The "Panchatantra", a collection of Indian folk tales, is one of the most engaging series of traditional stories ever complied. It is also one of the ancient world's most influential books, having been translated into some 50 languages over the past fifteen hundred years (and, in the Middle Ages, into most European languages - the only book from India to have spread so widely.) In the opening frame story, a king seeks an advisor to teach his sons wisdom. The king's counsellor tells tales (featuring lapwings, hyenas, elephants, ants) to show the young princes how (note, not what) to think. There is a tension between loving-kindness and practical Machiavellianism, as befits future rulers. We shall use the Penguin translation by Chandra Rajan. Class members will recount one of the stories each week, either by reading it or by retelling the plot in his/her own words.