Hitopadesa

This Sanskrit work gathers a run of linked fables, with the stories punctuated by sayings on conduct, prudence, and statecraft. Francis Johnson's English version is a close, word-for-word rendering of the original, prepared for readers studying the language.

The collection is traditionally attributed to Narayana and frames its tales as lessons from Vishnu Sharma, who instructs a group of princes through animal stories and other narratives. Its many short fables, featuring animals and human characters, are paired with aphoristic advice about worldly life.