Fables

[blahblah]

Really it interests me.I will soon come out with some.The delay comes from the inconvienience that I have to filter out the ones involving rabbits in bad light.Hope you will understand .

[pavalamani pragasam]

Well done, a.ratchasi! I was busy in the morning, saw the thread only now. I love fables, fairy tales, all tales that have a moral- like Aesop’s, mullah’s, Birbal’s, Tenali Raman’s, Pancha Tantra and so on. I am happy to read the tales you have given quite new to me. Please carry on. Our children were lavishly treated by us to a feast of children’s story books & children’s magazines in both Tamil & English. The Muthu comic books were devoured by them. They loved the Phantom stories, Obelix, Mandrak, Flash Gordon, ,Tintin etc. We have the classics collections hard bound, preserved to be read by their sons! I am glad we nurtured book-reading habit in them. We never tired of telling stories to them while feeding them or putting them to sleep. Picture story books sold by the Twentieth Century book shop is the beginner even as soon as the baby sits up. The tradition continues in spite of the TV invasion. Luckily Pogo channel is the younger generation’s favourite. It is not bad. Popayey the sailor, Tom & Jerry, Flintstones are some favourite CD’s. This may be the reason why the the child in all of us has never grown up! I love to read Enid Blyton till today. I am diffident of reading new children’s books like Harry Potter which I have yet to set my eyes on!

[Querida]

I too am a fan of fables but growing up here i only have read those of aesop's tales....please Madame PP or any other poster can you put up some fables from your tamil authors? I really enjoyed reading these fables, I liked how i did not know of any one of them yet thought i have more or less encountered all of them...what a nice way to learn of my ignorance...I will try to find some of my own...but on the way please post some more of yours as well Ratchasi

[Querida]

The Ant and the Chrysalis - Aesop's Fables

An Ant nimbly running about in the sunshine in search of food came
across a Chrysalis that was very near its time of change. The
Chrysalis moved its tail, and thus attracted the attention of the Ant,
who then saw for the first time that it was alive. "Poor, pitiable
animal!" cried the Ant disdainfully. "What a sad fate is yours!
While I can run hither and thither, at my pleasure, and, if I wish,
ascend the tallest tree, you lie imprisoned here in your shell, with
power only to move a joint or two of your scaly tail." The Chrysalis
heard all this, but did not try to make any reply. A few days after,
when the Ant passed that way again, nothing but the shell remained.
Wondering what had become of its contents, he felt himself suddenly
shaded and fanned by the gorgeous wings of a beautiful Butterfly.
"Behold in me," said the Butterfly, "your much-pitied friend! Boast
now of your powers to run and climb as long as you can get me to
listen." So saying, the Butterfly rose in the air, and, borne along
and aloft on the summer breeze, was soon lost to the sight of the
Ant forever.


"Appearances are deceptive."

[Querida]

The Ass and the Mule


A MULETEER set forth on a journey, driving before him an Ass and
a Mule, both well laden. The Ass, as long as he traveled along
the plain, carried his load with ease, but when he began to
ascend the steep path of the mountain, felt his load to be more
than he could bear. He entreated his companion to relieve him of
a small portion, that he might carry home the rest; but the Mule
paid no attention to the request. The Ass shortly afterwards
fell down dead under his burden. Not knowing what else to do in
so wild a region, the Muleteer placed upon the Mule the load
carried by the Ass in addition to his own, and at the top of all
placed the hide of the Ass, after he had skinned him. The Mule,
groaning beneath his heavy burden, said to himself: " If I had only been willing to assist the Ass a little in his need, I should not now be bearing,together with his burden, himself as well."


-"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"-

[Querida]

The Ass in the Lion's Skin


AN ASS, having put on the Lion's skin, roamed about in the forest
and amused himself by frightening all the foolish animals he met
in his wanderings. At last coming upon a Fox, he tried to
frighten him also, but the Fox no sooner heard the sound of his
voice than he exclaimed, "I might possibly have been frightened
myself, if I had not heard your bray."


Clothes may disguise a fool, but his words will give him away

[Querida]

Belling the Cat


Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what
measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat.
Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got
up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet
the case. "You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger
consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy
approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her
approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore,
to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon
round the neck of the Cat. By this means we should always know
when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the
neighbourhood."

This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse
got up and said: "That is all very well, but who is to bell the
Cat?" The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke. Then the
old mouse said:

"It is easy to propose impossible remedies."

[a.ratchasi]

Madam PP, you have evoked my childhood days.
I had the privilege of reading a couple of Ambuli Mama comics or was it C something. I am I afraid I cant recall the title.
Initially, those colourful pictures with men attired differently fascinated me. It was an experince itself!

Blahblah, you wouldnt stop me from posting the 'good' rabbit fables, would you?

Q, that's a good suggestion of yours.
Hope to see more of Tamil and other asian fables.

Please keep the ball rolling...

[Badri]

I had the privilege of reading a couple of Ambuli Mama comics or was it C something. I am I cant recall the title.

Ratchasi, was it chandamama you were referring to? Or perhaps Champak, where you always had a tale about the clever bunny rabbit? What was his name, now?

blahblah, you listening?

[a.ratchasi]

Yes, Bandri. It is Chandamama. Thanks!
The one about the Clever rabbit? Nay...

I also recall reading about an 'intelligent' brahmana.
The stories involving him were simply funny!!
Sadly, I cant recall the plots as I read those ancient years ago!
The other reason being the books that I loaned were never returned to me.