Folktale on Pitara Kids Network

The Mighty

Fri, 11 Oct 2002 03:31:44 +0000

At the edge of a forest, stood a big tree. Its branches spread out majestically and so did its roots. It shielded people from the sun under its shady leaves, and provided shelter to countless birds and other small creatures in its branches. It buzzed with activity all the time.

At the foot of the tree grew a little plant. The plant was willowy and delicate, and tended to keel over at the touch of the slightest breeze.

The Shepherd's Mistake

Sun, 12 Oct 2003 01:09:51 +0000

Early every morning, a shepherd took his flock of sheep out in the fields to graze. He would sit by watching – as the sheep lazily munched on fresh grass. After they had eaten, he would round them up and walk back home. Sometimes while watching his flock, he would curl up in a quiet corner and go off to sleep.

One day, the shepherd caught a wolf which had strayed into the field, eyeing his sheep. However, it was some distance away and it made no effort to come nearer. The shepherd at first stood on guard against the wolf, as against an enemy, and kept a strict watch over its movements.

The Girl who Taught the World to Weave

Sat, 09 Sep 2000 04:32:13 +0000

This is a story of the time when humans first walked the earth. And in those days they did not wear clothes, for they did not know how to weave cloth.

One day, the god Matai decided to teach the art of weaving to one person. The god taught a girl called Hambrumai. And what were the designs the girl wove? She sat by the river side and saw the ripples and circles made by water. She wove the ripple pattern on cloth.

The Apple Tree

Sat, 16 Jun 2001 08:24:42 +0000

There was an old apple tree in a farmer’s garden. It was so old that it had stopped bearing fruit a long time ago. The only purpose it served was to provide shelter to the sparrows, grasshoppers and squirrels in the neighbourhood.

One day, the farmer decided to cut the tree down. He felt it had become completely useless. Besides, he wanted to get some furniture made and what better way to ensure the wood supply from the tree? The wood was still strong.

Appearances are Deceptive

Mon, 03 Dec 2001 10:00:41 +0000

One day Bina the ant was scurrying about in search of food. Summer was almost over and autumn was approaching. Soon it would be winter and food would be difficult to find. Bina knew it was necessary to stock as much as possible so that her ant colony could have enough to eat during the difficult months ahead.

She had collected quite a bit already. Now she was on the lookout for bits of sweetmeats that younger members of her colony loved to munch on after their meal. Darting to and fro between trees and shrubs, Bina suddenly smelt the sweet aroma of pastry. She quickly went around the bush and there she saw it – a large bit of pastry with a whole raisin in it!

What's for Dinner!

Sat, 27 Jul 2002 07:13:10 +0000

A little hen lived at the edge of a forest colony. She lived all by herself and did all her work on her own. Early in the morning she hunted around for worms in the forest; in the day she cleaned up the house; then she cooked, ate and spent the rest of her time in peace. In short, hers was a happy life.

Close by lived a middle-aged fox with his old mother. And, as you can imagine, if the fox was a little elderly, mother fox was quite definitely ancient.

Abdullah's Gold

Thu, 29 Nov 2001 06:53:25 +0000

Abdullah was one of the richest men in town, but you could easily mistake him for a beggar. It was his theory that since there were so many people out to rob a rich man, it was safe to pretend to be poor. And so he did.

But he really didn’t have to pretend. Stingy to the core he found it very easy to be poor. So what if people sniggered and children called out, “Kanjoos! Kanjoos!” (miser, miser), whenever he passed by in his worn-out clothes. Abdullah became more and more content with his growing pile of money as the years went by.

A Witch's Gift

Sat, 23 May 2020 00:30:00 +0000

This is a story of long, long ago.

Surya the sun god had a very beautiful daughter. She was tall, with long golden hair that almost touched her toes. And she was gentle as the soft, wispy white clouds that float by on clear blue day.

Though she loved her home in the sky, each morning, as brightness spread across the heavens, she came down earth, to the wonderful green forests that grew there.

She walked among the trees all day. She sang with the birds. She played hide-n-seek with the small creatures and listened to the stories the big beasts had to tell. And when evening came, she returned to her palace far away beyond the twinkling stars.

A Tale of Two Sons

Wed, 19 Dec 2001 11:31:47 +0000

A businessman had two sons. While he showered the younger son with affection and gifts, he neglected the older son shamelessly. It was completely baffling and no one knew why he did it. While the older son could do nothing right, the younger one could do nothing wrong.

When the boys grew up, they were asked to manage the father’s business. But there was a world of difference in the management practices the father expected his boys to follow. The elder son was initiated into the nitty-gritties of the business.

Forgive and Forget?

Sun, 11 Nov 2001 17:39:56 +0000

Amar and Alok , two friends, set up a business venture together. Both invested a lot of money in the business and spent all their time trying to promote it.

For a few years everything seemed to be working out fine. Then Alok wanted to diversify. He persuaded Amar to invest their profits in another venture. Amar wasn’t so sure – what if the venture failed? – but agreed after much persuasion by his friend.

The Wooden God

Fri, 28 Dec 2001 18:20:09 +0000

Bablu hated the ritual of prayer and fast that his family had been observing for as long as he could remember. The entire family had to wake at dawn and have a dip in the village pond, even if it was in the middle of the bitterest winter.

A chilly winter day would find a shivering Bablu trying hard not to think of the million ice-cold needles that would pierce him when he entered the pond to bathe. The very idea of the bath would of course have driven all traces of sleep from his mind. But there was no relief even after that. On his return home, he had to sit and recite shlokas or prayer for an hour without fail. And this, under the eagle eyes of his grandfather!

Whatever Happens, Happens for the Best...

Sat, 14 Mar 1998 14:28:42 +0000

Once upon a time there was an old man called Sthira, who lived alone in a village. He would go about his business alone, even in his old age. He was a nice, friendly man who was liked by all the people in the village. They would often come over to the old man’s house and express their sympathy that his only son had gone so far away to study. They wondered aloud if his son would ever return. To all their concern, Sthira would always thank them and say, “Whatever happens, happens for the good.”

How the Moon was Created

Tue, 16 Oct 2001 13:28:03 +0000

Long long ago when the world was just created there was just the sun but no moon. So there was just day with the sun shining brightly all the time. The sun did not set. So there was no night. People worked until they were too tired to work any more. There was no set time for work or a fixed time for rest.

One day the creator of the world came to visit it. He saw men working in fields.

Qui Jun and the Arrogant Monk

Mon, 12 Nov 2001 06:09:05 +0000

There once lived a monk called Shan, in a village in China. He had earned a great name for himself. But he was very arrogant.

Qui Jun heard of his arrogance and wanted to teach the monk a lesson. He went to meet Shan who neither greeted him nor acknowledged his presence.

Just then a servant of the monk came with a message: “The son of an army officer is here to see you.”

The monk said, “I will go and greet him.”

King of the Birds

Thu, 20 Sep 2001 15:47:19 +0000

The birds of the jungle had no king. It was a real embarrassment for them since everyone else in the jungle had kings.

A king is someone who heads the flock and decides every thing for them. All the birds decided they too needed a king. The called a meeting to resolve the problem.

But who will be the king?

The Mynah had an idea. “Let the bird who can fly the highest be made king of the air,” she said.

The Desert Creature

Tue, 06 Nov 2001 01:12:29 +0000

This happened thousands of years ago. Life was hard as people had to do all the work by themselves. A large number of people were nomads – they would travel from one place to another in search of food and shelter.

While travelling one day, a man arrived at the edge of a desert. He was walking in the sands, when suddenly, he came across a frightening creature – it had extremely long, thin legs, a giant hump and a long neck. It was this neck that he extended towards the man, who, scared out of his wits, ran away from the spot.

The lazy monk — a tale from the Panchatantra

Mon, 07 Jun 1999 05:38:49 +0000

Note: This folktale has been adapted from the Panchatantra story originally titled “The lazy brahmin”.Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit.

Tenali Rama and the Brinjal

Fri, 12 Jan 2001 08:24:43 +0000

Clown, jester, poet…Tenali Rama, minister in the court of the ruler of Vijaynagar, Krishnadeva Rai (reign: 1509-30), was a lot of things. 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 Harpist and the Princess

Thu, 25 Oct 2001 19:11:13 +0000

A Burmese folk tale

Once upon a time in the beautiful city of Mandalay lived a young orphan boy. His name was Thi Hah. He was very poor and often had to go without food.

He had one passion in life, and that was playing the harp. The Burmese harp resembles a long tailed boat with a thick bottom and its end tapers to a fine delicate end very like the sails of a boat.

Tail-cut Fox!

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 10:55:48 +0000

Every morning the fox strutted through the forest pretending to be king of the jungle. He would bully an animal here, chase another there and show a third one his fangs. He was an utter nuisance.

One morning while chasing a hare, he got caught in a trap. Actually, it was his tail that got trapped. He pulled and pulled and huffed and puffed, but couldn’t get free. The tail stayed in the trap.

Now the fox was very proud of his bushy tail, which he always kept in a good condition. So he avoided pulling too hard lest something happened to it.

How Monkeys Got their Red Bottoms

Sat, 20 Oct 2001 03:45:17 +0000

Once upon a time there was a group of twelve boys and girls who lived in a village called Dancing. After dinner everyday they would light a fire and dance.

One evening a monkey came and sat in a corner. He was wearing a smart safari suit with a stylish hat. He had a banjo in his hand, with which he played melodious music. He played so well that no one realised that he was a monkey.

The Elephants who Showed Off

Mon, 08 Oct 2001 03:24:07 +0000

A long long time ago, elephants had small, shiny and beautiful noses. Vain that they were, they would always turn their noses up in the air when they passed by any other animal. They were plain show-offs.

Naturally, the other animals did not like this very much. Finally, one clever monkey decided to do something about it.

He went up to the wise hermit who lived on the mountain and asked him if there was some way to make the elephants’ noses long and ugly.

The Elephant's Nose

Sat, 07 Apr 2001 18:31:58 +0000

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.

How The Coconut Came To Myanmar

Fri, 26 Jan 2001 21:40:44 +0000

Myanmar (then called Burma) is known as the golden land of gold dome pagodas and swaying coconut trees. Coconut trees were originally called ‘gon-bin’ in Myanmar language, which translated in English means the mischief-maker’s tree.

Why it is known by this most unusual name, is because once centuries ago, a raft carrying three people landed on the Burmese coast. The people on board this raft were taken to the king. On questioning them the king learnt that they had been banished from their own kingdom because of the crimes they had committed.

Silence is Golden

Wed, 23 May 2001 15:06:07 +0000

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. What is important is to say the right thing at the right time.”

The Foolish Thief

Wed, 05 Jul 2000 16:51:51 +0000

The moon was like a giant fluorescent light in the sky. It was a full moon night. And a foolish thief was getting ready to rob a villager’s house.

He located the house he had decided upon and tip-toed inside. From the silvery world of moonlight outside, he had entered a dark room. He could not even see his own hand or foot. But on the wall near the roof, there was a ventilator. The moon’s rays came sliding through it to create a circle of light.

Dream Palace

Thu, 31 May 2001 05:51:31 +0000

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.

Tenali Rama the Messenger

Sat, 14 Apr 2001 06:53:21 +0000

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.

The Honest Thief

Thu, 08 Jun 2000 12:49:46 +0000

There was once a cunning thief, Bhairav, who always planned his moves carefully. One day he decided to rob the holy men who came to the local temple from far off lands for the temple’s annual festival. He calculated that all these people came from distant towns, so they must be carrying lots of money.

So Bhairav dressed up like a holy man and went to attend the festival. At the temple, he slowly made friends with one particular person who appeared to be wealthy. After spending a few days at the temple, the thief and holy man became friends. The thief was so impressed by the nature of his new friend that he did not want to rob him any more. So much so, that he confessed the original reason for his friendship to the holy man. Surprisingly, the holy man did not call the police. Instead, he gave the stunned Bhairav some of his money.

Stripes Tiger and the Boy

Wed, 23 May 2001 09:43:29 +0000

“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. Please open the cage so I can get a little drink. There is no water here.”

Flying Turtle

Sun, 12 Oct 1997 17:55:26 +0000

There was a large pond in the middle of a jungle. All kinds of animals came to drink water from it. A small turtle had been living by the pond for many years. And he had become good friends with two cranes who lived there too.

They used to play together, and tell each other stories. The cranes would fly to far away lands and when they returned to the pond, they would tell the turtle stories about all that they saw. The turtle, of course, could not go with them because he could not fly. But he loved to hear the cranes’ stories.

How the Dragon Came to be

Mon, 17 Sep 2001 23:40:12 +0000

Long ago, there lived in China a young boy called Chi Yu.

Chi Yu lived with his mother in a tiny house at the edge of the village. There were beautiful green meadows all around and tall hills. Every year after the rains, the fields looked greener and more beautiful than ever before.

Each morning as the sun peeped into his window, Chi Yu jumped out of bed. He ran to the fields to cut the fresh grass that had grown at night. He gathered it in his big round basket and took it to farmer Hieun Tse who wanted the freshest grass for his cows. And Chi Yu got a jar of rice in return.

The Ungrateful Friend

Sat, 29 Apr 2000 15:40:28 +0000

This happened a long long time ago. In a small village in southern Orissa, there lived an old woodcutter.

One day, when he was going to the forest to cut wood, he met the tiger. The woodcutter stopped in his tracks on seeing the king of the jungle. But, strangely enough, the tiger did not roar on seeing the woodcutter. He remained silent. The woodcutter was baffled. How was he to know that the tiger was blind?

The Bed Bug and the Mosquito

Fri, 01 Oct 1999 01:31:34 +0000

A long, long time ago there lived a bed bug. He had a huge family. There were children, grandchildren, and great grand children. They all lived together on a beautiful bed. They lived in the corners and crevices of the bed. And the huge, beautiful bed belonged to the king of the country.

When the king slept, the bug and his entire family used to crawl out of their home. They would wait for the king to drift off to deep sleep and then feast on the king’s blood. The king’s blood was sweet, as sweet can be and they relished their meal.

The Doctor who did not Cure

Thu, 24 May 2001 11:07:58 +0000

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.

The Dog and the Pig

Fri, 08 Sep 2000 21:26:54 +0000

Retold from ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

A man kept two animals — a dog and a pig. He kept them in the hope that they would help him in his work. But he was sorely disappointed. All they did was eat and eat and eat. They did nothing else.

Modesty Pays

Tue, 26 Jun 2001 00:36:32 +0000

There once lived a proud driver in Qi, a state in China. He was the driver of the Prime Minister of the state. One day the Prime Minister happened to drive through the street where the driver lived with his wife. Some neighbour’s saw him drive the Prime Minister and were excited.

One of the neighbours ran to the driver’s home and said to driver’s wife-“Quick! See who is driving the Prime Minister? Your husband.”

The Golden Fish

Mon, 02 Oct 2000 17:31:18 +0000

There are many islands in the Bay of Bengal and not all of them are inhabited. But on one island, at one time, there was a small hut which belonged to an old man and his wife. They were very poor. The husband used to make nets and fish in the sea, for that was the only food they could get.

One day he went fishing as usual. He cast his net and waited. Suddenly there was a pull. He started to draw in the net, it seemed heavier than it had ever before. He just about managed to draw it up. But when he looked, he was surprised to find the net empty except for one small fish. However, it was no ordinary fish. It was golden in colour and even stranger, it pleaded with the old man in a human voice, “Please do not kill me, put me back into the sea and I will be of some service to you. I will do whatever you wish.” The old man thought for a minute and answered, “I do not need anything from you, go back and swim in the sea.” He threw the fish back into the sea and went back home.

The Rich Man's Vessels

Tue, 22 Aug 2000 05:58:37 +0000

Once upon a time there lived a rich man in a village in Kerala. His house was full of vessels of all sizes – some as small as a bird, others big enough to seat a child. Whenever there was a ceremony in any household, the villagers would borrow his utensils. After the function, they would return the whole lot of vessels to the rich man.

Then one day, a strange thing happened. A villager who had borrowed some utensils, returned a couple more than he had borrowed. The rich man was perplexed. He scratched his head.

Preparing for Winter

Sat, 01 Sep 2001 22:38:51 +0000

Autumn was coming to an end. All the insects and animals were working very hard to stock their larders with enough food to last them the winter. They all knew that winter time would be tough – it would be cold and food would be scarce. As it would get dark really soon, it would be difficult to go looking for food.

Therefore, everyone was working hard, all except Mr Grasshopper. He loved autumn. Autumn was a time when the leaves changed colour. It was all so so pretty. The trees seemed to be on fire with red, yellow and orange leaves, which then fell off and covered the ground. There was a pleasant breeze too.

The Fox and the Goat

Fri, 07 Sep 2001 13:40:17 +0000

Dabbu the fox was in a happy frame of mind. He had just made a hearty meal of the remains at King Lion’s den after the great king had gone out for a stroll. The meal had been fresh deer and it was smacking good. If only luck like this shone upon him every day, thought Dabbu.

Thinking such thoughts, Dabbu looked up at the clear sky and began to sing as he walked. He had watched Hindi film heroes do that when they were happy. This mainly happened when they were in love.

The Court Jester and the Hilsa Fish

Sat, 15 Sep 2001 17:39:29 +0000

Maharaja Krishna Chandra was the king of Bengal during the middle ages. It was customary for kings in those days to patronise talented people. So every king had his own court poets, artists, singers, town planners, architects and what have you. And plenty of ministers to advise him on different matters.

And every king had a court jester. The jester was a very important person for his ability to make people laugh and feel happy. Solving the problems of the kingdom and dealing carefully with rival kings meant a lot of tension. So he needed someone to make his tension lighter with his jokes – and help him with unexpected advice where no one else could help. That was the job of the court jester.

The Priest, the Tiger and the Jackal

Mon, 24 Jan 2000 23:59:25 +0000

One day a priest was walking along a country road when he came upon a tiger, shut up in a strong iron cage. The villagers had caught him and shut him up there because he had started preying on their fowl and cattle.

As soon as the tiger saw the priest, he pleaded, “Oh, Brother Brahmin, please let me out to get a little drink! I am so thirsty, and there is no water here.”

The Farmer and the Serpent

Sun, 19 Aug 2001 13:47:50 +0000

A long time ago a farmer’s son was going to meet his friends. It was dark and he was in a hurry, so he didn’t see a cobra that was relaxing in the path. He trod upon the cobra’s tail. He stepped back immediately afterwards, but it was too late. The angry cobra lashed at him and bit him.

A cobra’s poison is one of the deadliest in the world. The farmer’s son stood no chance against it and died.

The Boy and the Magic Brush

Sat, 24 Feb 2001 01:37:42 +0000

A folktale from Myanmar, it will acquaint readers with a new word called ‘Nat’. Nats are spirits, good or bad, and they are believed to have supernatural powers. The Buddhists believe that everybody goes through the cycle of life, death and rebirth – all determined by the person’s ‘karma’ or deeds. Being a Nat is just one of the cycle of lives.

Nats need salvation as much as humans and so they help humans by being their guardian spirits. They guard the rivers, mountains, towns, villages, forests, lakes, seas and homes. In Myanmar, the Buddhists believe that the Buddha himself went through several lifetimes as a Nat before he finally became the Buddha.

The Wise Doves

Sat, 16 May 1998 03:34:17 +0000

Once upon a time, there lived many doves in the jungle. One day they went out in search of food. They flew long distances but did not get anything to eat. All of them were now completely exhausted.

A young dove asked the King Dove, “Your majesty, please permit us to take some rest.”

The king replied, “Have courage, my dear young fellow. We shall definitely get something to eat very soon.”

The Wise Doves [Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik]

The young dove started flapping his wings with force and soon left everyone behind.

The Jester and the Straw Roof

Thu, 13 Sep 2001 04:35:00 +0000

And every king had a court jester. The jester was a very important person for his ability to make people laugh and feel happy. The king had a lot of serious work to do, lots of difficult problems to solve and deal carefully with rival kings! It meant a lot of tension. So he needed someone to make his tension lighter with his jokes. And help him with unexpected advice where no one else could help.

The Story of Big Ears

Thu, 30 Mar 2000 21:15:00 +0000

Retold from “When the World was Young’, by pioneering anthropologist, Verrier Elwin. It is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India.

This happened a long, long time ago.

Humans had big ears then.

And they would flap in the wind.

The Story of Big Ears [Illustrations by Nitin Vishwakarma]

Their ears were so big that they found a use for them.

The Mouse who Lived in the Lion's Cave

Sat, 16 Jan 1999 09:12:41 +0000

The king of the jungle, the lion, lived in a big dark cave at the foot of the hill. He was a good king, and used to hunt only when he was hungry. Every night, he would go out to hunt and bring back one animal to his cave. After eating to his heart’s content, he would go to sleep.

In his cave, a little mouse had made her house too. She would wait for the king to fall asleep, and then come out to eat, the leftovers. She was so small that leftovers were more than enough for her. She was very happy, as she got to eat the best food. Thanks to the lion, of course.

How the First House was Built

Sun, 05 Nov 2000 04:07:13 +0000

A long time ago, humans were only as tall as hens and rabbits.

These tiny “humans”, if you can call them that, lived under trees.

Living in trees was not very nice.

During rains they got wet. In summers they sweated madly, and in winter they almost froze into ice.

Life was tough.

How the First House was Built [Illustrations by Sudheer Nath]

So they started living in burrows, just the way rabbits do.

The Angry King

Sun, 20 Jun 1999 09:12:10 +0000

In the mountains of southern Luzon, there is a land of tobacco-growers. Many, many years ago, this land was ruled by a king named Hari Ka Buskid. He was a wise king, and during his reign the people of his kingdom were rich and prosperous.

The king did not scorn to go among the tobacco-growers and advise them on the best methods of tending their crops. It was not surprising, therefore, that this kingdom was known to have the best and largest crop in the land. From miles around, the people of neighbouring kingdoms would come to barter their goods in exchange for the rich, golden tobacco of King Hari Ka Buskid’s kingdom.

The Horse's Revenge

Mon, 21 Jun 1999 14:06:03 +0000

Once upon a time a horse and a buffalo lived in a beautiful meadow up in the mountains. There was plenty of grass to eat and water to drink, and the two had become good friends.
But one year, there was no rain. The meadow stream dried up and the grass turned brown. Soon the horse and buffalo found themselves fighting over the scarce water and grass. One day, their daily fight became violent. The buffalo jabbed the horse with her sharp horns. The badly injured horse had no option but to flee.

How Man and Dog Became Friends

Mon, 21 Aug 2000 10:48:41 +0000

There they were – two little pups crying for their mother. She had just been killed by Deer. They sobbed so much and for so long that they got tired and lay down for a while. It was then that they decided to take revenge on Deer for killing their mother. Once they had decided what they were going to do, they felt better.

Soon, they realised they were too small to be able to catch Deer. So they went to Elephant to ask for help. He promised to do so.

The Singing Donkey

Fri, 08 May 1998 22:46:12 +0000

Long ago there was a small little town called Devpur. In this town lived a washerman and his old, lean donkey called Bhola. Bhola helped the washerman with his work. Every morning Bhola carried a pile of dirty clothes to the ghats and got back washed clothes in the evening. At nights Bhola was allowed to roam around and do whatever he wanted.

One night during his usual nightly stroll he met a fox named Bijli. Bhola and Bijli soon became friends. They would meet regularly at nights and jointly look for something to eat.

Town Mouse and Country Mouse

Mon, 11 Jun 2001 18:19:44 +0000

A town mouse and a country mouse were cousins. Now, as it usually happens in such cases, the attire and mannerisms of the two cousins reflected where they lived. But they were fond of each other.

While the town mouse was a natty-dresser, a little brisk in her movements, and always in a hurry, the country mouse was the proverbial bumpkin, with her slow unhurried ways and manner. But this factor didn’t affect their friendship. The town mouse visited the country mouse often, and stayed with her in her little house next to the kitchen that belonged to the village school.

Two Fish and a Frog

Sun, 05 May 1996 23:52:08 +0000

In a certain lake there lived two fish, Multiwit and Centiwit by name. In course of time they became friendly with a frog named Uniwit. The three of them would spend some time by the lakeside, experiencing the pleasures of good conversation; then they would return again into the water.

Once, while the three were engaged in a colloquium at sunset, some fishermen passed by the lake with nets in their hands and many fish they had caught on their heads. Seeing the lake, they said to each other: “O this lake seems to have many fish and not too much water. We will come here in the morning.” Then they went home.

The King and the Squirrel

Fri, 12 Feb 1999 14:05:00 +0000

Once upon a time, there was a king who was very proud of his matchless position. He was young, well-read and intelligent and none of the youths of his kingdom equaled him in strength or valour. Moreover, he was the richest man in the kingdom.
One day, while strolling in his garden, he said to his wise, old minister, I am sure no one would ever dare to boast before me. I am glad that I am superior to everybody in every respect.

Tenali Rama and the Jinx

Fri, 02 Mar 2001 07:46:29 +0000

The Instructor

Sun, 24 Jun 2001 18:06:12 +0000

A young man wanted to learn the art of sword fighting. He went to the greatest instructor in the land and said, “Please give me admission and teach me sword fighting.”

The instructor gladly accepted him a student and said, “Young man you can stay with me and learn this art.”

In the days that followed the instructor gave him many odd chores to perform. The chores were sweeping the floors, cutting vegetables, cooking and the like. But there was no mention of the sword or the art of fighting with it.

The Eagle and the Arrow

Wed, 11 Apr 2001 23:31:26 +0000

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.

When the Earth and Sky were Married

Mon, 19 Mar 2001 23:34:14 +0000

A Muria folk tale from Orissa retold from ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

People around the world have different ways of explaining how the earth came to be the way it is: the sky above, the earth below. The Muria tribals of Bastar, in Madhya Pradesh, too, have their own story about it. And it is fascinating.

A Crocodile Named Rain Cloud

Wed, 24 Jan 2001 07:17:42 +0000

A folktale from Myanmar

Once upon a time there was an old fisherman Ye Myint and his wife Aye Aye Se who
lived by the river Irrawady. Every day they cast their net and caught fish, which they sold at the local market. The old man and his wife did not have any children.

One day while fishing as usual, Ye Myint cast his net and waited for the catch. He was surprised to get only an egg. He recognised it as a crocodile egg.

River Talk

Sat, 28 Apr 2001 05:07:53 +0000

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? So they flowed till they reached the sea. “This is too unfair!” they said sadly to each other. “It’s bad enough that we have to merge. It is worse that our sweet and drinkable water becomes terribly salty and tasteless when we merge with the sea.”

And Elephants did Fly

Wed, 05 Apr 2000 19:52:04 +0000

A Saora folk tale from Orissa retold from ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

There was a time when elephants could fly. The world was young then, and they had wings — four big wings. In fact they were God’s greatest vehicle; he used to ride one of them. He was busy creating the world. But once humans had started living on earth, God’s work was over. The usefulness of the elephants decreased.

The Lion's Share

Mon, 21 May 2001 12:25:36 +0000

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.

Tiger Move

Wed, 10 Jan 2001 02:44:51 +0000

Santhals are a tribe found in rural Orissa and West Bengal. They believe that every individual born on earth comes destined to die by some specific stroke of fate. How the individual dies is determined at birth and this is called Dana or move (like the moves of a chess game). This move determines the kind of death the person would get – at the hands of a tiger, snake, a fall from a tree or just from old age.

The Frog King

Wed, 28 Mar 2001 18:56:40 +0000

In a large marshy swamp in South Africa lived a colony of frogs – happy frogs. The marsh was surrounded by tall weeds, dirt and muck, which attracted lots of flies. Every moment was mealtime for the frogs. It was a happy life, all fun and play.

Leapfrog was their favourite game. The younger frogs were dared to jump over a line of frogs from one end to the other end. Each time a young one managed to clear the jump, she or he would be added to the line — until the jumper fell on the last one, when the game ended.

When Humans had Tails

Fri, 12 May 2000 11:25:22 +0000

The Saora tribals of Orissa, in eastern India, believe that there was a time when humans had tails. Wherever they went, their tails swished along, sweeping the ground.

The Big Leap

Wed, 15 Aug 2001 00:32:54 +0000

One day a newly married couple threw a party. Among those who attended, was a man who claimed to be a seasoned traveller. He was an interesting-looking man with a weatherbeaten face. So, by his appearance, he did look like a well-travelled person.

But once he started talking, there was no stopping him. He bragged to anyone who would listen, about his exploits in countries across the world.

He spoke of many wonderful and heroic feats he had accomplished. “I was an acrobat, a magician, a lion-trainer and even a hunter,” he announced in a booming voice.

The Boy and the Wolf

Thu, 22 Feb 2001 18:23:06 +0000

A boy was standing on the roof of his house, looking down at the valley below. His house was the last of a row of houses. Beyond it stretched a dark and menacing jungle. Although he had been living in the valley all his life, the boy had never stepped inside the jungle. He had heard that it was full of wild animals that ate up any human they came across.

He could see the forest from his window. At night he heard all sorts of noises coming from it — noises that penetrated the closed window and reached the boy’s frightened ears. He was scared of the jungle, and of all the creatures that roamed in it.

The Thirsty Crow

Sun, 22 Oct 2000 00:09:05 +0000

The Thirsty Crow [Illustrations by Shridevi]

Kancharam had been flying for 10 hours without a halt. He had come to the western state of Gujarat to attend his childhood friend Bholuram’s wedding. He had stayed just for the wedding.

As soon as it was over, he said good bye to his friend and left. Now he was flying back home. That was in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He was very, very tired. And thirsty, too.

Learning to Act

Wed, 21 Mar 2001 22:41:20 +0000

There once lived a brilliant student. He was on a quest to acquire more
and more knowledge. Then he heard of a great Zen teacher to whom he travelled long to meet.

On arriving at the teacher’s feet, he said, “Master teach me.”

The Zen master received the student with a smile. He inquired about him. He asked in detail all that the student had learnt till then.

Learning to Act [Illustration by Anup Singh]

Later, he asked his assistant to get tea for the two of them. A big pot of tea with two cups and saucers was brought before the master. The student volunteered to serve the tea. The master brushed aside his offer with a smile.

The Jester and the Stranger's Language

Wed, 17 Jan 2001 22:16:10 +0000

The Palm Reader

Sun, 10 Jun 2001 09:24:08 +0000

Hari Prasad was the most sought-after man in the marketplace. A palmist rumoured to be the best in the area, he lived-off people’s hands as he was believed to possess superior qualities of prediction.

All he had to do was stare at the faint little criss-crossing lines on someone’s palm for a little while and bingo, the client would listen astounded, as the palmist laid his life history bare before him.

The Palm Reader [Illustration by Shinod AP]

The client would return home somewhat dazed by what he thought were the amazing powers of the astrologer. Few realised that Hari Prasad had actually said very little that was not a generalisation. Later it might strike some that they had been taken for a ride. But by then it was too late, they had already paid him his fees.

The Fox and the Grapes

Thu, 28 Dec 2000 10:45:27 +0000

Fitru fox was in a relaxed mood. He had no work that day. Since it was a holiday, the farmer was at home guarding his chickens. There was no way Fitru could reach them. Luckily, there was some food left over from the previous night. Life was beautiful. He closed his eyes for a moment.

The Fox and the Grapes [Illustrations by Shridevi]

When he opened his eyes he found himself looking at one, two and three bunches of luscious grapes, and got excited.

The Lion Cub

Mon, 28 May 2001 06:45:22 +0000

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.

Once they were Friends

Sat, 31 Mar 2001 14:28:01 +0000

There was a time when Madri, the cat, and Ketki, the mouse, were friends. They were such good friends that they lived in the same house. They played together, and went on hunts together too.

Between the two, Ketki was the one with foresight. “Can you feel the chill in the air?” she asked her friend. “Winter is coming. And we haven’t saved any food! Let’s do it now or we will have to go hungry when winter sets in”.

An Unpleasant Smell

Sun, 11 Mar 2001 04:32:39 +0000

A prosperous money-lender or seth bought a house located right next door to the house of a tanner. From morning till evening the tanner converted hide into leather by treating it with tannin. From day one the money-lender was put off by the unpleasant smells of the tannery.

So, he visited the tanner’s house and offered to buy his house.

“I would love to sell the house if you buy it seth,” said the tanner. He had no intention of doing any such thing but he liked to play pranks. “Give me a week or so to wind up some things, will you?” The seth agreed and went away.

The Rumour

Fri, 02 Jun 2000 09:25:21 +0000

“Bajai,” as we called grandmother, was the best storyteller in the whole world, says Madhu Gurung. She lived in the foothills of Mussoorie in a tiny village called Johri Gaun. And she always started her stories with a saying, “To the listener a garland of gold, to the storyteller a garland of all forest flowers and this tale that I tell you today will be heard in heaven.” Here Madhu Gurung presents one of the many stories that she heard from Bajai in her childhood.

How Stars Came into Being

Tue, 09 May 2000 01:01:21 +0000

This is a story about a long, long time ago.

There was once an old man who smoked tobacco.

He smoked tobacco in terracotta or clay pipes, called pikka.

This old man had three sons.

When the three sons grew up, he got them married one after the other.

How Stars Came into Being [Illustrations by Sudheer Nath]

It happened once, that the eldest son went to his wife’s parents’ house to attend a marriage.

How Iron was Found

Wed, 05 Sep 2001 06:34:37 +0000

Long ago, there lived a craftsman called Intupwa. Intupwa was an unhappy man because he tried, and failed, to cut wood with sharp stones. Then one day he dreamt of something better called iron. So he began his search for it.

“Where can I find iron?” Intupwa asked the trees. “If we tell you, you’ll make an axe and cut us down,” the trees replied.

How Iron was Found [Illustration by Sudheer Nath]

“Where can I find iron?” Intupwa asked the grass, and met with the same answer.

A Frog's Friendship

Sun, 30 Apr 2000 14:22:17 +0000

From ‘When the World was Young’, by Verrier Elwin. The book is a fascinating collection of folktales from the tribal peoples of India. Elwin was a pioneering anthropologist; he spent his entire life getting to know the ways of life of the tribal peoples.

There was a time when the Frog had thick legs and he lived on land. He was so very different from the frogs that we see today, with their thin spindly legs and their watery homes. So it is time to ask, “What changed the Frog’s looks and life forever?” The answer is, the Frog’s friendship with the Tiger.

The Crane's Walk

Fri, 23 Mar 2001 01:56:34 +0000

A family of crabs lived on the shores of a giant blue sea. They frolicked in the sands and ate mussels, clams and other small sea creatures. One day the mother crab saw a beautiful crane walking about in the sand, a straight graceful walk in its long reed-like legs.

“How graceful that crane looks,” she thought to herself. Then she caught sight of her son waddling towards her and felt very irritated. “And how clumsy my son is. He is like a moving sack.”

Monkey Business

Mon, 08 Dec 1997 14:15:23 +0000

A temple was being built in a town. There were many different workmen busy with their work. The masons were building the walls. The sculptor was finishing the idols. And the carpenters were making wooden frames from logs of wood.

In the afternoon, all the workmen used to sit together for lunch. One day while the workmen were eating, a group of monkeys came to the temple site. They started playing with the things the workmen had left behind. One monkey came upon a log of wood, on which a carpenter had been working. Before going for lunch, the carpenter had cut through half of it. He had inserted a wedge, a small piece of wood, inside the half-cut log. That way the two sides of the cut log would not come together again.

Shebu and Moonmoon, the Long Haired Goat

Wed, 19 Apr 2000 07:37:20 +0000

Shebu and Moonmoon, the Long Haired Goat [Illustrations by Kusum Chamoli]

The Mango Charm

Fri, 28 Aug 1998 16:32:41 +0000

A wandering youth once met Bholu, an illiterate villager, who knew how to perform a miracle. Everyday Bholu would go into the forest, stand under a mango tree and utter a charm. The tree would immediately become heavy with fruit. The next moment the mangoes would ripen and then they would fall to the ground. Bholu would collect them, eat some and distribute the rest among his neighbours who were poor.

Keshav the youth fell at Bholu’s feet, even though the latter belonged to a lower caste, and begged him to teach him the charm. The man reluctantly agreed but warned him, “You must never use the charm to satisfy your greed. Moreover, the charm will only work as long as you do not tell a lie.”

The Donkey monkeys Around

Wed, 28 Mar 2001 09:43:21 +0000

Gopu the donkey was happily going munch munch on an extremely green patch of grass right in the heart of the meadow. So intent was Gopu on eating, that he did not hear anyone approaching until he looked up and gave an involuntary shiver. For standing right in front of him, was Shikari, the wolf.

Gopu began to limp and make a lot of ooh aah noises while doing so. Shikari watched him in silence for a while and then asked what was wrong.

The Favour

Thu, 22 Feb 2001 03:29:17 +0000

There lived a wolf called Lalu in the Himalayan forests. Lalu was very mean and selfish. He thought only about himself and none of the other animals liked him.

The rest of the wolf pack also avoided meeting him. At most, they would say a polite ‘Hello’ and then go their own way. After all, when they were hungry, Lalu never offered to share his meal. So the wolves avoided him, as they did not want to be impolite.

Why Monkeys Mean Trouble

Fri, 16 Feb 2001 07:13:55 +0000

In the village of Sholingur in Tamil Nadu, is a temple dedicated to the Hindu monkey god Hanuman. The temple is on top of a small hill. In and around the hill in the thick forest live a group of monkeys. All they do is scare people and create trouble — even when people worship them as symbols of Hanuman. And there’s a story behind why they create trouble.…

The story goes back a long time. In the village lived an old couple. The old woman would make delicious sweets every day and take them to the market where her husband sat at a stall and sold them.

How Humans Got Eyes

Wed, 07 Feb 2001 18:03:48 +0000

Retold from ‘When the World was Young’ by Verrier Elwin

When God created humans, he forgot to add eyes so that they could see. Most people had a very tough time as a result. They couldn’t walk without tumbling and tripping over each other. Life was so difficult. People couldn’t see where they were going, what they were eating, who they were meeting.

The Earth used to be beautiful then. There were fragrant flowers, colourful birds and butterflies, dense, green forests, and clear, gurgling streams. But what was the point of so much beauty if you couldn’t see any of it?

Kallu Raven's Breakfast Treat

Mon, 18 Sep 2000 21:44:39 +0000

This happened years and years ago in a bright and busy forest.Two trees, the Neem and the Peepal, faced each other. A big, black raven called Kallu had his nest on the Peepal tree, while the Neem tree was the home of Nanni sparrow.

Kallu was a wily bird and he felt no fondness for Nanni sparrow. After some weeks, Nanni laid three tiny, beautiful eggs. Soon they hatched. Her nest came alive with the sweet twitter of the baby sparrows.

The Sweet-Mad Hero

Mon, 29 Jan 2001 22:30:59 +0000

A North Indian folktale retold

Shyam was a worried man. He had to go to Rampur on work. It happened to
be his in-laws village. Shyam intended to stay with them. But being newly
married he hardly knew his in-laws. His wife, too, was not accompanying him. Shy Shyam was really worried!

He thought hard for a while. Then he smiled. He would force his friend, Karan, to accompany him!

“Of course I’ll come with you!” promised Karan. “But you must make two promises.” Shyam agreed.

The Travellers

Wed, 24 Jan 2001 04:58:18 +0000

In a temple city in south India, lived a group of young merchants who wanted to become rich. They had often heard about traders who had amassed a great deal of wealth in the course of their travels across the world.

So, one fine day, the merchants set out on a long journey in quest of riches and engaged in trade.

Unfortunately though, they did not become as rich as they had thought they would. Worse, they had spent more money on their travels than they had earned in the course of their trade – and that was galling. All this made them very impatient.

The Troublesome Slippers

Tue, 28 Apr 1998 16:45:09 +0000

Abukashan was a wealthy merchant, notorious for his stingy nature. He had a pair of slippers that were famous in town because they were completely worn out. The slippers had outlived their lives but Abukashan simply refused to buy a new pair.

One day he went to a public bath, visited by all the rich and famous people. He left his slippers outside and went into the shower. A few minutes later a judge entered the bath leaving his new and shining slippers outside. When Abukashan came out of the bath, he could not find his slippers, but saw a pair of new slippers instead. He thought, some friend of mine must have left these as a gift for me. So Abukashan wore the new slippers and went about his business.

The Ridge Forest

Sun, 21 Feb 1999 20:24:12 +0000

A long time ago, when it was all right for men to hunt animals, there was a man who was known to be a perfect shot. He would always kill a wild animal in one shot. He never missed and he never shot an animal except when he was hungry.

One morning, he took his gun and headed off to the jungle to hunt. He walked for many a mile before he sat down to rest. As he was sitting, he saw a bear up on the mountainside. He quickly reached for his gun. As he took aim, he noticed that the bear was walking on a thin ledge on the side of the mountain. If he shot the animal now, it would fall into the deep gorge and would be of no use to him. So he put his gun down and kept watching.

The 'Groom'ed Horse

Mon, 12 Mar 2001 20:39:16 +0000

Chetak was the most attractive horse in the neighbourhood. His proud owner, Ram Singh, never lost an opportunity to show him off to his friends and neighbours.

“Here he is, my pride and joy,” he would exclaim in a dramatic way as he opened the door to the young stallion’s stable. And Chetak would come out galloping, his shiny brown coat and light brown mane glistening in the sun.

Ram Singh would then ride him across the farm, for the benefit of the admiring crowd. His attractiveness apart, Chetak was swift, too. Riding him was like, “flying through air,” his owner often said eloquently.

How Men Lost Their Tails

Sat, 01 Jan 2000 12:11:45 +0000

The hill people have many theories about the origin of mankind. Some say that God fashioned the first people from clay with his own hands; some say that they were hatched from enormous eggs. They emerged from a crack in the ground, from the womb of Mother Earth; they were born of a goddess; they were even born of animals.

How Men Lost Their Tails [Illustrations by: Amina Jayal]

But all agree that, however they came into being, they were very different from what they are today, as the following stories show. According to the Saoras of Orissa, for example, they originally had tails.

War Drum

Sat, 11 Oct 1997 22:04:57 +0000

Mukabla, the Jackal was very sad. He had not eaten for many days. He had travelled all over the jungle searching for food, but with no luck. Now, he was hungry and tired too.

It was a hot afternoon, so Mukabla decided to rest under a tree. The tired Jackal immediately fell asleep. Soon it was dark.

Suddenly, Mukabla was woken up by some strange noises.

War Drum [Illustrations by Amarjeet Malik]

Wooosh-dum-dum-shhhhh-dum-da-dum-da-dum.

The Priest's Successor

Thu, 08 Jul 1999 03:09:22 +0000

There was once a famous temple, high up in the hills of Assam. The priest of this temple was widely respected and known to be a great scholar. When he grew very old, he started searching for a younger priest who could take charge of the temple after his death. But, much to his dismay, he could not find any suitable person. As the priest lay on his deathbed, he called the trustee of the temple and told him, “After my death, make sure that only a “human being” replaces me as priest of this temple.” Saying that the priest died.