Panchtantra Stories

In a forest on the Varuna hills, there once lived a black snake named Mandavishya. As he was becoming old, he was worried that he was no longer able to snare frogs, which will make him even weaker and eventually die. So, he embarked upon a plan and went to the edge of a lake and started pretending that he had lost all interest in worldly matters. A frog in the lake came out and asked him, "Uncle, why are you not preying for food as used you to do in the past?" The snake said, "Listen, my son, I am very unfortunate. How can I have any fervour for food? Last night when I was on my rounds looking for food I sighted a frog. When I tried to get at him, he jumped into the middle of a group of Brahmins reciting the Vedas. I could not track him. But soon I saw something like a frog near the Brahmins and at once jumped at him and bit him. It turned out to be the thumb of a Brahmin boy. The boy died immediately." "When his father found that I had killed his son, he cursed me, "You wicked snake, you have killed my innocent son. From now onwards you will serve as a vehicle for all frogs. Your life will be at their mercy." I have now decided to serve my sentence. That is why I am here," said the snake. The frog ran into the lake and told every one about the snake and his offer to serve as a vehicle. Happy at the prospect, all the frogs went and met their king Jalapada and told him about the snake. "What a wonderful news," thought the king and trooped out of the lake with his ministers and subjects. The king was the first to get on to the hood of the snake, followed by his ministers. In the order of seniority and prominence, the kings’ subjects also climbed the back of the snake. Those unfortunate frogs that could not find space on the vehicle followed the snake in a procession. To entertain them, Mandavishya showed several feats he could do. Thrilled by the experience of riding a deadly snake, Jalapada, the king of the frogs, thought that the ride had no parallel. No ride, whether on an elephant or a horse or a chariot or a palanquin, can match this experience, he thought. On the second day, Mandavishya slowed down the pace of his haul. Noticing the change of pace, Jalapada asked the snake why he was not moving as briskly as he used to. The snake told the king of frogs that he had no food that day and being weak he was not able to carry so much load. Jalapada, taking pity on the snake, said, "You can have the younger frogs for your food." Thrilled at this offer, the snake said, "O king of frogs, my plight is due to the curse the Brahmin gave me. Your magnanimous concession has released me today from the curse. I am so happy." The snake thus began eating a few frogs every day and soon became strong and healthy. He was also worried that if he began eating the frogs at that rate there would not be any frogs left for him in the future. Meanwhile, a big cobra chanced to come that way and seeing the snake carrying the frogs and struck by wonder asked the snake, "This is very unique though unnatural. How is it you have become a vehicle for frogs which are our natural food?" "That’s a long story resembling the story of the Brahmin who pretended to have become blind after eating the good food his wife had made," said Mandavishya. The cobra asked the snake to relate that story. Once upon a time, a Brahmin named Yagnadatta lived in a city. He had a wife who was not trustworthy. She had a lover to whom she would secretly send every day delicious food she made. One day, her husband found out what she was doing. He asked her, "My dear, you are making every day some special dish or the other and taking it out of the house. Tell me, what is the truth." With great presence of mind, she told Yagnadatta, "Every day I am fasting and taking this food to offer to the Goddess." To allay suspicion, she collected food and telling her husband that she was leaving for the temple, left home.