A World of Stories
INDIA
Panchatantra
“If loving kindness be not shown, to friends and souls in pain, to teachers, servants, and one's self, what use in life, what gain?”
– from Panchatantra, Book 1
The Panchatantra is an ancient Indian collection of interrelated animal fables in Sanskrit verse and prose, arranged within a frame story, dated to roughly 200 BCE, based on older oral tradition. The text’s author is unknown, but has been attributed to Vishnusharma or Vasubhaga – both of which may be pen names. The Panchatantra was translated into many languages, including English, various Indian vernacular languages, Persian, and Arabic. “The Monkey and the Crocodile” is one of the most famous stories from the collection.
Once upon a time, in a forest, there lived a monkey who resided on a jamun (berry) tree, which was on the banks of a river. In the same forest, there lived a crocodile and his wife. One day, the crocodile came to the banks of the river and rested under the tree. The kindhearted monkey offered him some fruits. The crocodile came back the next day for more fruits, as he loved them. As days passed by, the crocodile and the monkey became good friends.
One day, the monkey sent some fruits for
