Once it so happened, that a camel rider came across a snake caught in a fire. The rider attempted to rescue the snake. However, his good deed was met with evil as the snake threatened to kill him and his camel. With the help of a wise fox, the rider managed to capture the snake and saved himself.

Displayed at the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, Varanasi, this painting is from the Iyar-e-Danish manuscript that was produced in Lahore in the late 16th century under the patronage of the Mughals. It was a simplified version of the Anvar-e-Suhayli. These animal fables owe their origin to the Sanskrit Panchatantra which was intended for the education of princes.

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Here is a question for you.

This quiz has been created by the Heritage Lab and the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum, BHU.

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How the ‘Panchatantra’ travelled the world thanks to Persian and Arabic narrators