Dantila, the Trader and Gorambha, the Sweeper

Panchantantra 73.

In a city called Vardhamana, there lived a rich trader by the name of Dantila. He was a prosperous merchant. He kept both the common man and the king very happy. He was respected and loved by all. Even the king respected him and had allowed him free access to the palace.

Dantila had a beautiful daughter. In course of time, her marriage took place. On this occasion, Dantila invited the entire public and the king and his courtiers.

A sweeper in the king’s palace by the name of Gorambha, also attended the marriage – but uninvited. He sat beside the royal family members on a seat which was meant for somebody else. Dantila caught him by his neck and beat him with a stick and told him to leave the place.

The sweeper felt insulted and decided to take revenge on Dantila.

Several days later, one early morning, when the king was not yet wide awake and Gorambha was on duty to sweep the place near the king’s bed, he pretented to be drowsy and said, “This Dantila is a very cunning fellow. He poses as a gentleman, but, in fact, has an affair with the queen.”

When the king heard these words, he got up immediately from his bed and asked Gorambha, “Gorambha, is that true?”

“Master,” said Gorambha, “when I am very much tired, I just mutter in my drowsiness. I. don’t know what I’ve been saying.”

But the king was not satisfied with his answer. He thought, Gorambha was hiding some facts. From that day onwards the king withdrew his favours from Dantila. He was forbidden to enter the palace. Dantila was perplexed. He couldn’t make out as to why the king’s behaviour had changed suddenly.

One day, Dantila and Gorambha came face to face outside the palace. Gorambha laughed sarcastically when he saw Dantila. Dantila quickly realised the reason behind the cold behaviour of the king.

The next day, Dantila invited Gorambha to his house. He gave him a pair of garments and coconut and said, “My dear friend, I’m sorry for my behaviour that day. But you must realise that it was entirely wrong on your part to take a seat, which was reserved for a Brahmin. The Brahmin felt insulted, and that is the reason why I’d to throw you out. Please forgive me.”

Gorambha was happy to receive the gifts. He said to Dantila. “Sir, Let us forget the past. This is my assurance that you will once again enjoy the favours of the king.”

The next day, he went to the palace and started sweeping the floor. After sometime, he again pretended to feel drowsy and when he became sure that the king was lying half awake, he muttered, “The king is very dirty. He eats cucumber in the toilet.”

When the king heard this, he got up and sat straight on his bed and said to Gorambha, “What did you say, you stupid? When did you see me eating c~cumbers in the toilet?”

Gorambha pretended as if he was frightened. “Your Majesty,” he said in a quivering tone, “when I’m overworked, I feel drowsy during the day time. I start muttering in my sleep. I’ve already told you about this. I really don’t know what I was muttering.”

When the king heard this, he was left in a profound thought: “This Gorambha is an idiot. He mutters lies in his sleep. As I’ve never eaten cucumber in the toilet, so in the same way it is quite possible that Dantila too had never had an affair with my queen.”

After having considered this carefully, the king invited Dantila to the palace. He presented him with jewels and clothing and Dantila’s former status was regained.

“No one is high or low. So we must never insult anyone.”

Source:

http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/

Panchantantra 66.

Long, long ago, there lived three fish with their families in a pond. Their names were Anagatavidhata, Pratyutpannamati and Yadbhavishya. Anagatavidhata was very practical. She always planned her actions in advance. Pratyutpannamati too was practical and always tendered good advices to her elder sister Anagatavidhata. Yadbhavishya, the youngest of them all, loved to laze around only. She didn’t like to work at all.

One day, some fishermen came to the pond. One of them said, “This is the pond I was telling you about. There are many fish in this pond. Let’s come here tomorrow and catch all of them.”

Anagatavidhata overheard the fishermen’s talk. She gathered all the fish in the pond and narrated to them what she had heard about. She said, “It’s better that we move out of here to some other safer pond. Our life will, at least, be safe.” Everybody agreed to this proposal including Pratyutpannamati. But Yadbhavishya said, “Why should we run like cowards from this pond. Let the fishermen come. We’ll see to it together that we’re not caught in the net. Besides, who knows the fishermen would really turn up here. After all, everyone has to die one day. So why be afraid of death.”

But Anagatavidhata and Pratyutpannamati didn’t agree with Yadbhavishya’s ideas. They moved out to another pond with their families to live with their other near and dear ones.

The next morning, the fishermen came to the pond. They cast their net in the pond and trapped Yadbhavishya and her family alongwith a large number of other fish living in the pond.

“Always plan your future intelligently.”

Source:

http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/

The Golden Bird and the King

Panchantantra 58.

Long, long ago, there lived a magic bird by the name of Sindhuka in a thick forest. It laid golden eggs.

Once a fowler came to the forest. While hunting, he came near the tree in which lived the magic bird. He saw the bird laying golden eggs. He caught the bird in his net and returned home. But he was afraid of keeping the bird in his captivity. He thought that the magic bird would lay him golden eggs. Soon he would be rich. The king might think that he became rich by stealing others’ money. He might send him to jail. So it was better that he himself presented the magic bird to the king.

Thinking thus, the fowler presented the magic bird to the king. The king was very happy to have such a magic bird. He ordered his servants to take care of the bird, so that it laid more and more golden eggs.

But the attendants said to the king, “Your Majesty, this is all a hoax. How can a bird lay golden eggs?”This created doubts in the mind of the king. He ordered his attendants to release the bird in the woods.

The attendants, thereafter, released the bird in the woods.

The bird flew in the sky and thought to itself, “This seems to be a fool’s kingdom. The fowler knew that I laid golden eggs, but he gifted me to the king. The king in turn gave me to the attendants to release me in the woods. The attendants too didn’t ever believe in my magical qualities and spoke to the king against me. And the biggest fool of them was I, who landed into the fowler’s net.”

“Take a decision after varifying the facts.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/

The Wise Crab

Panchantantra 45.

There stood two big banyan trees, side by side, in a dense forest. In fact, they were at such a short distance from each other that they formed one huge banyan tree. Thousands of cranes lived in this tree. In a deep hole in its trunk, there also lived a big black snake.

The snake used to climb up the tree to its branches and eat the baby cranes from their nests, when their parents were away in search of food.

This had become a daily routine. And the unfortunate cranes were the soft targets. Every evening, on return to their nests, the hapless cranes would find their nestlings missing, and they were so helpless that they could not do anything to get rid of the big black snake.

One day, a crab saw some cranes standing by the side of the lake and weeping bitterly. He asked them the reason of their grief. The cranes said, “There’s a big black snake living in the banyan tree. Everyday he eats up our babies. We don’t know how to get rid of him.”

The crab thought to himself that the cranes too were crabs’ enemies. They ate crabs’ babies. Why not give the cranes an idea which not only would kill the snake but finish the cranes also.

So, the crab said, “Don’t weep. I’ve an idea which will help kill the snake.”

“Yes, please help us,” requested the cranes.

“There is a big mongoose living at a little distance from the banyan trees. You put a few fish all along the path running from the mongoose’s hole to the banyan tree. The mongoose will eat the fish one by one and then reach the snake’s hole. Now you can yourself imagine, what will happen thereafter.”

The cranes became very happy to get such a brilliant idea. They acted according to the plan.

Thereafter, the mongoose ate up all the fish put all along the path leading up to his home and then reached the banyan tree. There he found the snake in the hole. A fierce fighting took place between them and the mongoose killed the snake.

But instead of going back to his hole after killing the serpent, the mongoose further climbed up the tree and started aeting the baby cranes, one by one. Soon the mongoose ate up all the baby cranes living in the banyan tree.

After eating a large number of baby cranes, the mongoose became very fat and lazy. One day, while he was sleeping on a branch of a tree, he slipped and fell on to the ground and died then and there.

“Never act hastily on your enemy’s advice.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/

The Brahmin and the Three Thugs

Panchantantra 38.

Long, long ago, there lived a Brahmin in a small village. His name was Mitra Sharma. Once his father told him to sacrifice a goat according to some ancient Hindu rites. He asked him to visit the cattle fair in a nearby village and purchase a healthy goat for that purpose.

The Brahmin visited the cattle fair and bought a healthy and fat goat. He slung the goat over his shoulder and headed back for his home.

There were three thugs also roaming in the fair, with the sole intention of cheating the shopkeepers and other customers there. When they saw the Brahmin going back to his home with the goat, they thought of a plan to get the goat by employing the methods of thugery.

“This goat will make a delicious meal for all of us. Let’s somehow get it. “The three thugs discussed the matter amongst themselves. Then they separated from one another and took hiding positions at three different places on the path of the Brahmin.

As soon as the Brahmin reached a lonely spot, one of the thugs came out of his hiding place and said to the Brahmin in a surprised tone, “Sir, what’s this? I don’t understand why a pious man like you should carry a dog on his shoulders!”

The Brahmin was shocked to hear these words. He shouted back, “Can’t you see? It’s not a dog but a goat, you fool.”

“I beg for your apology, sir. I told you what I saw. I am sorry if you don’t believe it,” said the thug and went away.

The Brahmin had hardly walked a hundred yards when another thug came out of his hiding place and said to the Brahmin, “Sir, why do you carry a dead calf on your shoulders? You seem to be a wise person. Such an act is sheer foolishness on your part.”

“What!” the Brahmin shouted. “How do you mistake a living goat for a dead calf?”

“Sir,” the second thug replied, “you seem to be highly mistaken in this respect yourself. Either you come from such a country where goats are not found, or you do it knowingly. I just told you what I saw. Thank you.” The second thug went away laughing.

The Brahmin walked further. But again, he had hardly covered a little distance when the third thug confronted him laughing.

“Sir, why do you carry a donkey on your shoulders? It makes you a laughing stock”, said the thug and began to laugh again.

The Brahmin hearing the words of the third thug became highly worried. ‘Is it really not a goat!’ He began to think. “Is it some kind of a ghost!”

The Brahmin got frightened. He thought to himself that the animal he was carrying on his shoulders might certainly be some sort of a ghost, because, it transformed itself from goat into a dog, from dog into a dead calf and from dead calf into a donkey.

The Brahmin was then terrified to such an extent that he flung the goat on to the roadside and fled.

The thugs caught the goat and feasted on it happily.

“One should not be carried away by what others say.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/

The King Cobra and the Ants

Panchantantra 34.

There lived a big king cobra in a dense forest. As usual, he fed on birds’ eggs, lizards, frogs and other small creatures. The whole night he hunted the small creatures and when the day broke, he went into his hole to sleep. Gradually, he became fat. And his fat grew to such a measure that it became difficult for him to enter and come out of his hole without being scratched.

Ultimately, he decided to abandon his hole and selected a huge tree for his new home. But there was an ant hill at the root of the tree. It was impossible for king cobra to put up with the ants. So, he went to the ant hill and said, “I’m King Cobra, the king of this forest. I order all of you to go from this place and live somewhere else.”

There were other animals, too, around. They began trembling with fear to see such a huge snake before them. They ran for their lives. But the ants paid no heed to his threats. Thousands of ants streamed out of the ant hill. Soon they were swarming all over the body of the king cobra, stinging and biting him. Thousands of thorny pricks all over his body caused unbearable pain to him. The king cobra tried to keep the ants away, but in vain. He wriggled in pain and at last, died a painful death.

“Even the strong and mighty cannot face the small ones, when in a large number, at a time.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/34.html

The Bad Lady and the Wolf

Panchatantra 30.

Long ago, there lived a carpenter in a village. He was gentle but his wife was of a wicked nature and bad character. She detested her husband, because he was much older than her.

Her infidelity drove her to become friendly with some other young men. One day, she met such a man who showed interest in her. But the man was in fact a thief. He knew that she was a lewd woman and had a lot of money with her. So, with a pretension of love, he decided to rob her. He said to her, I love you very much. I know, you too love me. Why don’t you marry me. Come to me with some money. Then, we’ll run Alay to some other town; marry there and live comfortably, thereafter.”

The carpenter’s wife readily agreed to his proposal. She was herself looking for such an opportunity. She decided to take away with her all the wealth of her husband.

One night, when her husband was fast asleep, she put all the gold and silver ornaments and the money in a bag and left the house. She met her thief boyfriend and they both started moving to some other town. They walked for hours and came across a river. They had to cross the river to reach another town.

As the young man had the only motive of robbing the woman of her ornaments and money, he said to her, “Darling, we have to cross this river to reach another town. We should do it immediately before the break of dawn, otherwise, we might be caught by your husband and relatives.”

“But I don’t know how to swim,” the lady said.

“Don’t worry, first I’ll cross the river and deposit the wealth on the other bank of this river, and then I’ll come back and carry you.”

The woman gladly handed over the money-bag to the thief. The thief again said, “Take off your costly clothes also. I’ll carry them safe and dry across the river.”

The woman, then, took off her clothes also and gave them to the thief.

The thief took the wealth and the clothes and then walked off.

The woman, all naked, sat on the bank of the river waiting for hours and hours for the thief to return, but the thief didn’t show up again.

Just then, a wolf wandered there with a piece of meat in his mouth. When he saw a fish in the river water, he put down the piece of meat and ran to catch the fish. Just then, an owl swooped down upon the piece of meat and flew away with it. On the other hand, the fish too swam back deep into the river. The wolf now had nothing to eat. The woman said to the wolf, “What’ll you eat now? you’ve lost the meat and fish both.”

The clever wolf understood all that had happened. He said to the woman, “Your condition is more pitiable than mine. I, nonetheless, would somehow, manage to get food, but what about you? You’ve become naked and also lost your husband, lover, the wealth and even the costly clothes. Who’ll give shelter to you? Who’ll accept you, now?”

The wolf went away, laughing sarcastically at the woman, leaving her to her own destiny.

“Bad deeds bring bad consequences.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/30.html

The Prince and the Seedling

Panchantantra 29.

Once there was a king whose son was very ill-tempered and bad mannered. The king, the courtiers and many other eminent citizens tried to reform the prince and make him understand the bad impression his ill manners and wicked ways would create on the public. But the prince paid no heed to their sensible advices.

One day, the king saw a sage walking in front of the palace. He had an alms bowl in his hand. The king saw his glowing face with rediance and was very much impressed with the way the sage was walking. His gait suggested that the sage was full of confidence and divine knowledge. The king asked one of his ministers to invite the sage to his court.

The sage came to the king’s court. He was received with great honour by the king and his courtiers.

When the king came to know that the sage was trying to find out a good dwelling place for himself, he offered him a hermitage in his palace. The sage accepted the offer of the king and started living in the hermitage.

One day, the king said to the sage, “You would have probably come to know by now, that my son is very ill-tempered and bad mannered. The people of my kingdom call him an unworthy prince. They don’t want him to succeed me as king. I request you kindly to teach the prince to mend his ways.” Then the king discussed other matters of his kingdom with the sage and left his son under his direct care and guidance with a confidence that the sage will definitely ameliorate the prince and bring a positive reform in him.

The next day, the sage took the prince for a walk through the garden of the palace. Pointing to a tiny plant the sage said to the prince, “Eat a leaf of this plant and tell me how it tastes.”

The moment the prince tasted the leaf he immediately spat it on th ground. “It seems to be a poisonous seedling. If it is allowed to grow into a big tree, it may prove dangerous for the health of many people.” The prince pulled the tiny plant out of the ground and tore it to pieces.

Then the sage picked up the torned and mutilated plant and said to the prince, “As you’ve reacted in the case of this plant, the people of your kingdom may, one day, react in the same manner with you, because they think you are a wicked prince. They may not allow you to rule the kingdom and may send you to exile. So it is much better that you mend your ways to create a feeling of mercy, compassion and kind heartedness all around ”

The prince understood the message of the sage. From that day onwards, he tried to grow humble and kind hearted, full of mercy and love.

The king was pleased and extremely happy to see such a big change in his son. He thanked the sage and expressed his gratefulness for his kindness.

“Bad temperament doesn’t win the hearts of people.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/29.html

The Donkey Who Sang a Song

Panchatantra 22.

Once upon a time, there lived a washerman in a village. He had a donkey by the name of Udhata. He used to carry loads of clothes to the river bank and back home everyday.

The donkey was not satisfied with the food, that was given to him by his master to eat. So he wandered into the nearby fields stealthily and ate the crops growing there.

Once, the donkey, while wandering around, happened to meet a fox. Soon, both of them became friends and began to wander together in search of delicious food.

One night, the donkey and the fox were eating water-melons in a field. The water-melons were so tasty, that the donkey ate in a large quantity. Having eaten to his appetite, the donkey became so happy that he was compelled by an intense desire to sing. He told the fox that he was in such a good mood that he had to express his happiness in a melodious tone. “Don’t be a fool. If you sing, the people sleeping in and around this field will wake up and beat us black and blue with sticks:’ said the fox worriedly.

“You are a dull fellow”, the donkey said hearing the words of fox. “Singing makes one happy and healthy. No matter what comes, I’ll definitely sing a song.”

The fox became worried to see the donkey adamant to sing a song in the midst of the field, while the owner was still sleeping only a little distance away.

Seeing his adamance, he said to the donkey, “Friend, wait a minute before you start. First, let me jump over to the other side of the fence for my safety.”

Saying so the fox jumped over to the other side of the fence without losing a moment.

The donkey began in his so-called melodious tone. Hearing, suddenly, a donkey braying in the field, the owner woke up from his sleep. He picked up his stick lying by his side and ran towards the donkey who was still braying happily. The owner of the field looked around and saw the loss caused by the donkey. He became very angry and beat him so ruthlessly that the donkey was physically incapacitated temporarily. He, somehow, managed to drag himself out of the field with great difficulty.

The fox looked at the donkey and said in a sympathetic tone, “I’m sorry to see you in this pitiable condition. I had already warned you, but you didn’t listen to my advice.”

The donkey too realised his folly and hung his head in shame.

“Think before you act.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/22.html

The Fake King

Panchatantra 20.

There lived a jackal in a jungle. His name was Chandarava. One day, he hadn’t eaten anything since morning and was so hungry that he wandered and wandered across the jungle, but couldn’t find anything to eat. He thought it better to walk a little farther and find something to eat in some village. He reached a nearby small village. There on its outskirts he ate some food, but the quantity was not sufficient and he was still very hungry. Then he entered another village with the hope of getting some more food.

As soon as the jackal entered the village, a few dogs roaming there charged at him barking loudly. The jackal was terribly frightened. He began running through lanes in order to save himself from the dogs. Soon he saw a house. The door of the house was open. It was a washerman’s house.’This is the right place for me to hide’, the jackal thought to himself and ran into the open door.

While trying to hide himself, the jackal slipped and fell into a tank full of blue colour, which the washerman had kept ready to dye the clothes.

Soon the barking of the dogs ceased. The jackal saw them going away. He came out of the tub. There was a big mirror fixed on a wall of a room. There was no one around. The jackal entered the room and saw his image in the mirror. He was surprised to see his colour. He looked blue. He came out of the house and ran back to the jungle.

When the animals of the jungle saw the blue jackal they were frightened. They had never seen such an animal. Even the lions and tigers were no exceptions. They too were scared of the seemingly strange animal.

The jackal was quick to realise the change in the behaviour of the other animals. He decided to take advantage of this funny situation.

“Dear friends”, said the blue jackal, “don’t be afraid of me. I’m your well-wisher. Lord Brahma has sent me to look after your well-being. He has appointed me as’your king.”

All the animals of the jungle developed unshakable faith in the blue jackal and accepted him as their king. They brought presents for him and obeyed his commands. The blue jackal appointed the lion as his commander-in-chief; the wolf was appointed the defence minister and the elephant the home minister.

Thus, the blue jackal began living in luxury with the lions and tigers also at his command. What to talk of the smaller animals? The tigers and leopards brought him delicious food everyday.

The blue jackal now was ruling the jungle. He used to hold daily darbar. All the animrals were like his servants. Even the lion hunted small animals and’gave them to the blue jackal to eat.

Once, when the blue jackal was holding his famous darbar, he heard a pack of jackals howling outside his palace. Those jackals had come from some other jungle and were howling, singing and dancing. The blue jackal forgot that he was a king and not an ordinary jackal any more. Instinctively, he too began howling, singing and dancing. All the animals were surprised to see their king howling like a jackal. Soon the word spread around that their king was simply a jackal and not a representative of Lord Brahma. He had fooled the animals. All the animals, in a fit of rage, killed the blue jackal immediately.

“One cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Source: http://panchatantrastories.tripod.com/20.html