TWO BURDENED ASSES Once upon a time, two asses were walking along laboriously, very tired under their burdens. One was carrying salt and the other; cotton. When they were crossing a river, the ass laden with salt stumbled and fell into the water. When it got up, it started walking more smoothly than earlier. Seeing this, the ass carrying the cotton sat down in the river and then got up, hoping that its burden would be lighter. The salt got dissolved in the water but the cotton soaked up the water, and became heavier. The poor as nearly drowned under the added weight.

THE HOUSE Once a rat that was feeling bored, came out of his hole to see the world. He went to a garden where he saw a big cat and got frightened. So, he hid himself under a big leaf that was the dwelling place of a tortoise. The tortoise yelled at him, "What are you doing here?" The rat fled from there in search of another shelter and happened to pass over a gardener's feet. The gardener shouted at him, "What are you doing here? Go back to your home." The rat fled away from there and ran straight to his hole, took a sigh of relief and thought, 'East or West, home is the best.'

Died on the Way THE emigrant train had come in, and so many were waiting, some at the depot with their own vehicles, watching for dear ones ; others hailed hacks or took the street-cars, and a few remained, who would, as soon as the throng cleared away a little, walk up to the house where homeless emigrants might stay for a few days. A party of four by themselves attracted attention. A man of solemn countenance, with two little children that clung on either side of him, serious, frightened-looking little things, although they were healthy and neatly dressed. Beside them walked a pale wom ... read more

Mercury and the Woodcutter Once there was a woodcutter. He lived near a forest. He earned his living by cutting wood from the jungle and selling it in the market. One day he was cutting down a tree on the bank of the river. While he was cutting it, his axe fell into the river and was lost. He tried his best to search it but in vain. He was very poor and was not in a position to purchase another. So he began to weep and cry at the loss of it. Mercury, the God of the river, heard his cry and appeared before him. He asked him why he was weeping. The woodcutter told him that he had on ... read more

One day, Little Bird invited Crow for dinner. Little Bird had spent the day preparing the meal, and when it was ready she waited for her guest to arrive. Some time passed, but Crow did not arrive. So Little Bird called out, ‘Where are you Crow, dinner is getting cold?’ A bird bath‘I am coming, I am coming,’ replied Crow. ‘I am just having a bath, and then I will put on my red shoes and I will come tum, tumming along and we will eat dinner together.’ So Little Bird waited some more, but still Crow did not arrive. Eventually, Little Bird called out again, ‘Crow, Crow, where are you? The ... read more