Grandmother stories, retold
Folk tales from across India, free to read aloud.
A warm, growing library of Panchatantra fables, Jataka tales, and the grandmother stories of every region — retold in fresh words for children aged 3 to 12.
Gentle, modern retellings, made to be read aloud — no scary bits, no preaching.
Bridging the miles between a child's world and their roots.
Browse by region
- East Bengal and Assam — the classic grandmother tales. 9 stories
- North Punjab, Kashmir and the mountains, full of wit and wonder. 9 stories
- West The Deccan and the busy trading towns of the western coast. 10 stories
- South Quick-witted jesters and a brave cow who kept her word. 7 stories
- Pan-India Panchatantra and Jataka — fables loved all across the land. 21 stories
- Scripture Gentle deep-cuts from the epics and the Upanishads. 18 stories
All stories
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SouthAvvaiyar and the Wise Little Boy
Folk tale (Tamil Nadu) · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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ScriptureBhagiratha and the River
Puranas · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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NorthBirbal and the Line
Akbar & Birbal · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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NorthBirbal Catches the Thief
Akbar & Birbal · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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NorthBirbal Counts the Crows
Akbar & Birbal · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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NorthBopoluchi and the False Uncle
Tales of the Punjab · Ages 7-11 · 5 min
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EastChhura and the Magic Horn
Mizo folk tale · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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ScriptureDhruva, the Boy Who Became a Star
Vishnu Purana · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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EastDurga and the Buffalo-Demon
Festival tale (Durga Puja / Navaratri) · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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ScriptureEkalavya and the Clay Teacher
Mahabharata · Ages 9-12 · 5 min
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ScriptureGajendra and the Crocodile
Bhagavata Purana · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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ScriptureHanuman and the Sun
Ramayana · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaHow Holi Got Its Colours
Festival tale (Holi) · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
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WestHow the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind Went Out to Dinner
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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ScriptureJatayu the Brave
Ramayana · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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SouthKing Mahabali Comes Home
Folk legend (Kerala) / the story of Onam · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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NorthKing Vikram and the Vetala
Baital Pachisi (Vikram and the Vetala) · Ages 8-12 · 5 min
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EastKiranmala and the Talking Bird
Thakurmar Jhuli (Bengal) · Ages 7-11 · 5 min
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Pan-IndiaKrishna, Draupadi, and the Thread
Festival tale (Raksha Bandhan) · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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ScriptureNachiketa and the Lord of Death
Katha Upanishad · Ages 8-12 · 5 min
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ScriptureNala and Damayanti
Mahabharata · Ages 8-11 · 5 min
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SouthNandi's Big Mistake
Festival tale (Pongal), Tamil Nadu · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaNasruddin and the Borrowed Pot
Mullah Nasruddin · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaNasruddin and the Smell of the Food
Mullah Nasruddin · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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ScripturePrahlada and the Pillar
Bhagavata Purana · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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SouthPunyakoti, the Cow Who Kept Her Word
Folk tale (Karnataka) · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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ScriptureSatyakama, the Boy Who Told the Truth
Chandogya Upanishad · Ages 8-12 · 4 min
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ScriptureSavitri and the Lord of Death
Mahabharata · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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ScriptureShabari's Berries
Ramayana · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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ScriptureShravan, the Devoted Son
Ramayana · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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WestSodewa Bai and the Golden Necklace
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 7-11 · 5 min
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EastSukhu and Dukhu
Thakurmar Jhuli (Bengal) · Ages 5-9 · 5 min
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WestSurya Bai, the Girl the Eagles Raised
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 6-10 · 5 min
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ScriptureSvetaketu and the Hidden Thing
Chandogya Upanishad · Ages 8-12 · 4 min
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EastTejimola
Burhi Aair Sadhu (Assam) · Ages 7-10 · 4 min
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SouthTenali Raman and the King's Cats
Folk tale (Vijayanagara) · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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SouthTenali Raman and the Well of Gold
Folk tale (Vijayanagara) · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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WestThe Alligator and the Jackal
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Blue Jackal
Panchatantra · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Boy Who Began with a Dead Mouse
Jataka tale · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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WestThe Boy Who Outwitted Punchkin
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 7-11 · 5 min
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WestThe Boy with the Moon on His Forehead
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 7-11 · 5 min
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WestThe Brahmin, the Tiger, and the Clever Jackal
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Brahmin's Dream
Panchatantra · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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NorthThe Charmed Ring
Folk-Tales of Kashmir · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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ScriptureThe Churning of the Ocean
Puranas · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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WestThe Coconut That Cost Nothing
Folk tale (Gujarat) · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Crane and the Crab
Panchatantra · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Elephants and the Mice
Panchatantra · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Foolish Friend
Panchatantra · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Goat, the Brahmin, and the Three Rascals
Panchatantra · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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NorthThe Lambikin
Tales of the Punjab · Ages 3-7 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Lamps of Ayodhya
Festival tale (Diwali), from the Ramayana · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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EastThe Legend of Khana
Bengali folk wisdom (Khanar Bachan) · Ages 8-12 · 5 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Lion and the Little Hare
Panchatantra · Ages 4-8 · 4 min
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EastThe Match-Making Jackal
Folk-Tales of Bengal · Ages 6-10 · 5 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Merchant and the Iron Scales
Panchatantra / Hitopadesha · Ages 7-10 · 4 min
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ScriptureThe Mongoose at the Sacrifice
Mahabharata · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Monkey and the Crocodile
Panchatantra · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Monkey and the Wedge
Panchatantra · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Monkey King's Bridge
Jataka tale · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Quarrelsome Quails
Jataka tale · Ages 6-10 · 3 min
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NorthThe Rat's Wedding
Tales of the Punjab · Ages 5-9 · 4 min
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ScriptureThe Robber Who Became a Poet
Puranas · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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WestThe Runaway Mango
Konkani folk tale (Konkan / Goa) · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
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ScriptureThe Squirrel and the Bridge
Ramayana · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Talkative Tortoise
Panchatantra · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaThe Tiger and the Golden Bracelet
Hitopadesha · Ages 6-10 · 4 min
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WestThe Valiant Chattee-Maker
Old Deccan Days (Maharashtra / Deccan) · Ages 6-10 · 5 min
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SouthThe Wise Man of Naranam and the Great Stone
Aithihyamala (Kerala) · Ages 7-11 · 4 min
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NorthWhy the Fish Laughed
Folk-Tales of Kashmir · Ages 8-12 · 5 min
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EastWhy the Moon Is Pale
Khasi folk tale (Meghalaya) · Ages 5-9 · 3 min
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Pan-IndiaWhy the Peacock Wears a Hundred Eyes
Origin tale (original) · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
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EastWhy the Rooster Calls the Sun
Munda folk tale (Odisha) · Ages 4-8 · 3 min
The paperbacks are coming
We're gathering fifty of these tales into a beautiful illustrated book — the kind a grandparent far away would be proud to send. Be the first to know when it's ready.
Thank you! We'll write the moment the book is ready. Until then, every story is free to read.
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