If you are interested in reading for The IWU Global Storytelling Project in your native language(s) please contact professor Carmela Ferradáns at cferrada@iwu.edu We are particularly interested in Native American languages and African languages that might be in danger of extinction.
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The IWU Global Storytelling Project is supported in part by a grant from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation (IPCF) and The Byron S. Tucci Endowment Fund. Thank you!
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The Tale of Three Fish, A Story from the Panchatantra
Unknown and Eva Nautiyal
There lived three fish in a reservoir. The first is called Anna. She is proactive and believes in strategically avoiding danger as soon as you sense it. The second fish is called Pratyu, and she only likes to avoid things that are really dangerous. She doesn't believe in the threat of anticipated danger. Last but not the least in the gang is Yaddi, who believes that everything is destined and one can never avoid fate. We must leave everything to destiny. One day some fishermen discover the reservoir and plan on catching all the fish the next day. Anna, Pratyu, and Yaddi overhear their plan. Anna immediately leaves the reservoir after suggesting her friends to do the same. Pratyu and Yaddi stay behind but when the fishermen come next morning, Pratyu immediately starts planning an escape. She finds a dead beaver in the reservoir and quickly wraps herself in it’s dead, stinky body, ultimately getting caught in one fisherman’s net. Although all the other fish start suffering out of water, Pratyu manages to hold her breath for some time. The fisherman discovers the dead beaver, and throws it into the reservoir again. Upon reaching the bottom of the reservoir, Pratyu jumps out of the beaver’s body and feels proud of her resourcefulness. Yaddi, who left everything to fate gets caught in another net and ends up dying with other fish in agony. The moral of this story is God helps those who help themselves.
Public domain photo available at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panchatantra#/media/File:Arabischer_Maler_um_1210_001.jpg
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![Ukrainian: Коза-Дереза [Koza-dereza] The Bully Goat by unknown and Olena Zadorozhna](https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/globalstorytelling/1010/thumbnail.jpg "Ukrainian: Коза-Дереза [Koza-dereza] The Bully Goat by unknown and Olena Zadorozhna")
Ukrainian: Коза-Дереза [Koza-dereza] The Bully Goat
unknown and Olena Zadorozhna
The Bully Goat is a Ukrainian folktale that tells a story about a mean and cunning goat. Through her tricks she turned an old man away from his sons and his wife. When he finally realized how bad and manipulative she was it was too late! And then she marched right into the little rabbit’s house and took it over! Many animals tried to get her to leave. Which one of them managed to chase the bully goat away? Listen on to find out!