40 Short Bedtime Panchatantra Stories You MUST Read to Your 3-10 Year Olds

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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