Panchatantra

1.Monkeys and crocodiles:

Once upon a time, in a forest, there lived a monkey who lived in a jam (berry) tree on the bank of a river. In the same forest, there lived a crocodile and his wife. One day the crocodile came to the river bank and rested under a tree. The kind monkey gave him some fruit. The crocodile came back the next day for more fruit, because he liked the fruit. As some days passed, the crocodile and the monkey became good friends.

One day the monkey sent some fruit for the crocodile's wife. She ate the fruits and liked them very much, but she was jealous, because she did not like her husband's time with the monkey. She said to her husband, “If the fruits are so juicy, I wonder how sweet the monkey's heart will be. Bring me the monkey heart. ” The crocodile was unwilling to kill his friend, but he had no choice.

He invited the monkey to his house for dinner and said that his wife wanted to meet him. The monkey was happy, but he couldn't swim, so the crocodile carried him on his back. The crocodile is happy that he managed to fool the monkey, but as he leaves, he tells the monkey the real reason for taking him home. "You should have told me before," said the clever monkey, "I have left my heart on the tree." We must go back and take it. The crocodile believed him and took him back to the tree. Thus the clever monkey saved his life.

Lesson of the story: Choose friends wisely and always have wisdom present.

2. Cranes and crabs:

In the past, there existed a crane that would seize fish from the adjacent pond and consume them. However, as the crane aged, it encountered difficulties in catching even a single fish. An ingenious idea occurred to the crane - to secure its own sustenance. It proceeded to inform the fish, frogs, and crabs that certain individuals intended to fill the pond and cultivate crops, resulting in the absence of fish. Additionally, the crane expressed its deep regret upon hearing this news and how it would miss them all. The fish became despondent and beseeched the stork for assistance. The stork made a promise to transport them all to a larger pond. Nevertheless, it clarified, "Due to my advanced age, I can only transport a limited number of you at a time." The stork would transport the fish to a mountain, where it would slay and consume them. Whenever hunger struck, the stork would select a portion of them and transport them to the mountains for consumption.

The pond contained a crab who desired to relocate to a larger pond. The stork, seeking a change in diet, decided to assist the crab. During their journey, the crab inquired about the location of the bigger pond. The crane simply smiled and gestured towards a hill covered in fish bones. Understanding the crane's true intentions, the crab swiftly formulated a plan to ensure his survival. He seized the stork's neck and refused to release it until the stork met its demise.

Lesson of the story: Always keep your wits about you and act quickly when in danger.

3. Elephants and mice:

There was a village that people left after the earthquake destroyed it. However, the rats living in the village decided to stay there and thought of making their home. There was a lake on the outskirts of this village, where a herd of elephants used to come together to bathe and drink water. The village was on its way to this lake, elephants used to trample the rats on their way. So, the rat king decided to meet the elephants. He said to them, “O elephants, many rats are trampled when you travel to the village. We would be very grateful if you could consider changing your route. We will remember this favor and return it when you need it.”

The king of the elephants smiled and said, “We are a giant elephant community. Can you mice return the favor? Nevertheless, we respect your request and will change our course.”

After a few days, the elephants were caught in nets set by poachers and became entangled in the nets. They struggled hard to escape, but failed. The Rat King remembered the promise that the Rat King had made. So, he sent the elephant, the only lucky fellow not caught in the net, to plead with the Rat King for their help. Soon, all the mice came and started cutting their nets and thus they freed the elephants. And the elephant king thanked the mice profusely!

Lesson of the story: A friend in danger is a true friend. Always be kind to people and be grateful for their help.

4. Be loyal:

A farming couple had a pet Beji. One day, the farmer and his wife had to go out of the house on an urgent errand, and so they left their baby with Beji, who assured Beji that he would protect their baby well. As they left, a snake sneaked into the room and crawled towards the bed to attack the baby. The clever Beeji fought the snake to save the baby and killed it. When the farmer's wife returned home, she was shocked to see blood stains on Beji's face and teeth. He lost his temper and shouted, “You killed my baby!” He lost all control in his rage and killed the loyal Beji. When he entered his house, he found the child alive and the snake dead beside him. Realizing what had happened, he regretted his actions.

Lesson of the story: Think before you act.

5. Turtle and swan:

Once upon a time, there lived a turtle and two swans by a lake who were very good friends. As the lake dried up, the swans decided to move to a new place. The tortoise also wanted to go with them, but he could not fly, and so he begged the swans to take him with them. After many attempts to convince the swans, finally, they agreed. They held a stick with their lips and told the turtle to hold the stick with its mouth, and warned it not to open its mouth and let go of the stick.

As they flew away, some onlookers thought the turtle had been kidnapped and commented: “Oh, poor turtle!” This angered the tortoise and he immediately opened his mouth to say something to them. But he opened his mouth and immediately fell down on the ground and died.

Lesson of the story: Think before you speak. Listen to the instructions and follow them.