The Panchatantra collection of short stories was written in Sanskrit by Indian scholar and author, Vishnu Sharma, between 1200 CE – 300 CE. Some scholars also believe that it was written in around 3 CE. Panchatantra stories are one of the most widely translated books in the history and are known for their wisdom on practical life. The stories themselves are delightfully narrated, with animals and birds often being the central characters. Thus they provide valuable life lessons in a light-hearted manner. While some of the stories may not be appropriate for children in this age group, most of them appeal to early stage learners, due to the colorful characters.
Here we list the most famous stories from the Panchatantra for kids. These stories can be used by parents, teachers and children for storytelling sessions, role plays, moral educations classes, school competitions etc.
1. The Monkey and the Crocodile
The most popular and most widely narrated of the Panchatantra stories. The monkey and crocodile become friends, but the crocodile’s wicked wife has other intentions. She wants to eat the monkey’s heart! Read the complete story here.
Moral of the story: Choose your friends wisely.
Kids love the monkey who saves his skin from a deceitful friend through quick thinking. The story teaches kids the importance of choosing the right friends and also possessing presence of mind. Both of these are valuable lessons for your toddlers as they set out to meet their first friends at school.
2. The Stork and the Crab
An old stork finds an easier way of hunting fishes. He promises them that he will take them safely to a bigger lake, with lots of water; but instead carries them to a rock where he kills and eats them. However, he soon meets his match in the form of the crab. How? Read it here.
Moral of the story: A sharp mind is the greatest strength.
Another story that teaches the importance of choosing the right friends and also the importance of the presence of mind. Kids will love the crab that turns a hero for all the fish in the tank by killing the bad stork.
3. The Loyal Mongoose
The Loyal Mongoose which was killed by a woman Panchatantra Story
“Think before you act” ! Once a loyal mongoose is left to guard his master’s sleeping infant. When the mongoose sees a snake coming to bite the infant, he attacks and kills the viper. The farmer’s wife, who has not seen the snake and mongoose fight, sees the blood on the mongoose’s mouth on returning home and expects the worst. She kills the mongoose in a fit of anger, only to realize her mistake later. [Complete Story]
Moral of the story: Think before you act.
The message is conveyed in a brutal yet effective manner. Although kids rarely think before they act, it never harms to start teaching them this habit early.
4. The Brahmin’s Dream
Building castles in the air never gets you anywhere. Once a poor Brahmin (pious man) is gifted a pot of flour. He returns home and daydreams about all that he will achieve with a pot of flour. Only to wake up in the end, and find himself surrounded by broken pieces of the earthen pot and covered in flour!
Here is the complete tale.
Moral of the story: Do not build castles in the air. They will fall.
The story is full of actions and sounds; enact it to your kids and they will love it. On a serious note, it will remind kids that hard work is more important than day-dreaming.
- Buy the Complete collection of 365 Panchatantra short stories in English from Amazon (IN) and Amazon.com.
5. Union is Strength
Long ago, there lived a flock of pigeons in a dense forest. One day all the pigeons were caught in a hunter’s net. How did they get out? By being united of course. Flap, flap your wings and fly away! Read the complete story here.
Moral of the story: Unity is strength.
This story is as much for adults as for kids, serving as a reminder that the greatest obstacles can be overcome by staying united. Kids at this age have their first encounter with the outside world. You can stress how important it is to stay together and not discriminate.
6. The Cat’s Judgement
A partridge and a rabbit get into an argument. They decide to find a third person to settle their argument and come across a praying cat…Read this story to find out what happened next (Hint: It’s not so difficult to guess!)
Moral of the story: Never trust a stranger, even though he may seem very friendly.
7. The Tiger, The Brahmin and The Jackal
Once a tiger promises a brahmin to set him free from his cage, promising him no harm. But once free, the tiger tells the brahmin that he is hungry and would he should prepare for death. When the brahmin pleads the tiger to spare his life, the tiger agrees to abide by the decision of the first three things the Brahmin chose to question as to the justice of the tiger’s action. The brahmin asks a tree, a buffalo and a jackal. Find what happens next.
8. The Elephants and the Mice
A herd of elephants looking for water pass through a deserted city, populated only by mice. The mice, afraid of being trampled by the large herd, request the elephants to take a different path, a request their leader graciously agrees. Years later, the mice hear of the elephants that the King’s hunters have captured for his army, and rush to help them. They gnaw at the ropes tying the elephants and set them free.
Tell your child the importance of standing up for your friends just as the mice stood by their friends, the elephants, and saved them from the King’s hunters.
Moral of the story: A friend in need is a friend indeed.
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9. The Mice that Ate Iron
A merchant leaves an iron chest in the care of his friend, while he travels to a neighboring village. On returning, the friend (who is very greedy) tells the merchant that the mice ate up his iron chest. How does the merchant get his revenge? Read this story to know.
While the story is a bit serious for toddlers, it’s ideal for kids aged 6-9.
Moral of the story: What goes round, comes round. A lie never goes undetected.
10. The Tortoise and the Geese
Three friends – two geese and a tortoise, decide to migrate to a new place in search of food and fresh water. The geese can fly, but the tortoise can’t. So the three devise a way of carrying the tortoise between the geese as they fly. What happens as they fly? Does the tortoise reach safely? Read this story to know.
Moral of the story: Think before you act.
11. The Outsmarted Brahmin (The Brahmin And The Crooks)
A Brahmin was on his way carrying a sacrificial goat on his shoulders. Unknown to him three crooks hatched a plan to outwit him and get the goat. Little did the Brahmin know what he was carrying on his shoulders! Did the crooks manage to get the better of him?
Moral of the story: A mind that cannot judge on its own believes a lie to be the truth.
12. The Wasted Knowledge (The Lion That Sprang To Life) – The Four Friends and The Lion
Four Brahmins came across a dead lion’s bones in the forest. Three of them were learned, but lacked common sense. In spite of repeated advice from their fourth friend who was smart, they use their knowledge to bring the lion back to life. What happened next?
Moral of the story: It is better to use common sense over knowledge at times.
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13. The Blue Jackal King (The Story of The Blue Jackal)
A hungry jackal wandering in a village was chased away by a pack of dogs. In a sudden turn of events, the jackal turned ‘blue’. Realising his new-found identity was the reason of fear amongst animals, he decided to rule them. But, his cover did not last long. What became of his fate at the end?
Moral of the story: No matter how you seem on the outside, the inner self is the only truth.
14. Three Fishes In A Pond (The Tale of Three Fishes)
In a large school of fishes, there lived three fishes who were best friends. One day two of the fishes decided to leave the pond after overhearing the fishermen planning to catch them the next morning. But, the third fish was adamant of staying back in the pond. What happened the next morning?
Moral: Take immediate steps when you sense an imminent danger.
15. A Monkey’s Revenge (The Unforgiving Monkey)
A family of monkeys were the pets of a king’s son. One day, the old monkey chief predicted an imminent danger to his family. In spite of his warnings, they stay back and a series of events lead to their death. The grieving monkey vows revenge against the king. Will he be successful?
Moral of the story: Walk the path of greed and you will end up meeting disaster.
16. Two Snakes And The Princess (The Tale of Two Snakes)
Fate unites a vanquished princess and a weakened prince. The smart princess finds out the real cause of her husband’s ailment and the reason behind it to be two snakes. The snakes quarrel with each other one day and unbeknownst to them, she discovers their secret. How did she cure her husband’s ailment and get rid of the snakes?
Moral of the story: When the quarrel is among friends, it is the enemy who benefits.
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17. The Trickster Disciple (The Foolish Sage)
A sage who trusted nobody lived in the town’s outskirts. He always carried a bag filled with money in his possession. A swindler with an intention of stealing the money joined the sage as his disciple. It took him a hard time to win the sage’s confidence. Did he succeed in stealing the money from the sage who trusted nobody?
Moral of the story: No matter how sweet the talks of a swindler are, they always bring harm.
18. The Musical Donkey (The Donkey And The Jackal)
A donkey befriends a jackal and together they would sneak into nearby farms to fill-up their stomachs. One day after eating cucumbers to his heart’s content, the donkey feels like “singing”. While the jackal advises him not do so, the donkey is adamant. What happens next? Read this funny story here.
Moral of the story: There is a time and place for everything you do.
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19. The Foolish Lion And The Clever Rabbit (The Rabbit Who Killed The Lion)
An extremely well-known story of a clever rabbit who was sent to the the lion ‘s prey. But the rabbit was determined not to give up so easily. And thus, he devised a plan to kill the lion. Did the rabbit succeed? Find out here.
Moral of the story: Focus on the solution and not the problem.
20. Beats of The Drum (The Jackal And The Drum)
Once a jackal was desperate for food and was wandering about in the forest. He reached a deserted battlefield outside the jungle and began to hear a strange noise. At first he thought of running for his life. But, the next moment he made up his mind to find the truth. What did he find?
Moral of the story: Do not run away from problems, instead try and face them.
21. The Greedy Bird
A famous panchatantra story of a little bird that becomes greedy when it discovers lot of food grains on a village road. The bird hatches a plan to dissuade other birds from going towards the village road. Find out how the little bird pays for her greed in the end.
Moral of the story: Never be greedy.
22. The King’s Choice (The Loyal Camel)
A lion once surrounds himself with sycophants who never loose an opportunity to please the king of the jungle. But when the lion finds himself in real trouble, the sycophants are the first ones to shed responsibility and escape. But in the process, the lion discovers true friendship.
Moral of the story: Choose your friends wisely.
23. The Old Stag
An old stag lived on a small hillock that was covered with extremely tender grass. Once when the stag fell ill, his friends paid him a visit. They discovered the tender grass cover on the hillock and soon the word spread. Many animals, who were not even close friends, started visiting the stag to inquire about his health. In the process, they did more harm than good to the ailing stag.
Moral of the story: Not everyone who appears to care for you is your friend.
24. The Elephant And The Dog (The Elephant Who Befriended A Dog)
Once upon a time, a king built a stable for the royal elephant. Nutritious food was served daily to the royal elephant and a caretaker was assigned to look after the elephant. In the stable, the elephant befriends a dog. The bond between the elephant and the dog became stronger by the day until one day the caretaker sells the dog to a farmer. Once the dog leaves the elephant refuses to eat or drink and his health starts falling. A worried king inquires and finds out about the elephant’s friendship with the dog. Was the king able to get the two friends back together?
Moral of the story: Life without friends is no fun.
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25. The Elephant And The Sparrows
A sparrow couple lived happily atop a tall and strong tree along with many other birds. They were expecting their eggs to hatch soon. Little did they know that a haughty elephant also live in the area. One day he attempts to bring the tree down as he could not stand anyone taller or stronger than himself. While the tree remained unmoved, the sparrows lost their nest and eggsdue to the vigorous shaking of the tree by the elephant. The sparrows decide to take revenge. Find out how the sparrows, despite being smaller in size than the elephant, are able to kill the egoistic beast.
Moral of the story: Our strength is defined by how mentally strong we are.
26. The Shrewd Jackal (The Cave That Talked)
Upon returning to his cave in the evening, a jackal realized that he had an unsolicited visitor. It was none other than a mighty lion waiting for his meal. The shrewd jackal devised a plan to outwit the lion and save himself. What did he do?
Moral of the story: Even during the hardest times, the one who is smart survives against all odds.
27. The Ride On A Snake (Frogs That Rode A Snake)
An old weak snake arrived to a pond filled with frogs. He offered to serve them in every way possible and thus gained the confidence of the unsuspecting frogs, including their king. Little did they know the real intention of the snake. What happened to their fate?
Moral of the story: Always keep an eye open to deception that may come in any form.
28. The Warrior Potter (The Story of the potter)
An injured potter left his home and moved to a different place to escape famine. The king of the new land mistook him for a warrior due to his large scar and employed him as a soldier. There was soon a war and the entire army was assembled. Did the king then discover the true identity of the potter?
Moral of the story: It is better to remain true to self than put up a pretence.
29. Knowledge Of The Fools (The Four Learned Fools)
After years of earning knowledge in a hermitage, four naïve Brahmins decided to earn money with their learning. They came across a series of events that left them with bitter results. Did their knowledge prove useless?
Moral of the story: Knowledge imparted without commonsense is no good at all
30. The Exchange of Sesame Seeds (Shandili And The Sesame Seeds)
A poor Brahmin’s wife was asked to feed a Brahmin by her husband. She had nothing but a handful of sesame seeds to cook. When a stray dog dirtied the seeds kept for drying, she hatched a plan to exchange them with her neighbour. But, her intentions were soon discovered. Did the Brahmin’s wife succeed in covering up her lie?
Moral of the story: Some things are too good to be believed true.
31. The Camel With A Bell (The Price Of Indiscretion)
A haughty young camel was the favourite of a cart-maker who earned his living by selling camel milk. His fortunes grew and so did the number of camels with him. One fateful day, the young camel strayed away in spite of good advices from the fellow camels. He had to pay a huge price. What was the result of his arrogance?
Moral of the story: The wise always listen to good advice and act upon them.
32. The Wise Minister’s Advice (The War of Crows And Owls)
A group of crows and owls were always at loggerheads with each other. The owls would attack the crows at night, injuring and killing many. When the distraught king of crows consulted his ministers for help, the oldest among them came out with a master-plan. Who did victory favour?
Moral of the story: Keep your enemies at bay and never let them know your strengths.
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33. The Tittibha Birds (The Bird Pair And The Sea)
A pair of Tittibha birds had made seashore their home. When it was time to lay eggs, the female bird asked her husband for a secure place lest the waves would wash away her eggs. The proud male boasted that the sea would not dare to do so. What happened next?
Moral of the story: Know your strengths before you boast of the possibilities.
34. The Ignorant Jackal (Fighting Goats And The Jackal)
A hungry jackal was passing by a jungle when he saw two goats fighting and ramming each other. His hunger knew no bounds when he saw the blood spilled all around. The jackal was thus lured into an impending danger to his life. Did he satiate his hunger?
Moral of the story: Greed often blinds a foolish mind to see the apparent danger.
35. The Monkey Business (The Monkey And The Wedge)
A rich merchant once employed many workers to construct a temple. It was meal break for the workers, but playtime for a group of monkeys nearby. One of the monkeys in the group was more than curious. Did his curiosity cost him more than expected?
Moral of the story: Do not put yourself in harm’s way by unsolicited interference.
36. A Treat For The Jackal (The Jackal’s Strategy)
A hungry jackal stumbled upon a dead elephant and was rejoiced at the sight of the feast. But, his joy was short-lived as the skin was too tough to be torn apart. He even had to encounter many enemies. How did he manage to relish his meal?
Moral of the story: It is always wise to choose the right way to tackle one’s enemy.
37. The Jackal Amidst Lions (The Lioness And The Young Jackal)
Long ago, a lion went to hunt food for his family. One day, unable to find any prey he found a baby jackal. Taking pity on it, the lion and the lioness raised him as their son along with their own cubs. Time went by and the jackal came to know the truth. He was forced to leave the family before it was too late. Why?
Moral of the story: Be aware of your true potentials before you act.
38. Mouse-Maid Made Mouse (The Wedding of The Mouse)
A hermit who lived on the banks of Ganges rescued a mouse from a hawk. Since he and his wife were childless, he transformed it into a little girl. She grew up under the care of her parents and soon it was time for her marriage. The hermit thus began his search to find a suitable groom to his ‘mouse’ daughter. Who married her in the end?
Moral of the story: The only things that do not change are our inherent qualities.
39. An Unsolicited Advice (The Bird And The Monkeys)
Drenched in rains and shivering in cold, a group of monkeys were desperate to find something that would keep them warm. Mistaking a certain fruit for embers, they make every attempt to create fire out of it. In the midst of all this, a bird tries to instill some sense in the monkeys through unsolicited advice but at a great price.
Moral of the story: Never give an unsolicited advice to fools.
40. Secret Of The Mouse (The Hermit And The Mouse)
A hermit who lived in a temple had to put up all efforts against a mouse which used to steal his food. He tried everything to keep the mouse away from his food, but to no avail. One day, he found out the secret of the mouse with the help of a visiting mendicant. How did he solve his problem?
Moral of the story: Always find the root cause of the problem; it will be half solved.
41. The Bulls And The Lion (The Separation of Friends)
Everyday, a lion used to see three bulls grazing in the open grasslands of the forest. The bulls always used to stay together and saw each others back. All three were extremely well built. Every time the lion tried to attack any of them, the other two would thwart his attempt with each. One day, the bulls had a fight for some reason. Out of anger, they started grazing separately. It was now easy for the lion to attack them separately and make them his prey.
Moral of the story: United we stand, divided we fall.
42. Four Friends And The Hunter
A deer, a mouse, a crow and a tortoise used to live in a forest and were very good friends. Once a hunter came to the forest in search of food. The hunter was able to catch the tortoise as it was very slow, while all the others managed to escape.
The three friends then decided to rescue their friend. They came up with a plan to save their friend. Did they succeed in saving their friend? Find out here.
Moral of the story: This Panchatantra story teaches the importance of standing by your friends in the times of need.
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Did you like this post? Here are 4 more stories from Indian folklore that your 4-6 year old will love to listen to over and over again.
Buy the Complete collection of 365 Panchatantra short stories in English from Amazon (IN) and Amazon.com.
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