Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), today I will share yet another tale from this monumental book The Panćatantra, tradition ascribes this fabulous work to Vişņu Śarma (“Preserver of Bliss”), faced with the challenge of educating three unlettered princes, to awaken their intelligence, Vişņu Śarma (“Preserver of Bliss”) evolved a unique pedagogy – for his aim was to teach the princes how to think, not what to think. You can buy your copy from any of the bookstores near you or via any on-line portal selling books or also by clicking the following link: The tale of ‘Thousandwit, Hundredwit, Singlewit’ Once two fishes named Hundredwit and Thousandwit lived in a certain lake. A frog named Singlewit made friends with them. All three would sit together at the water’s edge and enjoy the pleasures of conversation interspersed with wise and witty sayings for a while, then drive back into the water. One evening at sunset as they were engaged in such conversation, some fishermen carrying nets came there. Looking at the lake they said to one another. ‘See this lake? It abounds with fish and the water is shallow. We shall come here at dawn.’ These words struck the three friends like a bolt of thunder. They started consulting one another. The frog was the first to speak: ‘Did you hear that my, friends Hundredwit and Thousandwit? What should we do now? Flee or, stay put?’ At this Thousandwit laughed heartily and said, ‘Ah my dear friend, don’t be alarmed just hearing some words. I doubt if these fellows would really make an appearance, as they say they would. And if they do, why, I will protect you and myself by using my wits. For, I must tell you, I know a host tricks in the water. Hundredwit agreed, and added, ‘Come, come, my friend; Thousandwit has spoken admirably; for: Where the wind cannot go in to blow nor the sun’s rays find a way even there the wise man’s wit always enters and without delay  ‘From merely hearing some words spoken we cannot abandon the place of our birth and everything that has come down to us from our ancestors in due succession. So, do not go from here; I shall protect you by the power of my wit.’ However, the frog said determinedly, ‘Listen, friends, I have but one single wit, and that tells me to flee. I am taking my wife and going right this day to some other lake.’ Having said this, the frog taking advantage of the night departed and went to some other lake. Early next morning, the fishermen arrived looking like the henchmen of Death. They threw their nets over the water, enclosing the lake. Fishes and turtles, frogs and crabs and all the other lake-dwellers were caught in the nets and taken. And those two fishes, Hundredwit and Thousandwit fell into the nets, though they tried many a fancy twist and turn to save their lives; and were killed. Next day, the fishermen satisfied with their catch started home. Hundredwit, being heavy, was carried on the head of one of the fishermen, while Thousandwit was carried tied to a rope, by another man. The Panćatantra (Rash Deeds) – Thousandwit, Hundredwit, Singlewit – Vişņu Śarma Translated from the Sanskrit by Chandra Rajan I want to draw your attention to these wise words of a Storyteller which I have extracted from yet another monumental work which has been inspired from “The Panćatantra”: My stories require, at this stage, no extra commentary, imaginings, or guesswork by you,