Category Archives: INDIA
112. THE VILLAGE MOUSE VISITS TOWN MOUSE
Once upon a time, there lived a gentle mouse in a village. He had a friend living in a distant town. One day, the village mouse invited his town living friend to his village home to wine and dine with him. When the town mouse came to the home of the village mouse, the village mouse opened his heart and soul in the honour of his town friend. The village mouse served a variety of tasty dishes to his town friend.
The town mouse, although shared the delicious dishes with his village friend, but he still showed his dislike for the rural atmosphere. “How do you live here in this village, my friend. It’s living like a toad in a well. Can you ever prefer this village to the excitement of the city?” You’re simply wasting your time and energy here. Come to town some day. I’ll show you what’s life.” Then the town mouse thanked his village friend for the fine invitation and returned to his home town.
111. THE UNGRATEFUL WIFE
There was once a Brahman in a certain city who loved his wife more than his life. But she squabbled with his family every day, and never rested. Since he could not endure the squabbling, yet was devoted to his wife, he left his family and started for another country far away.
In the middle of a great forest, the Brahman’s wife said: “My dear, I am tortured by thirst. Please look about for water.” And he did as she requested, but when he returned with water, he found her dead.
110. THE UNGRATEFUL MAN
In a certain town lived a Brahman whose name was Saama. Every day his wife, chafing under their poverty, would say to him: “Come, Brahman! Lazybones! Stony-Heart! Don’t you see your babies starving, while you hang about, mooning? Go somewhere, no matter where, find some way, any way, to get food, and come back in a hurry.”
At last the Brahman, weary of this refrain, undertook a long journey, and in a few days entered a great forest. While wandering hungry in this forest, he began to hunt for water. And in a certain spot he came upon a well, overgrown with grass. When he looked in, he discovered a tiger, a monkey, a snake, and a man at the bottom. They also saw him.
109. THE TORTOISE AND THE GEESE
Once upon a time, two geese by the names of Sankata and Vikata and a tortoise by the name of Kambugriva lived near a river. They were good friends. Once, due to drought in the region, all the rivers, lakes and ponds went dry. There was not a drop of water to drink for the birds and animals. They began to die of thirst.
The three friends talked among themselves to find a solution to this problem and go out in search of water. But despite their best efforts they could not find water anywhere around.
