( al am feqy i Narayana, the author of Hitopadesha, has drawn most of his material from Pandit Vishnu Sharma's Panchatantra, Panchatantra was writ- ten between the second and third centuries B.C. but Hitopadesha came much later, Narayana reconstructed the first three tantras and added about fifteen new tales. The raison d'etre of both books remains the same. A certain Indian King was perturbed that his . three sons were averse to any kind of learning. Taking the advice of his counsellors, the king sends the princes to one Vishnu Sharma, who was not only a learned Brahman but was also a remarkable teacher. Within a short period of six months, the pandit instructs the princes in the art of politics and wordly wisdom, by telling them stories about bird, beast and man, ae & Each.character in his staries becomes a vehicle eo ey ‘of some precept, either directly or indirectly. & 5 © = Sn the Panchatantra these stories are divided me {Pinto five hooks. Narayana’s work, however, has = =only four—Mitralabha, Suhridbheda, Vigraha wand Sandhi. Our Amar Chitra Katha has been adapted from the first book — Mitralabha or E Winning of Friends. Amar Chitra Katha is a continu ea Coe ee ea neers Published by H.G. Mirchandani, for India Book House Education Trust, 29, Wodehouse Road, Bombay-400 039 and printed by H.K. Nasta at IBH Printers, Marol Noka, Move ioe Vissanji Road, Andheri (East), Bombay-400 039, Editor: AnantPai Script: Kamala Chandrakant Mlustrations: jeffrey FowlerFG, al oe ahaa feria « fay = i = CHOICE OF FRIENDS .-...: TS” 71, 995-20 * THE GOD OF DEATH.= TO FLY PAST. LOok}Do you Yo KING, LET SEE THOSE US FEAST ON GRAINS 2 BEWARE ! GREED CAN LEAD US TO DOOM AS IT DID THE GREEDY TRAVELLER. ALITTLE LATER, THE KING OF THE PIGEONS AND Hi5 FLOCK HAPPENED +3» SCATTERED SOME RICE ON THE GROUND «+ NO! 1 SUSPECT A TRAP. HOW DID THOSE GRAINS ANG HE TOLD THEM THE STORY OF THE TIGER AND THE TRAVELLER." AT THE ENP OF THE STORY THE MAJORITY OF THE PIGEONS AGREED WITH HIM, WHEN — : © BROTHERS, MUST WE GIVE UP A FEAST FOR VAGUE FEARS? ® FOR STORY SEE PAGE 14AND BEFORE THE KING COULD STOP THEM, THEY FLEW TO THE SPOT. a. FOOLS! THIS COULD BE YOUR. LAST MEAL. | CANNOT BESERT MY Y¥ No! GooD SUBJECTS. 1 WILL GO KING, DON’T L ALONG WITH THEM. THEY TURNED UPON THE PIGEON WHO HAD SUGGESTED THAT THEY THROW CAUTION TO THE WINDS. YOUR. GREED HAS ‘OUR KING WAS RIGHT. LED US INTO THIS. ) | IF ONLY WE HAD HEEDED HIS WORDS! HAD THEY STARTED AT THE GRAIN WHEN- ENOUGH OF THAT! DON’T WASTE TIME CARPING. ¥ NOW LET’S SEE YOU WERE READY TO SHARE HOW WE CAN THE FEAST. NOW SHARE THE FREE OURSELVES. BLAME Too.[RE PONDERED For A WHILE . THEN ~ SSN — SS THE SIGNAL,ALL OF YOU TAKE OFF AT THE SAME. TIME. WITH HIS CATCH , CAME OUT OF HIDING. QUICK! ONE ! TWO! THREE! BRAVO! ’LL. FOLLOW THEM AND SEE WHAT ‘THEY DO NEXT. AT THAT MOMENT THE FOWLER, DELIGHTED THE FOWLER RAN FORWARD WAVING HS ARMS. MY NET! THERE GOES MY NET. 1 MAY AS WELL RETURN HOW SHALL WE GET RID OF THIS WRETCHED NET> KING ?DOWN IN HIG, RETREAT WHEN THE MOUSE HEARD THE COMMOT(ON CASED BY THE DESCENDING PIGEONS, HE WAS ALARMED. STRANGE SOUNDS! FT MAY BE SOME UNKNOWN DANGER AGAINST WHICH | MIGHT BE HELPLESS. I'D BE SAFER INSIDE. A FRIEND OF MINE ,THE ING OF THE MICE ,LIVES IN FOREST NEAR BY. WE WILL GO TO HIM. HE WILL cuT OUR BONDS. ION COULD NOT SEE HIS - yA WHY IT’S MY LAM DELIGHTED. GOOD OLD 4 ’ TO SEE YOU... FRIEND | ---BUT WHAT 19 THIS YOU SEEM TO BE TRAPPED IN A NET! | HE RAN FORWARD AND WAS ABOUT TO GNAW AT THE STRINGS WHEN — NOMY FRIEND. \\W/ BUT | AM SMALL AND. FIRST FREE MY MY TEETH TINY. SUPPOSE FOLLOWERS. MY STRENGTH FAILS ME BEFORE | FREE YOU.NO! NO! WILL FIRST FREE yOu. AND THEN ATTEND TO THE OTHERS. IT 1S NOT Wise § TO SACRIFICE ONESELF TO PRESERVE QNE’S DEPENDANTS- IT DOES NOT MATTER. M7 DUTY 1S TO PROTECT MY SUBJECTS, AT THE COST OF THAT MAY BE TRUE. BUT Wy DEATH WHICH COMES TO ALL rer NCP ae COMES NOBLY WHEN WE GIVE " OUR LIFE, OUR ALL, TO SAVE ANOTHER’S LIFE. YOU WILL FREE THEM FIRST- THE MOUSE BEGAN FREEING THE PIGEONS. VY NOBLY SPOKEN, FRIEND | KNEW YOU POOR , BRAVE , MOUSE. PIGEON, NOBLY SPOKEN. CAN HE HOLD OUT? 1 SHALL DO AS YOU “ WISH. THE MOUSE WAS MOVED.MOUSE DID HOLD OUT. ENDS NOBILITY GAVE HE STRENGTH. DON AS YOU ARE FREE, 2 MUST LET ME TREAT hou AND YOUR RUE FRIEND EED.| WILL MAKE ¥, THANKING THE MOUSE, THE PIGEON AND HIS FOLLOWERS FLEW AWAY. AS THE MOUSE WAS ABOUT TO GO BACK TO HIS RETREAT, THE CROW. FLEW DOWN TO Hild. © STAUNCH FRIEND, LET ME TOO BE YOUR FRIEND. Yay hit S i Nea a teens, HN aa CAN THAT BE 21 AM YOUR RAL FOOD. THE NEXT THING KNOW, YOU WILL BE EATING ME AN NEVER BE FRIENDS. . : MOUSE TOLD HIM THE Y OF THE DEER , THE AND THE CROW ® eY SEE PAGE 19 BUT AT THE END OF IT YOU NEED HAVE NO FEAR OF THAT. YOU ARE TOO TINY TO BE EVEN A FULL BREAKFAST FOR ME.V pur you are So DEAR MOUSE,) VALUE FLIGHTY.HOW CAN ] YOUR FRIENDSHIP. IF YOu | DEPEND ON YOU @ } REFUSE IT)! WILL FAST UNTO DEATH AT YOUR DOOR! THE MOUSE WAS TOUCHED BY THE CROW’S DEVOTION « COME MY FRIEND, LET ME ENTERTAIN YOU WITH THE BEST OF MY HOARD OF FOOD. AND FROM THAT DAY THE TWO BECAME THE BEST OF FRIENDS, GIVING EACH OTHER THEIR CHOICE PICKINGS OF FOOD AND ANIMAL GOSSIP. MONE Gp h© FRIEND MOUSE ;FOOD FOR ME IS GETTING SCARCE IN THIS FOREST. MUCH AS | HATE TO LEAVE You, | WOULD LIKE TO MOVE AWAY. TO THE FOREST WHERE MY OLD FRIEND TORTOISE LIVES. HE WILL GIVE ME FISH ANP @THER FOOP- IF YOU INSIST ON GOING,| TOO WILL GO WITH YOU-1 CAN’T IMAGINE. LIFE WITHOUT YOU -SO THE TWO FRIENDS SET OFF WHEN THE TORTOISE SAW THE CROW, HE WAS : FOR THE FOREST WHERE THE QUVERJOMED. a Be ~ WHAT BRINGS YOU FOOD WAS SCARCE HERE ,MY GOOD OLD FRIEND ? IN OUR FOREST. WELCOME TO OUR FOREST, © MOUSE . THERE 1S ENOUGH FOOD HERE FOR ALL OF US; AND MORE. AND WHOM HAVE YOU BROUGHT MY LOYAL FRIEND; THE KING OF THE MICE. HE IS THE MOST VIRTUOUS ANP KIND SOUL I'VE EVER MET- = y AND 80 THE THREE FRIENDS LIVED HAPPILY COME FRIEND; REFRESH TOGETHER. ONE DAY, AS THE TORTOISE WAS ABOUT YOURSELF WITH SOME TO GO FOR A SWIM IN THE TANK,A BEER CAME GRASS AND WATER. MY PANTING UP TO THEM. FRIENDS WILL LOOK > > AFTER YOU. | AM GOING E. ITER. HE’S ee vt Be HON TER He FOR A SWIM AND SHALL AFTER ME. JOIN YOU LATER.BUT HOW WILL GOOD OLD TORTOISE MAKE IT ACROSS: THE LAND P HUNTER WILL COVER THIS. ST. IT’S ON HIS THE HUNTER PICKED UP THE TORTOISE ANP FIXED HIM ON H/S BOW. ALAS! OUR FRIEND HAS. BEEN CAUGHT! DEER, GO AND LIE ACROSS THE HUNTER’S PATH, AS IF DEAD. Quick!FRIEND CROW WILL (7 = WHEN HE SEES YOU, HOVER OVER YOU AND HE WILL PUT FRIEND TORTOISE] PECK AT YOUR BODY. 4 DOWN. AND | WILL GNAW ‘AT THE BINDING STRINGS THE PEER AND THE CROW TOOK THEIR POSITIONS - AS EXPECTED, THE HUNTER SOON CAME BY. A DEER!IT’S BEEN i\ A GOOD _DAY FOR ME. [He Par THE ToRTOISE DOWN AND DREW HIS KNIFE. cyWELL ,NEVER MIND. BUT WHEN HE GOT BACK TO THE SPOT | | STILL HAVE MY WHERE HE HAD LEFT THE TORTOISE = z TORTOISE. ALAS! THE FELLOW HAS ESCAPED. | DESERVE IT FOR BEING SO GREEDY. THAT WAS A NEAT DON’T SINGLE ME QUT. EACH OF \ PLAN , FRIEND MOUSE. Q q YOUR FRIENDS RISKED HIS LIFE YOU SAVED MY \y Ik TO SAVE YOURS —LIKE MY FRIEND, ( THE KING OF THE PIGEONS. | LIFE ‘a,HEY! YOU THERE! DO you WANT THIS GOLD BANGLE? HAVE NO USE FOR IT. A GOLD BANGLE! IT’S TEMPTING. BUT NO- | MUST NOT RISK MY LIFE FOR IT-HM-M-M, 1D LOVE TO HAVE THE, BANGLE. BUT HOW CAN | TRUST HE LOOKED AT THE TIGER. | 4 Sta A FIERCE BEAST LIKE YOU YOU HAVE EVERY REASON TO SUSPECT ME.| HAVE BEEN WICKED. IN MY TIME. BUT NOW? ON THE ADVICE. OF A SANYAS! | AM CHANGED - $0 COME ACROSS AND TAKE THIS« 1 WON’T. BESIDES I’M OLD. MY CLAWS ARE BLUNT. SO DO.NOT FEAR. COME, WADE ACROSS THE POOL AND TAKE THIS. IF | COME CLOSE, YOU MAY FORGET THE SANYASI'S ADVICE WHEN YOU, SMELL ME.GRE TRAVELLER'S LOVE OF ie Cope eee OVERCAME HIS ‘ROE a RETURAL FEAR OF THE TIGER. OH! OHI IT’S A MIRE! A STUCK! HELP |THE TIGER WADED MENACINELY UPTO THE TRAVELLER +++ aie, HO! HO! $0 YOu ARE STUCK IN THE MUD, 1 SEE. NEVER MIND. WAIT THERE. PLL COME AND HELP you ouT. ALAS! WHAT A FOOL, VE BEEN.) LET GREED OVERCOME MY REASON.LONG, LONG AGO THERE LIVED A DEER AND A CROW. THEY WERE GOOD FRIENDS AND LOVED EACH OTHER DEARLY. THE CROW, THE DEER AND THE JACKAL1AM A LONELY JACKAL « 1 HAVE NO FRIENDS. BUT NOW THAT | HAVE MET YOU,! HAVE ONE. WILL, yOu BE MY ERIEND Ea Bh THE DEER WAS MOVED BY HIB WORDS. POOR JACKAL. OF COURSE I'LL BE YOUR. FRIEND. COME,LET ME TAKE YOU TO MY FRIEND» WHEN THE CROW SAW THE TWO TOGETHER HE WAS SURPRISED - 4 MY FRIEND, JACKAL. HE 15 LONELY AND SEEKS OUR FRIEND ~ DON’T YOU KNOW THAT YOU MUST. THINK TWICE. BEFORE. MAKING UTTER STRANGERS YOUR FRIENDS?D HIM THE STORY TURE , THE CAT AND BUT THE JACKAL WAS NOT TO BE TALKED OUT OF HIS DINNER BY SUCH ADVICE, “AT THE END OF IT- HE IS MY FRIEND. WHY DON’T YOU ALSO BE MY FRIEND? y SIR CROW,4OU SEEM TO. FORGET THAT ON THE FIRST DAY HE MET YOU, YOU TOO WERE A STRANGER TO HIM- AND YET YOUR FRIENDSHIP ONLY GROWS STRONGER. EACH DAY. ti COME, FRIEND CROW, LET US ALL LIVE TOGETHER IN AMITY AND voy. ALL RIGHT. DO AS You SO THEY BEGAN LIVING TOGETHER. IN THE MORNING EACH WENT. IN. SEARCH OF HIS OWN FOOD AND: ie STORY SEE PAGE 27++» RETURNED LATE AT NIGHT. ONE MORNING A FEW DAYS LATER, WHEN THE CROW HAD LEFT — FRIEND DEER IN ONE CORNER OF THIS FOREST THERE 15 A FIELD FULL OF SWEET GRAIN. LET ME SHOW IT TO YOU .COME- THE INNOCENT DEER ACCOMPANIED HIM AND GRAZED IN THE FIELD. ONE DAY, AS THE JACKAL HAD HOPED, THE OWNER OF THE FIELD SAW THE DEER. THIS GRAIN 1S INDEED Y¥ HA! HA! AND VERY SWEET. | SHALL 1 WILL SOON = AHA! SO YOU ARE COME. HERE EVERY AFEEP ON you. THE THIEF WHO EATS DAY AND FEED ON IT. MY CROPS. HM-M-M!THE JACKAL,WHO WAS WAITING AND WATCHING , CHUCKLED TO HIMSELF. HO! HO} MY PATIENCE HAS BORNE FRUIT. WHEN THE FARMER CUTS HIM UP. HIS BONES AND GRISTLE Q, AND BLOOD WILL GIVE ME SOME. DELICIOUS DINNERS! Hi} HELP! I’M TRAPPED. THE END OF ME IF MY DS DON?T COME AND RESCUE ME. TO HIS DISMAY THE JACKAL REFUSED. DEER CAUGHT SIGHT OF HM AND D A SIGH OF RELIEF. Quick | DEAR FRIEND, \| I'M SORRY, MY FRIEND. THIS NET You ARE JUST IN TIME. |S MADE OF SINEWS. SINCE | AM GNAW AT THIS NET AND FASTING TODAY, 1 CANNOT BITE FREE ME~ THEM. IT WOULD BE A SIN. PLL COME AND FREE YOU TOMORROW, TO BE SURE. ANCHE WENT AWAY |WHEN THE CROW RETURNED HOME THAT. EVENING AND DID NOT SEE HIS FRIEND. HE WAS WORRIED. WHERE COULD HE BE? | HOPE. HE 1S NOT IN. DANGER. 1 STILL DON’T TRUST THAT JACKAL. ALAS! MY POOR DEAR FRIEND-HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? AFTER SEARCHING EVERYWHERE FOR HIS FRIEND , HE CAME UPON THE FIELD - THE JACKAL +s | SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YOUR ADVICE. Pani tHe TRAITOR! THE SLY KNAVE! iKnow! WELL,| WARNED You. NEVER MIND- WHERE 1S THAT RASCAL? HE IS WAITING SOMEWHERE NEAR BY. WAITING TO TASTE MY FLESH. FLY Awa LEST YO TOO FALL INTO DANGER-NO! DEAR FRIEND,1| SHALL weary WITH YOU TILL THE END. PERHAPS | MIGHT * STILL SAVE YOU. IT! LIE ON YOUR. BACK, YOUR STOMACH OUT, SOUR FEET AND RUN FOR YOUR LIFE. | DAY BROKE. =N YOUR LEGS AND BE VERY -) WILL PECK AT YOUR EYES. NM WHEN | CROAK, SPRING TO THE CROW RACKED HiS BRAINS BUT COULD FIND NO WAY OUT. AT LAST ALAS! THERE COMES THE FARMER WITH HIS CLUB.IF ONLY | COULD THINK OF SOME MEANS TO SAVE MY FRIEND- GED. WHEN THE FARMER CAME BHA! THE FELLOW & DEAD -—OF FRIGHT DOUBT. WELL, aAT MAKES MY TASK EASIER: DEER DIP EXACTLY AS HE WASAS HE WAS BUSY FOLDING IT — THE DEER SPRANG UP AND MABE OFF. ANNOYED AT HAVING BEEN TRICKED, HE FLUNG HIS CLUB. THE SPOT.|) ONE DAY A BLIND OLD VULTURE CAME TO LIVE IN THE HOLLOW OF A TREE, WHERE BIRDS: ROOSTED AT NIGHT: THE VULTURE , THE CAT D THE BIRDS THE OLD VULTURE WAS TOUCHED BY THEIR. KINDNESS.- LD BIRD. HE CAN MOVE AROUND. LET HIM A SHARE OF OR ELSE HE WILL DIE OF STARVATION. | SHALL MAKE IT MY. DUTY TO PROTECT THEIR YOUNG WHEN THEY ARE AWAY GATHERING FOOD.ONE DAY A CAT HAPPENED TO PASS BY, WHEN THE BIRDS WERE AWAY. HE DID NOT SEE THE VULTURE WHO WAS NAPPING, PERCHED ON A HIGH BRANCH: AHA! NESTS AND | NESTS OF LITTLE FLEDO- LINGS . FOOD ENOUGH FOR DAYS AND DAYS. WHEN THE LITTLE BIRD SAW THE CAT APPROA THEY SET UP SUCH A = TWITTER THA THE VULTURE B WOKE UP, | HE SWOOPED DOWN, WHO GOES THERE © A VULTURE ! OH!OHT VM DONE FOR!BE OFF! Y OR PLL WHO_GOES SLAY ‘YOU. THERE , SPEAK up! | LIVE ON THE. BANKS OF THE GANGA. THE BIRDS THERE CONSTANTLY SPEAK. OF YOUR. WISDOM AND YOUR LEARNING. | HAVE COME TO. STUDY LAW FROM YOU. YES. BUT CATS LIKE MEAT AND THERE ARE YOUNG BIRDS HERE. 1} WILL HAVE TO SLAY YOU.Q WISE BIRD, WOULD YOU KILL A STRANGER WHO COMES TO YOU AS A DISCIPLE © BESIDES, I KNOW THE SCRIPTURES AND VE OVERCOME. PASSION. HE SEEMS TO BE TRUSTWORTHY. ALL RIGHT. YOU MAY LIVE. IN THE HOLLOW WITH ME. DAY AFTER DAY, THE CAT STOLE SOME FLEDGLINGS AND-- +: DEVOURED THEM (N THE HOLLOW. EACH EVENING WHEN THE BIEDS RETURNED HOME, THEY FOUND SOME FLEDGLINGS MIBSING. WE MUST INVESTIGATE THE MATTER. IT’S TIME. TO MOVE. TO FRESH HUNTING GROUNDS.HE SLUNK AWAY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. are eA MEANWHILE AS THE BIRDS FLEW HITHER AND THITHER, ONE OF THEM CHIRRUPED LOUDLY. TWEET! TWEET! THE UNGRATEFUL SEE WHAT PVE WRETCH. HE HAS. FOUND. "VE GOT REPAID OUR KIND- THE CULPRIT! NESS BY. EATING OUR HELPLESS ONES. HE MUST BE PECKED TO DEATH - BO THEY PECKED TO DEATH THE POOR VULTURE WHOSE ONLY FACILT WAS THAT HE TREATED AS A FRIEND ONE WITH WHOM HE WAS BARELY ACQUAINTED +PSA -OUT! aq Fla es Al at ay fe, way ee feud ae a Y fereea THe 1 tes wy ewe x ate: trig: ae, wip thee OTHER RECENT TITLES: 1. BLACKBELT TECHNIQUES IN THE MARTIAL ARTS £2.78 by Russel Kozuki 2, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF KARATE & SELF DEFENCE £4.95 by Robert V. Masters 3, COMPETING IN KARATE £2.15 by Russell Kozuki 42 KUNG FU FOR YOUNG PEOPLE . THE VINS TSUN SYSTEM £278 by Russell Kozuki & Douglas Lee 5. KARATE WITHIN YOUR GRASP —£. 2.75 by Carlos Sampayo 6. KARATE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. 2.75 by Russell Kozuki 7. VITAL KARATE £218 by Mastatsu Oyama ey yer 400 photographs and step-by-step instructions lead the student through ‘a complete course in karate. 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