Ascribed by legend to the celebrated half-mythical teacher Visnu Sarma, the fables of "The Pancatantra" were first recorded 1,500 years ago but date back to Indiaas robust oral tradition. Widely translated, they have influenced a vast number of works in India, the Arab world, and Europe, including the "Arabian Nights," the "Canterbury Tales," and the Fables of La Fontaine.
