THE WOLF AND THE CRANE Once, there lived a greedy and cunning wolf in a dense forest. One day, while he was having his dinner, a bone got stuck into his throat. He tried hard to take it out, but couldn't succeed in his effort. The wolf began whining with pain. The pain was unbearable. The wolf got worried and began thinking, "The pain will subside in due course. But, what will happen if the bone doesn't come out. I won't be able to eat anything. I will starve to death." The wolf began thinking of some possible remedy to overcome theproblem. Suddenly he recalled that there was a crane ... read more

THE WIND AND THE SUN Long ago, there lived a wolf in a dense forest. The forest was surrounded by hills and gorges. A small river flowed through it. Once the wolf was drinking water at the head of a stream, when he saw a lamb drinking water from the same source down at some distance. The cunning wolf began to think of an excuse for attacking the gentle lamb and eating him. So he shouted down at the lamb, "How dare you make the water dirty I am drinking?" "You must be mistaken, sir," said the poor lamb gently. "How can I be making your water dirty, since it flows from you to me and not f ... read more

THE JACKAL AND THE DRUM Once upon a time, in a jungle there lived a jackal by the name of Gomaya. One day, he was very hungry and was wandering in search of food. While wandering, he came across a battle field. There he saw a big drum lying under a tree. When the wind blew, a tender branch grown at the root of the tree struck the drum producing sound of a drum beat. The jackal examined the drum from all sides and then beat the drum with his front paws. The drum made a sound. Now the jackal thought that there might be some other small animal inside the drum and that would make a very tasty m ... read more

THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE Long, long ago, there lived a huge crocodile in the river Ganges. The river flowed through a dense jungle. On both sides of the river there stood tall jamun and other fruit trees. In one such tree there lived a big monkey by the name of Raktamukha. He ate fruits from the tree and passed his days happily jumping from one tree to another. Sometimes, he climbed down the tree; took a bath in the river and rested for a while on its bank. One day, the crocodile came out of the river and sat under the big jamun tree in which the monkey lived. The monkey who was sitt ... read more

THE CLEVER JACKAL Once upon a time, there lived a jackal in a dense forest. His name was Mahachaturaka. He was very clever. One day, while he was wandering in search of food, he came across a dead elephant. He wanted to eat its flesh, but his teeth were not strong enough to cut through the tough hide of the elephant. So, he waited patiently for someone to come around. In the meantime, a lion came there. The jackal said to him, "Your Majesty, please have a taste of the elephant. I have been guarding it for you only." "I eat only fresh animals, not the stale ones," said the lion and went ... read more