as soon as it was light enough to see by, and toil back with a heavy grain of wheat balanced on her head. She would put the grain of wheat carefully away in her larder, and then hurry back to the field for another one. All day long she would work,

More... From the Panchatantram: The Three Fishes The Indigo Jackal The Monkey and the Crocodile The Talkative Turtle

From Aesop: The Ant and the

Grasshopper The Lion and the Mouse The Ass and the Lapdog The Cat and the Fox The Lion with Bad Breath

without stop or rest, scurrying back and forth from the field, collecting the grains of wheat and storing them carefully in her larder. The grasshopper would look at her and laugh. 'Why do you work so hard, dear ant?' he would say. 'Come, rest awhile, listen to my song. Summer is here, the days are long and bright. Why waste the sunshine in labour and toil?' The ant would ignore him, and head bent, would just hurry to the field a little faster. This would make the grasshopper laugh even louder. 'What a silly little ant you are!' he would call after her. 'Come, come and dance with me! Forget about work! Enjoy the summer! Live a little!' And the grasshopper would hop away across the meadow, singing and dancing merrily. Summer faded into autumn, and autumn turned into winter. The sun was hardly seen, and the days were short and grey, the nights long and dark. It became freezing cold, and snow began to fall. The grasshopper didn't feel like singing any more. He was cold and hungry. He had nowhere to shelter from the snow, and nothing to eat. The meadow and the farmer's field were covered in snow, and there was no food to be had. 'Oh what

From Uncle Remus: How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar Baby

Find out more: The Panchatantram Aesop Phaedrus Writers of fables

shall I do? Where shall I go?' wailed the grasshopper. Suddenly he remembered the ant. 'Ah - I shall go to the ant and ask her for food and shelter!' declared the grasshopper, perking up. So off he went to the ant's house and knocked at her door. 'Hello ant!' he cried cheerfully. 'Here I am, to sing for you, as I warm myself by your fire, while you get me some food from that larder of yours!' The ant looked at the grasshopper and said, 'All summer long I worked hard while you made fun of me, and sang and danced. You should have thought of winter then! Find somewhere else to sing, grasshopper! There is no warmth or food for you here!' And the ant shut the door in the grasshopper's face. It is wise to worry about tomorrow today.

Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury

More... From the Panchatantram: The Three Fishes The Indigo Jackal The Monkey and the Crocodile The Talkative Turtle Once, as a lion lay sleeping in his den, a naughty little mouse ran up his tail, and onto his back and up his mane and danced and jumped on his head ... ...so that the lion woke up. The lion grabb ed the mous e and, holdi ng him in his large claws, roared in anger. 'How dare you wake me up! Don't you know that I am King of the Beasts? Anyone who disturbs my rest deserves to die! I shall kill you and eat you!' The terrified mouse, shaking and trembling, begged the lion to let him go. 'Please don't eat me Your Majesty! I did not mean to wake you, it was a mistake. I was only playing. Please let me go - and I promise I will be your friend forever. Who knows but one day I could save your life?' The lion looked at the tiny mouse and laughed. 'You save my life? What an absurd idea!' he said scornfully. 'But you have made me laugh,

From Aesop: The Ant and the Grasshopper The Lion and the Mouse The Ass and the Lapdog The Cat and the Fox The Lion with Bad Breath

From Uncle Remus: How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar Baby

Find out more: The Panchatantram Aesop Phaedrus Writers of fables

and put me into a good mood again, so I shall let you go.' And the lion opened his claws and let the mouse go free. 'Oh thank you, your majesty,' squeaked the mouse, and scurried away as fast as he could. The Lion and the Mouse cont'd... 1 2

A few days later the lion was caught in a hunter's snare. Struggle as he might, he couldn't break free and became even more entangled in the net of ropes. He let out a roar of anger that shook the forest. Every animal heard it, including the tiny mouse.

'My friend the lion is in trouble,' cried the mouse. He ran as fast as he could in the direction of the lion's roar, and soon found the lion trapped in the hunter's snare. 'Hold still, Your Majesty,' squeaked the mouse. 'I'll have you out of there in a jiffy!' And without further delay, the mouse began nibbling through the ropes with his sharp little teeth. Very soon the lion was free. 'I did not believe that you could be of use to me, little mouse, but today you saved my life,' said the lion humbly. 'It was my turn to help you, Sire,' answered the mouse. Even the weak and small may be of help to those much mightier than themselves.

Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury

More... From the Panchatantram: The Three Fishes The Indigo Jackal The Monkey and the Crocodile The Talkative Turtle

From Aesop: The Ant and the Grasshopper The Lion and the Mouse The Ass and the Lapdog The Cat and the Fox The Lion with Bad Breath

Once a farmer owned an ass and a lapdog. The ass worked hard all day, hauling heavy loads. But he was well looked after, and had a warm, comfortable stable, with plenty of fresh hay to eat and water to drink. The lapdog stayed with his master all day, and lived in the house with him. He did no work, but was made much of, and even allowed to sit on the master's lap. The ass saw the lapdog leading a life of leisure, being petted by the master, and being given choice tidbits of food from the master's own plate, and the ass grew jealous of the lapdog. 'I wish the master would love me as much, and give me as much attention as he does the lapdog,' sighed the ass. 'I work hard all day, much harder than that lapdog who does nothing at all except wag his tail and fawn on the master, and yet it seems the master cares more for the dog than for me. Perhaps if I too behave like the dog, and wag my tail and jump on the master, the master will start loving me as much as he does the dog.' The ass decided to wait for his chance. One day, when he was left unattended while

From Uncle Remus: How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar Baby

Find out more: The Panchatantram Aesop Phaedrus Writers of fables

the farmer and all the farmhands were at their midday meal, the ass broke his halter and ran into the farmhouse kitchen. There the farmer sat at table. The ass rushed up to him and began wagging his tail vigorously, and knocked off all the china from the table. He then started jumping around and frolicking like a little dog, and finally plonked himself down on the farmer's lap. The shocked farmer yelled for help. The farmhands came running in and dragged the ass off to his stable, and gave him a beating he did not forget the rest of his life. It is best to be contented with one's lot.

Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury More... From the Panchatantram: The Three Fishes The Indigo Jackal The Monkey and the Crocodile The Talkative Turtle One day a cat and a fox were having a conversation. The fox, who was a conceited creature, boasted how clever she was. 'Why, I know at least a hundred tricks to get away from our mutual enemies, the dogs,' she said. 'I know only one trick to get away from dogs,' said the cat. 'You should teach me some of yours!' 'Well, maybe some day, when I have the time, I may teach you a few of the simpler ones,' replied the fox airily. Just then they heard the barking of a pack of dogs in the distance. The barking grew louder and louder - the dogs were coming in their direction! At once the cat ran to the nearest tree and climbed into its branches, well out of reach of any dog. 'This is the trick I told you about, the only one I know,' she called down to the fox. 'Which one of your hundred tricks are you going to use?'

From Aesop: The Ant and the Grasshopper The Lion and the Mouse The Ass and the Lapdog The Cat and the Fox The Lion with Bad

Breath From Uncle Remus: How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar Baby

The fox sat silently under the tree, wondering which trick she should use. Before she could make up her mind, the dogs arrived. They fell upon the fox and tore her to pieces. A single plan that works is better than a hundred doubtful plans.

Find out more: The Panchatantram Aesop Phaedrus Writers of fables

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Retold from Aesop by Rohini Chowdhury The Lion was in a bad mood. That morning his wife, the Lioness, had told him that his breath smelled, and that perhaps he needed to do something about it. The Lion had pretended not to care, and had roared loudly and angrily just to show the Lioness who was king.

More... From the Panchatantram: The Three Fishes The Indigo Jackal The Monkey and the

Crocodile The Talkative Turtle

Secretly though, he was worried. So as soon as the Lioness left the den to go about her day's work, the Lion called his three counsellors the Sheep, the Wolf and the Fox.

From Aesop: The Ant and the Grasshopper The Lion and the Mouse The Ass and the Lapdog The Cat and the Fox The Lion with Bad Breath First he called the Sheep. 'Tell me, Sheep,' growled the Lion, 'do you think my breath smells?' The Sheep thought the Lion wanted to know the truth. So she bowed low before the Lion and said, 'Your Majesty, your breath smells terrible. In fact, it smells so bad that it is making me feel quite ill.' This was not what the Lion had wanted to hear. Roaring angrily, and calling the Sheep a fool, he pounced on her and bit her head off. Then he called the Wolf. 'Tell me, Wolf,' growled the Lion sharpening his claws, 'do you think my breath smells?' Find out more: The Panchatantram Aesop Phaedrus Writers of fables The Wolf had seen the dead Sheep on the way, and he had no plans to end up the same way. He bowed low before the Lion and said, 'Your Majesty! How can you ask me that? Your breath smells as sweet as the flowers in spring, as fresh as the...' He could not finish what he was going to say. 'Liar!' roared the Lion, and ripped him to pieces. At last the Lion called the Fox. The Fox came warily; she had seen the dead Sheep and the dead Wolf on

From Uncle Remus: How Brer Rabbit Met Brer Tar Baby

the way. 'Tell me, Fox,' growled the Lion, sharpening his claws and yawning widely so that the Fox could see his long sharp teeth, 'do you think my breath smells?' The Fox coughed and sneezed and blew her nose, and then clearing her throat noisily, said in a hoarse whisper, 'Your Majesty, forgive me. I have such a nasty cold that I cannot smell a thing!'

The Wolf and the Lamb

Wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolfs right to eat him. He thus addressed him: Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me. Indeed, bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, I was not then born. Then said the Wolf, You feed in my pasture. No, good sir, replied the Lamb, I have not yet tasted grass. Again said the Wolf, You drink of my well. No, exclaimed the Lamb, I never yet drank water, for as yet my mothers milk is both food and drink to me. Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, Well! I wont remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations. The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny. - Aesop.

The Tortoise and the Hare

The hare was once boasting of his speed before the other animals. I have never yet been beaten, said he, when I put forth my full speed. I challenge anyone here to race with me.

The tortoise said quietly, I accept your challenge. That is a good joke, said the hare. I could dance around you all the way. Keep your boasting until youve beaten, answered the tortoise. Shall we race? So a course was fixed and a start was made. The hare darted almost out of sight at once, but soon stopped and, to show his contempt for the tortoise, lay down to have a nap. The tortoise plodded on and plodded on, and when the hare awoke from his nap, he saw the tortoise nearing the finish line, and he could not catch up in time to save the race. Plodding wins the race.

Once, three fishes lived in a pond. One evening, some fishermen passed by the pond and saw the fishes. 'This pond is full of fish', they told each other excitedly. 'We have never fished here before. We must come back tomorrow morning with our nets and catch these fish!' So saying, the fishermen left. When the eldest of the three fishes heard this, he was troubled. He called the other fishes together and said, 'Did you hear what the fishermen said? We must leave this pond at once. The fishermen will return tomorrow and kill us all!'

The second of the three fishes agreed. 'You are right', he said. 'We must leave the pond.'

But the youngest fish laughed. 'You are worrying without reason', he said. 'We have lived in this pond all our lives, and no fisherman has ever come here. Why should these men return? I am not going anywhere - my luck will keep me safe.'

The eldest of the fishes left the pond that very evening with his entire family. The second fish saw the fishermen coming in the distance early next morning and left the pond at once with all his family. The third fish refused to leave even then. The fishermen arrived and caught all the fish left in the pond. The third fish's luck did not help him - he too was caught and killed. The fish who saw trouble ahead and acted before it arrived as well as the fish who acted as soon as it came both survived. But the fish who relied only on luck and did nothing at all died. So also in life.