Book II - The Winning of Friends
Mitra-samprapti
A crow, a mouse, a turtle, and a deer forge an unlikely friendship and save each other from a hunter. A celebration of unity, trust, and cooperation across differences.
Frame Story
The opening narrative that sets the stage for the entire book
The Bharunda Birds
A story about two-headed birds who fail to cooperate and suffer the consequences
Gold's Gloom
Gold the mouse tells the story of how he lost his wealth and fell into despair, including the nested tales of Mother Shandilee and Self-defeating Forethought
Mother Shandilee's Bargain
A tale within Gold's Gloom about a woman who tries to profit by exchanging sesame seeds, including the nested story of Self-defeating Forethought
Self-defeating Forethought
A story within Mother Shandilee's Bargain about a hillman whose excessive caution leads to his downfall
Mister Duly
The tale of a merchant's son who lives by the maxim 'What's duly his, a man receives'
Soft, the Weaver
The story told by Slow the turtle about a weaver who tries to improve his fortunes, including the nested tale of Hang-Ball and Greedy
Hang-Ball and Greedy
A tale within Soft the Weaver about a bull named Hang-Ball and a jackal named Greedy
The Mice That Set Elephants Free
A story told by Spot the deer about how tiny mice freed mighty elephants from captivity
Spot's Captivity
Spot the deer tells how he was captured a second time, having suffered captivity once before