99 items in this section. Displaying page 4 of 10
Dream Palace
Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a multi-faceted personality. Stories about Tenali Rama and his practical jokes on everyone around him, including distinguished fellow poets and the emperor himself, abound in south India. His fame spread beyond Vijaynagar (present-day Andhra Pradesh), to areas that are in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka today. Tenali Rama was also a great scholar of several languages that included Marathi, Tamil and Kannada....
The Lion Cub
The mama animals and birds of the jungle were having an argument of sorts. Actually, it was a game of showmanship, regarding their little ones. They were trying to find out which one of them had the largest litter. “I do,” said Mama Deer, and proudly displayed her brood of four sweet little deer. “No, no…look at mine. See how sharp their teeth are!” exclaimed Mama Jackal whose six cubs bared their fangs. All the animals who had assembled backed off a little, but Mama Jackal assured everyone they were only grinning....
The Doctor who did not Cure
An old woman had lost her eyesight completely. So she went to a doctor to help her see again and made a bargain with him in the presence of a few witnesses. The bargain was that: if he could cure her, he would be paid handsomely. But if he couldn’t, she would not be obliged to pay him anything. The doctor had a special ointment. When it was applied in the eyes for a certain period of time, it restored the eyesight of anyone who was sightless....
Silence is Golden
Once upon a time, a Chinese student once went to his teacher. He asked his teacher a question: “Sir, is there any good in talking a lot?” The teacher replied: “Toads and frogs croak night and day, but no one pays any attention to them. But the cock crows at a certain time of night and wakes up everyone.” Silence is Golden [Illustration by Sudheer Nath] The teacher smiled at his student and said, “This proves that no good is achieved by talking a lot....
Stripes Tiger and the Boy
“Once upon a time… Stories start like that don’t they? Our story, too, starts like that as my grandma didn’t know when it happened." Once upon a time, there lived a boy called Rahul in a village. One day, he was walking down a path when he came upon a large tiger trapped in a wooden cage. The villagers had caught him for stealing lambs. “Hey mister!” cried the tiger as soon as he saw Rahul, “I am so thirsty....
The Lion's Share
One day an ass and a fox entered into an agreement with the lion that they would assist each other while hunting for food. They felt that their combined efforts would ensure that none of them would have to starve. Of course, both the ass and the fox were a little nervous about accompanying the lion in the hunt. But the thought of the game they would acquire with his help, made them salivate. They put the nervousness down to nerves....
River Talk
The rivers were a disgruntled lot. They had started out as tiny clear streams high up in the mountains and meandered through valleys and plateaus and plains. Their waters had swollen up during monsoons and had then reduced to a trickle during summer. But on the whole, they had flourished. And now, at the end of their journey, they had to merge with the sea. They would lose their precious freedom forever. River Talk [Illustration by Shinod AP] And yet, they couldn’t stop themselves from flowing, could they?...
Tenali Rama the Messenger
Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a multi-faceted personality. Stories, about Tenali Rama and his practical jokes on everyone around him, including distinguished fellow poets and the emperor himself, abound in south India. His fame spread beyond Vijaynagar (present-day Andhra Pradesh), to areas that come in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka today. Tenali Rama was also a great scholar of several languages that included Marathi, Tamil and Kannada....
The Eagle and the Arrow
Eagle was a strange creature. He got his fun out of teasing and frightening the little birds. Even when he was not hungry, he would soar through the sky and swoop down on some unsuspecting birds and pretend to prey on them. The poor little birds would cower with fear and try to fly away. Eagle would then burst into an ear-piercing laugh and flap his wings disdainfully. “I am the King of the sky! How scared you all are of me,” he would exclaim....
The Elephant's Nose
There was a time, when the elephant’s nose was no bigger than a boot that he could wriggle from side to side. But an elephant’s child changed all that. He was a curious fellow who asked ever so many questions. He asked the ostrich why her tail feathers grew just so. He asked the giraffe what made his skin spotty. He asked the hippo why his eyes were red, and the baboon why melons tasted as they did....