AROUND THE GLOBE TALES

Africa

• Friends
• The Root of the Matter
• The Three Runners
• Uncle Spider
• Royal Servant
• The Tailless Dassie

Bhutan

• Family Misfortunes

Birbal story

• Birbal Catches A Thief

China

• Gasping Grasper
• The Short-sighted Brothers
• Moment of Madness
• Secret Of Casket
• Chicken Feed
• Why Cats Chase Rats
• Struck by Lightning
• Sound Advice
• The Generous Student
• The Naming Game
• Butterfly Lovers

Europe

• Force of Habit
• The Fisherman Who Rose Too High

France

• Wish List

Indonesia

• Double Trouble

Italy

• Advice

Japan

• Learning from the Enemy
• The Witch in the Tower
• Little One Inch
• Not True
• Coloured

Korea

• The Tiger's whisker
• The Sun-Goddess of Korea

Malaysia

• Totally Useful Youth

Myanmar

• Immune to Flattery
• Stomach Problems
• Why Crows are Black

Nepal

• Top Answers
• Dreams

Persia

• Disputed Waters

Philippines

• Making Haste Slowly

Rome

• The Dissatisfied Devotee

Russia

• Passport

West Africa

• Tug of War

Dreams

An owl had its home in a tree under which an elephant used to come to spend the night. In course of time the two became good friends.
One evening, the elephant while looking for food, blundered into a gathering of demons.
On seeing the elephant, the demon-king began to shout: "It's him, it's him!"
"Who is he, O king?" asked his attendants.
"Last night, I dreamt I ate an elephant," said the demon. "It looked remarkably like this one here. Catch him and let me eat him so that my dream may come true."
The demons caught the elephant who was so terrified that he put up no resistance whatsoever. His knees began to buckle as the king, accompanied by his queen, began to advance on him, teeth bared.
Suddenly his friend, the owl, came swooping down, shrieking: "It's her! It's her!" and settled on the elephant's head.
The king stopped dead in his tracks.
"Who are you referring to, bird?" he growled.
"The queen," said the owl. "Last night I dreamt I married her. Please marry us so that my dream may come true."
"I will never marry an owl!" declared the demoness.
"And nobody is asking you to, my dear," said the king who was mightily afraid of her. "Dreams are not to be taken seriously. See, here is the elephant I ate in my dream but I'm letting him go."
The elephant lumbered away, muttering thanks to his friend.