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The stories from Panchatantra age back to over five thousand years. They were initially composed and narrated in Sanskrit by an Indian scholar, Pandit Vishnu Sharma. Summary Of The Book The Panchatantra is a compilation of animal fables, narrated in a frame story format. According to ancient legends, King Amar Shakti requested Pandit Sharma to take his three sons under tutelage and impart upon them beneficial worldly wisdom. Pandit Sharma acquiesced, and vowed to finish it under six months. Thereafter, he would narrate different stories to the children every day, stories with latent messages and moral values about friendship, honesty, family, success, and many others. Primarily based on animal characters with animal stereotypes, the fables in this book speak of good values and time-tested advice. For eg, The Lion and the Clever Rabbit narrates the story of a shrewd rabbit who outsmarts a vicious lion, teaching the young reader the power of brain versus brawn. The Hare Who Outwitted the Elephant King is the story of a large group of rabbits who devise a cunning plan to get rid of a herd of elephants who might destroy their home forever. Other stories in 71 Golden Tales Of Panchatantra include The Brahmin and the Goat, The Merchant and the Lie, The Camel and his False Friends, and The Fishes and the Frog. The stories from the Panchatantra have been translated into several languages and dialects since their origin. About Santhini Govindan Santhini Govindan, born in 1959, is an award-winning author, specializing in writing children’s books. She has also authored numerous books for children, such as It Happened 5000 Years Ago, The Magical Maratha, Animal Tales From Indian Mythology, and Asoka‘s Diary. Born in San Francisco to an Indian Foreign Service diplomat, she travelled and lived in many countries while growing up. After procuring her Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Madras, she obtained a Master’s degree in English literature in 1979. She embarked upon her writing career after receiving a prize in the National Competition for Writers of Children’s books in 1986. In 1996, Govindan received a Junior Fellowship in Literature from the Government of India to write historical fiction for children. She is currently married to K. M. Govindan, and they have two children, a son and a daughter. She currently resides in Mumbai.