Warm-up: What do you see? What is happening in the image? What does this make you wonder? Write on your warm-up paper.
Kalīlah and Dimnah:
Fables of Virtue and Vice
This story is adapted from Kalila wa Dimna, which originated in India.
It is a famous collection of fables widely read during the Medieval Islamic Golden Age to teach rulers and citizens about virtue, leadership, and community.
These were taught to children at young primary school age.
What is a Fable?
A Fable is a short story that teaches a kind of story that teaches a lesson.
Fables are usually entertaining tales featuring animals that talk and behave as people do.
In a place called the Deccan, there was a large tree where a crow lived. One day, the crow saw a hunter approaching. The hunter looked mean and carried a net and a stick. The crow decided to stay hidden and watch what the man would do.
The hunter set up his net on the ground, scattered grain over it, and hid. Soon, a flock of doves led by the Ring Dove flew by. They saw the grain but did not see the net. When they landed to eat, the net trapped them. The hunter ran toward them, happy with his catch. Each dove tried to fly away on its own, but they were stuck. The Ring Dove shouted, "Stay together! Do not think only of yourself. If we work as one, we can lift this net!"
The doves flapped their wings together. They lifted the net into the air and flew away with it. The hunter followed them on foot, hoping they would get tired and fall.
2 .Rat Frees the Doves
The Ring Dove saw the hunter following them. She told the flock to fly toward the orchards where the hunter would lose their trail. "I have a friend nearby named Zirak the Rat," she said. "If we reach his den, he can gnaw through the net."
They landed at the rat's home. The Ring Dove called for Zirak. When the rat saw his friend in such a predicament, he asked how it happened. The Ring Dove explained that it was their destiny to be blinded by the grain and caught in the net.
Zirak began to bite the knots around the Ring Dove first. But she stopped him. "Please, start with my companions," she urged. Zirak asked why she didn't care for her own life first. She replied, "I am their leader. They did their duty by following me. If you free them first, I know you will never leave me trapped, even if you get tired. But if you free me first, you might grow weary and leave them behind."
Zirak was moved by her noble heart. He chewed through all the ropes, and the doves flew away to safety.
3. Crow and the Rat Become Friends
The crow had watched everything. He was so impressed by the rat’s loyalty that he wanted to be Zirak’s friend too. He approached the den and called out. At first, the rat was suspicious. "How can we be friends?" Zirak asked. "I am food, and you are a hunter. It is innate for us to be enemies."
The crow argued that eating one small rat would not benefit him as much as having a wise friend would. He promised to stay by the rat's door without eating or drinking until Zirak accepted him. The rat eventually agreed, realizing the crow was sincere. "I have never turned away someone in need," Zirak said. They shook hands (and claws) and became close companions, sharing their thoughts and feelings from the heart.
4. Journey
to the Turtle
After some time, the crow told the rat that their current home was too close to human roads. "I know a secluded pond where a turtle lives," the crow said. "We will be safe there." The rat agreed to go. The crow picked up the rat by his tail and flew him to the pond.
When they arrived, the turtle was frightened and dove into the water. But when she recognized the crow's voice, she came up to greet them. The crow told her the whole story of the hunter, the doves, and the rat's bravery. The turtle welcomed the rat warmly. The rat then began to tell his own life story, explaining why he had left his old home in the house of a religious man. The three animals lived together in safety, proving that friends from different backgrounds can protect each other from adversity.
Friendship & Moral Graphic Organizer
The philosopher tells the king that "sincere brethren" (true friends) are the most valuable thing a person can have. They help us achieve good things and console us during adversity.
Fill in the graphic organizer with evidence from the text. Use the chart to state the overall moral in your own words and answer the FINAL question.
Final Question: In Medieval Islamic culture, leadership and virtue were deeply valued and taught to children early on in life. How does the Ring Dove’s choice to put her flock first reflect these specific cultural values?