The Panchatantra Short Stories, a treasure trove of ancient Indian folklore, have enchanted young minds for centuries. These captivating Panchatantra Tales, brimming with animals that speak and act like humans, are more than just entertaining stories. They are a medium through which invaluable life lessons and moral values are imparted. Each story in the Panchatantra is a gem, offering children wisdom in an enjoyable and educational way. Let’s embark on a journey through 25 of these mesmerising tales, each unfolding a unique moral and lesson. The Thirsty Crow Full Story In English
Panchatantra Short Stories In English With Moral
At the heart of Panchatantra Short Stories lies a simple yet profound teaching method. The stories use animals as main characters, making them relatable and engaging for children. These animals, often embodying human virtues and vices, navigate through various challenges and adventures. Through their journeys, young readers learn about virtues like honesty, bravery, wisdom, and humility. The beauty of Panchatantra Stories lies in their simplicity and the ease with which they convey complex life lessons.
The Monkey and the Crocodile
Panchatantra Short Stories | There was a monkey who lived happily on a fruit tree beside a river. One day, a crocodile swam to the tree. The monkey, being friendly, offered him some fruits. They became good friends. However, the crocodile’s wife became jealous. She wanted to eat the monkey’s heart, thinking it would be as sweet as the fruits he ate. So, the crocodile invited the monkey to his home.
On the way, he revealed his wife’s plan. The clever monkey thought quickly and told the crocodile he had left his heart on the tree, and they needed to return to get it. The unsuspecting crocodile swam back. Upon reaching the tree, the monkey escaped to safety. Read the Full Story: The Monkey and Crocodile Full Story in English With Moral
Moral: The presence of mind can save you from tricky situations.
The Tortoise and the Geese
Panchatantra Short Stories | A tortoise named Gomukha lived in a pond and became friends with two geese. He loved their stories about faraway lands and wished to see the world with them. The geese suggested a plan where they would hold a stick in their beaks, and the tortoise would hold it in his mouth.
But he must not speak, or he would fall. As they flew, people on the ground saw them and marvelled. Unable to resist, Gomukha opened his mouth to speak and fell to the ground, losing his life. This story teaches us the importance of thinking before acting and the dangers of talking at the wrong time. 5 Short Stories Of Akbar And Birbal In English With Dialogues
Moral: Silence is sometimes the best answer.
The Crows and the Cobra
Panchatantra Short Stories | A pair of crows and their young ones lived in a big banyan tree. A cobra living in a hole in the same tree would eat their babies. The crows, saddened and desperate, asked a wise fox for advice. The fox suggested a plan. They were to steal a necklace from the nearby palace and drop it into the cobra’s hole. When the palace guards searched for the necklace, they found it with the cobra and killed it. This way, the crows eliminated their enemy and saved their future young ones.
Moral: Teamwork and intelligence can solve great challenges.
The Fox and the Grapes
Panchatantra Short Stories | A hungry fox saw some grapes hanging from a tree. They looked ripe and juicy, perfect for a meal. He tried to reach them but found they were too high. He jumped and leapt but to no avail. Tired and defeated, he finally gave up. As he walked away, he muttered, “Those grapes are probably sour anyway.” We learn from this story that sometimes when we cannot achieve something, we pretend it is not worth having in the first place. The Fox And The Grapes Full Story
Moral: It’s easy to despise what you can’t have.
The Crane and the Crab
Panchatantra Short Stories | A clever crab outwits a deceitful crane in this tale. The crane used to eat fish from a pond, but as he grew older, catching fish became difficult. So, he tricked the fish, claiming he would take them to a bigger, better pond. Instead, he took them one by one and ate them. A wise crab asked the crane to take him, too. The crab realised the crane’s trick when they reached a dry spot. Before the crane could eat him, the crab grabbed the crane’s neck with his claws and squeezed tightly until the crane perished. This saved the rest of the fish in the pond.
Moral: Wicked deeds will eventually bring misfortune.
The Mice That Ate Iron
In this Panchatantra Story, a merchant left a balance with a friend for safekeeping. When he returned, the friend deceitfully said mice had eaten the iron balance. Later, the merchant tricked his friend by taking his son under the pretence of a trip but hiding him. When the friend frantically searched, the merchant claimed a hawk had taken his son. The friend didn’t believe this, saying hawks can’t carry off humans. The merchant then pointed out that mice couldn’t eat iron if hawks couldn’t carry a child. The friend, realising his deceit had been caught, returned the balance.
Moral: Deceit often meets a fitting response.
The Elephant and the Sparrow
Panchatantra English Story | A sparrow and her friends lived happily in a forest until an elephant destroyed her nest and eggs. Heartbroken, the sparrow sought help from a woodpecker, a fly, and a frog. They devised a plan: the fly would distract the elephant by buzzing in his ears, the woodpecker would peck his eyes, blinding him, and the frog would lead him to a swamp. Confused and blinded, the elephant followed the frog’s croaks and fell into the swamp, where he perished. This story teaches us how even the mighty can be defeated with clever teamwork.
Moral: Unity and intelligence are powerful, even against the strongest foes.
The Ass in the Tiger Skin
Story Of Panchatantra In English | A washerman’s donkey, tired of carrying heavy loads, found a tiger skin one day. He wore it and roamed the forest, frightening all the animals who thought he was a tiger. This went on until, one day, he met a real tiger. Scared, the donkey brayed loudly. Hearing the bray, the other animals realised he was just a donkey and chased him away. The real tiger was amused at the donkey’s foolishness. This story shows that pretending to be what you are not can lead to trouble.
Moral: Be true to yourself and don’t try to deceive others.
The Blue Jackal
Stories In Panchatantra | A jackal strayed into a village and fell into a tub of blue dye. When he returned to the forest, all the animals were scared, thinking he was a strange creature. The clever jackal declared himself the king of the forest, and all animals believed him. He enjoyed his new status until, one day, he heard a pack of jackals howling. Forgetting his disguise, he howled back. The other animals realised he was just a jackal and chased him away. This story reminds us that true nature cannot be hidden forever.
Moral: No matter how hard you try, you cannot hide your true self.
The Wise Old Bird
Panchatantra Moral Stories In English | In a dense forest, there was a tree where many birds lived. An old, wise bird warned them about a hunter who had spread a net to catch them. He advised the birds to fly away immediately. However, the younger birds ignored the warning and were caught in the net. Realising their mistake, they sought the wise bird’s help. He advised them to pretend to be dead. When the hunter came and found the birds seemingly lifeless, he removed them from the net. At that moment, the birds flew away, saving themselves. This story teaches the importance of listening to wise advice and working together in difficult times.
Moral: Wisdom and unity can help overcome challenges.
The Rabbit and the Lion
This Story Of Panchatantra In English With Moral is about a brave rabbit who saved all the animals from a tyrant lion. The lion was eating up all the animals in the forest. To stop this, the animals offered the lion one animal daily. When it was the rabbit’s turn, he came up with a plan. He took a long time to reach the lion, making the lion very angry.
The rabbit then told the lion about another big lion in the forest who wanted to take over his territory. The lion followed the rabbit to a well and saw his reflection. Mistaking it for the other lion, he attacked and fell into the well. This clever plan by the rabbit saved all the animals. Lion And Rabbit Full Story With Moral For Kids
Moral: Intelligence and bravery can overcome even the mightiest foes.
The Four Friends and the Hunter
Panchatantra Ki Kahaniya In English | Four friends—a deer, a crow, a mouse, and a turtle—lived in a forest. One day, a hunter trapped the deer. The other three friends came up with a plan to save him. The crow pretended to be dead near the hunter’s net. Being close to the hunter, the mouse quickly cut the net, letting the deer go. Meanwhile, the turtle went to a nearby pond. When the hunter saw the turtle, he dropped the crow to catch it. The crow flew away, and the friends were all safe again. We learn from this story that we can overcome difficult situations by helping each other and working together.
Moral: Friendship and teamwork can conquer great challenges.
The Brahmin and the Goat
Panchatantra Moral Stories | A Brahmin once received a goat as a gift. On his way home, three crooks saw the goat and wanted to trick the Brahmin into getting it. They separately told the Brahmin that he was carrying a dog, a calf, and a dead donkey. Confused and scared by these comments, the Brahmin left the goat and ran away. The crooks took the goat and celebrated their success. This story teaches us not to be influenced by others’ words without using our own judgment.
Moral: Don’t let false advice influence you; instead, trust your own judgment.
The King and the Foolish Monkey
Short Story Of Panchatantra In English | A king had a pet monkey. This monkey was very loyal but acted without thinking. One day, while the king was sleeping, a fly sat on his chest. The monkey tried to swat the fly away with a sword. The monkey hit the king instead, hurting him badly. This story shows that acting without thinking can lead to harmful outcomes, even with good intentions.
Moral: It’s important to think before you act, especially in situations requiring careful judgment.
The Heron and the Crab
Short Stories Panchatantra | A heron lived near a pond and was too lazy to hunt for fish. He tricked the fish, claiming the pond was drying up and he could take them to a bigger pond. Each day, he would eat the fish he carried. A wise crab asked the heron to take him to the new pond. Midway through, the crab realised the heron’s deceit. Before the heron could eat him, the crab grabbed the heron’s neck with his strong claws and killed him. This saved the crab and the remaining fish in the pond.
Moral: Cunningness can backfire, and wisdom can save lives.
The Talkative Turtle
Moral Stories From Panchatantra | Two geese and a turtle were great friends. When a drought came, they decided to leave their drying pond. The geese would carry the turtle with a stick, which he would hold in his mouth without speaking. Unfortunately, the turtle couldn’t resist talking when he heard people on the ground laughing at them. As soon as he opened his mouth, he fell and lost his life. This story teaches the importance of following advice and the consequences of not doing so.
Moral: Sometimes silence is golden.
The Mouse and the Lion
Moral Stories Panchatantra | A small mouse accidentally stumbled upon a sleeping lion, who then captured the mouse. The mouse pleaded for his life, promising to help the lion someday. The lion let him go after finding the idea amusing. Later, the lion got caught in a hunter’s net, and the little mouse heard his roar. Remembering his promise, the mouse quickly gnawed through the net, freeing the lion. This story shows that even small friends can be a big help. The Lion and The Mouse: Full Story of Friendship For Kids
Moral: Every act of kindness is never wasted.
The Bird with Two Heads
Panchatantra Tales | There was a bird with two heads but a single stomach. The heads would take turns eating. One head found a delicious fruit and didn’t share it with the other. In anger, the other head found poisonous fruit and ate it, which killed both heads as they shared the same body. This story illustrates the consequences of selfishness and the importance of cooperation and sharing.
Moral: Unity and harmony lead to survival; discord and selfishness lead to downfall.
The Monkeys and the Bell
Stories Of Panchatantra In English With Moral | A troop of monkeys found a bell in the forest and started playing with it, creating a lot of noise. The villagers, hearing the bell, thought it was a warning of danger and fled their village. The monkeys then took over the empty village. However, when the villagers realized their mistake, they returned and drove the monkeys away. This story highlights how misunderstanding and fear can lead to unnecessary panic and chaos.
Moral: Act on understanding, not fear.
The Sage and the Mouse
Short Stories Panchatantra English | Once, a sage turned a mouse into a girl and raised her as his daughter. When she came of age, he wanted to find a suitable husband for her. She refused the sun, the clouds, the wind, and the mountain but chose a mouse, as she felt more comfortable with someone like her. The sage then turned her back into a mouse, and they lived happily ever after. This story teaches us that true happiness often lies in being true to our nature and finding comfort in our own identity.
Moral: Be true to yourself and find happiness in who you are.
The Crow and the Serpent
Stories From Panchatantra With Moral | A crow and his wife had their nest on a tree, but a serpent living in a hole in the same tree would eat their eggs. Unable to defeat the serpent, the crow sought the help of a jackal. The jackal advised the crow to steal the queen’s jewellery and drop it into the serpent’s hole. The guards, searching for the jewellery, found and killed the serpent. This saved the crow’s future babies. The story teaches us that sometimes indirect strategies can be more effective than direct confrontation.
Moral: Intelligence and indirect strategies can overcome powerful enemies.
The Brahmin, the Thief, and the Demon
Panchatantra Story Books | A Brahmin was once gifted a calf, which a thief wanted to steal. As he attempted to do so, a demon who killed anyone speaking at night was nearby. When the thief moved the calf, it mooed, and the Brahmin awoke and spoke. The demon killed the thief instead of the Brahmin. This story teaches us that sometimes unintended consequences can arise from our actions and that fortune can favour us unexpectedly.
Moral: Fortune can be unpredictable, and sometimes luck can save us from misfortune.
The Fisher and the Little Fish
Stories From Panchatantra Book | A fisherman caught a small fish in his net. The fish begged to be released, promising it would grow bigger and could be caught again later. The fisherman, realising that the small fish might not survive or that he might not catch it again, decided to keep it. This story teaches us the value of a sure thing over a promise of something better in the future.
Moral: It’s better to be content with what you have than to always hope for more and risk losing everything.
FAQs about Panchatantra Short Stories
What are the Panchatantra Short Stories? Why is it important?
The Panchatantra Short Stories is a collection of ancient Indian fables written in Sanskrit. It is important because it’s not just a book of stories but a book of moral lessons that have influenced the moral fabric of children for generations.
Who wrote the Panchatantra Short Stories?
The Panchatantra Short Stories are traditionally attributed to Vishnu Sharma, an ancient Indian scholar. However, the stories themselves are likely a collection from various authors over time.
How old are the Panchatantra Short Stories?
The Panchatantra dates back to at least the 3rd century BCE, making it over 2,300 years old.
Are Panchatantra Short Stories only for children?
Despite the fact that Panchatantra stories frequently feature animal characters and moral lessons aimed at children, people of all ages enjoy them for their wisdom and universal themes.
How do Panchatantra Short Stories teach morals?
Panchatantra Short Stories use animal characters and engaging narratives to illustrate moral and ethical lessons. The stories often conclude with a moral, making the lesson clear and memorable.
Summary
The Panchatantra Short Stories, rich in wisdom and morals, have been a part of children’s literature in India for centuries. With their memorable animal characters and engaging narratives, these tales entertain and impart valuable life lessons. From understanding the importance of intelligence and wit to learning about unity, honesty, and the consequences of our actions, these stories offer a treasure trove of wisdom. As today’s children navigate through their own adventures and challenges, the timeless lessons of Panchatantra remain as relevant and instructive as ever, guiding them towards a life of virtue and understanding.