Kenning Stories

Once a jackal felt very hungry. So he wandered about in search of food.  He happened to go to an abandoned battle-field.  The place was completely empty. As he began to explore the battle-field.  He was startled by some strange sounds.  Although he was frightened, he wanted to find out where those sounds came from. So, suppressing his fears, he moved slowly and warily in the direction of the sounds.  He came to a place where he saw a huge battle-drum under a tree. Some branches of the tree were hanging low over it. Whenever the wind blew, these branches brushed against the drum causing the strange, loud sounds.  When the jackal observed this, he sighed with relief.  Suddenly, it struck him that there might be food inside the drum. So, piercing its side, he went in. He was disappointed to find it empty. The jackal consoled himself thinking that he could at least get rid of his fears. Then he continued on his prowl. 

It was a dense forest. Many animals lived there happily together. A river flowed through that forest. All the animals depended on this river or water.   During one summer the forest faced a severe drought. The water level in the river reached its bottom. “ The river may dry up in a few days” the animals thought.  “What is to be done?”  Then an old tiger came out with an idea. “Let us pray to the god of rain and plead for rains.” He continued, “Everyday one animal should stand alone on the river bank and pray to the god.” All the other animals agreed and everyday one animal went to the river of a prayer. But the animal that went for a prayer never came back.  The animals again assembled to find out the reason. “Rains haven’t come. Moreover many animals    have disappeared. Let’s find out the cause. Those who are brave come with me” said a lion.   Then a rabbit came forward and said, “I’ll find ...

Once a brahmin named Mitra Sarma decided to offer a lamb as a sacrifice to the gods.  So he bought a big and healthy lamb and started for home carrying it on his shoulders.  Three crooks, who were hungry and cold, saw the brahmin carrying the lamb. They decided to fool him and take away the lamb. They wanted to cook and eat it.  The first crook stopped the brahmin on the way and said,  “don’t you know that it is a sin to touch a dog, especially for a brahmin like you? Why are you carrying that dog on your shoulders?  The brahim was angry.  He shouted, “Are you blind? Can’t you see that I am carrying a lamb?”  He moved on.  The second crook approached the brahim and said in a surprised voice, “O learned man! Why are you carrying a dead calf on your shoulders? You have to purify yourself if you touch a dead animal.”  The brahmin angrily told him, “Can’t you see that this is a lamb? I am going to offer it ...