20 Stories
Hitopadesh Stories TotsName Kids Studio
Stories of “good advice” — about friendship, trust and staying alert to flattery and tricks.
Suitable for: 5–12 years
Featured stories
Story
The Dove King and the Hunter’s Net
A flock of doves caught in a net lifts it together — and a mouse friend sets them free.
Ages 4–10
Story
The Old Tiger and the Gold Bangle
A tiger holding a gold bangle offers it to a traveller — if only he will come a little closer.
Ages 6–12
Story
The Deer, the Crow and the Jackal
A deer trusts a smooth-talking jackal over his old friend the crow — and learns who his true friend is.
Ages 5–10
What is the Hitopadesh?
The Hitopadesha (“beneficial advice”) is a Sanskrit collection of fables composed by an author named Narayana, probably around the 12th century CE — the date is uncertain. It draws heavily on the Panchatantra and arranges its stories in four books on gaining friends, losing friends, war and peace.
What can children learn?
- Recognising flattery and false friends
- Loyalty and teamwork
- Thinking about consequences
- Retelling a story in order
All stories
The Dove King and the Hunter’s Net
A flock of doves caught in a net lifts it together — and a mouse friend sets them free.
Ages 4–10
The Old Tiger and the Gold Bangle
A tiger holding a gold bangle offers it to a traveller — if only he will come a little closer.
Ages 6–12
The Deer, the Crow and the Jackal
A deer trusts a smooth-talking jackal over his old friend the crow — and learns who his true friend is.
Ages 5–10
The Cat and the Old Vulture
An old, blind vulture guards a tree full of baby birds — until a sweet-talking cat moves in.
Ages 6–12
The Donkey and the Dog
A donkey tries to do the dog’s job of barking at a thief — with very noisy results.
Ages 5–10
The Jackals and the Proud Elephant
A proud elephant is flattered with the promise of a crown — and walks straight into the mud.
Ages 6–12
The Bell and the Monkeys
A village is scared of a “bell monster” — until one brave woman finds out what is really ringing.
Ages 5–10
The Lion, the Mouse and the Cat
A lion hires a cat to catch the mouse nibbling his mane — and the cat is careful never to finish the job.
Ages 6–12
The Donkey in the Tiger Skin
A washerman dresses his donkey in a tiger skin so it can graze in rich fields — until it opens its mouth.
Ages 5–10
The Birds and the Monkeys
Warm, dry birds give advice to wet, cold monkeys — who do not want to hear it.
Ages 6–12
The Hermit and the Mouse
A hermit turns a frightened mouse into a cat, a dog and a tiger — until the tiger forgets who helped him.
Ages 5–10
The Dreamer and the Pots
A man lies beside his pots of barley, dreaming of riches — and one kick in his daydream breaks them all.
Ages 5–10
The Greedy Jackal and the Bowstring
A jackal finds enough food to last for months — but he is so greedy to save it all that he nibbles the hunter’s bowstring instead.
Ages 6–12
The Three Fish in the Pond
Three fish hear that fishermen are coming — one plans ahead, one thinks fast, and one just waits to see what happens.
Ages 4–10
The Quail, the Crow and the Pot of Curd
A gentle quail flies along with a naughty crow — and when the crow steals curd, it is the quail who gets into trouble.
Ages 5–10
The Hares and the Moon in the Lake
A herd of thirsty elephants tramples the hares’ homes — until one clever old hare speaks for the Moon himself.
Ages 4–10
The Plovers and the Proud Sea
When the mighty sea carries away a little plover’s eggs, her husband vows to win them back — and all the birds come to help.
Ages 5–10
The Wise Old Swan and the Creeper
An old swan sees danger in a tiny creeper growing up the swans’ tree. The young swans laugh — until the day it matters.
Ages 5–10
The Old Snake and the Frog King
A tired old snake offers the frog king free rides on his back. The rides are fun — but what does the snake really want?
Ages 6–10
The Lion Who Feared a Bellow
The king of the forest hears a huge, strange roar and is too scared to drink at the river. A curious jackal goes to find out what it really is.
Ages 5–10
Turn stories into learning
Read or listen together → answer questions → practise on a Learning Island → earn a 🏅 Gold Medal.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Hitopadesh different from the Panchatantra?
It is a later collection that retells many Panchatantra fables and adds new ones, with its own framing story.
Are the characters real?
No, these are fables with animal characters.
Related categories
Keep exploring
Search every story, rhyme, mantra and topic — or start a learning session.