Oak Tree Stories

A delightful Indian folktale about one determined little sparrow, a missing grain of gram, and an extraordinary chain of events! The Sparrow and Her Crumbs is a traditional folktale from Bihar, India, in which a tiny sparrow sets out to recover a piece of grain stuck inside a wooden peg. When the woodcutter, the king, the queen, and several other unlikely helpers refuse to help her, she must find...

A timeless folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. From the rich storytelling traditions of Karnataka comes a wonderfully absurd tale of a kingdom where people sleep by day and work by night, where rice costs as much as gold, and where a foolish king believes every problem can be solved by finding someone to blame. When a travelling guru and his hungry disciple arrive in th...

A hilarious Kerala folktale about a hungry old man, a very hungry demon, and a plate of delicious dosas that gets him into trouble. Dosas for the Demon is a traditional folktale from Kerala, filled with humour, suspense, mischief, and a little bit of breakfast-time chaos. When a poor old man is given some dosa batter, he and his wife are delighted to finally have something warm and delicious to ea...

A classic Indian folktale about two travelling merchants, an old forgotten bowl, and a choice between greed and honesty. The Merchant of Seri is an ancient Jataka Tale from the Buddhist tradition of India. When two merchants arrive in the same town, they go from house to house selling their wares. One is honest and fair. The other is greedy and always looking for a way to make the better bargain....

A heartwarming Indian folktale about a girl, three impossible tasks, and the unexpected friends who come to her rescue. A Little Help from Unexpected Friends is our adaptation of a traditional story from the rich oral storytelling traditions of the Santal people of India. When a girl is given one difficult task after another by her unkind sisters-in-law, she finds herself facing challenges she cou...

A hilarious Indian folktale about five hundred horses, one measure of rice, and a foolish Valuer whose clever-sounding answers lead to an unexpected disaster. Inspired by one of the ancient Jataka Tales from the Buddhist storytelling tradition of India, The Measure of Rice follows a wealthy king who wants to buy everything for as little as possible. When he dismisses his honest Valuer and replaces...

A charming Indian folktale about a little mouse, a magical hermit, and a journey that teaches him that becoming bigger does not always make you braver. Inspired by the ancient Indian collection of fables known as the Hitopadesha, The Hermit and the Mouse follows a frightened little mouse who wishes he could become stronger and more powerful. A kind hermit grants his wish, transforming him first in...

A magical personalised birthday story about fairies, a glowing forest, a rainbow bridge, and a seven-year-old girl who discovers a secret road through the trees. Nihira and the Fairy Road is a very special original story created especially as a personalised birthday story for Nihira on her seventh birthday. With her Aai, Baba, Aajji, Ajoba, cousin Swara, and friends Rumi, Aadhya and Mirka by her s...

Deep in the forests of the Nilgiri Hills, a young boy and an elephant named Bhama grow up side by side. Over the years, they learn each other’s voices, footsteps, habits, and silences. Then, one day, when the man who has cared for Bhama is badly injured in the forest, it is Bhama who must find a way to bring him home. Inspired by an oral story from the Betta Kurumba community of the Nilgiri Hills,...

A timeless Panchatantra tale about friendship, courage, and the strength of working together. Deep in an Indian forest, four unlikely friends—a watchful crow, a clever mouse, a wise tortoise, and a swift deer—discover that true friendship isn’t about being alike. It’s about standing by one another when it matters most. When danger arrives in the form of a hunter’s net, each friend must use their o...

A timeless folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. Inspired by a classic Indian folktale, The Man Who Knew Every Secret is a delightful story about an ordinary man named Hari, whose life changes when a single boast turns into an extraordinary reputation. Before long, people believe he can uncover hidden treasures, solve impossible mysteries, and reveal secrets that no one e...

A timeless folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. Inspired by a traditional folktale from Maharashtra, The Impossible King is a delightful story about a proud king who loves setting impossible tasks for his servants—and a cheerful young boy named Baalu who has an extraordinary habit of following every instruction exactly as it is given. When Baalu enters the king’s service...

A timeless creation story for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. Inspired by the rich oral traditions of the Santal people, one of India’s largest Indigenous communities, The Story of the First Land is a beautiful tale about how the world came to be. Before there were forests, rivers, mountains, or villages, there was only an endless ocean. When two weary wild geese searched for a...

A timeless Indian folktale about perseverance, courage, and how even the smallest voices can inspire great change. Inspired by a traditional folktale from South India, The Little Sparrows and the Great Sea tells the story of two tiny sparrows whose peaceful life is turned upside down when the sea carries away their precious eggs. Faced with an impossible task, they make an extraordinary decision:...

A timeless story for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. Created especially to celebrate Harvey's seventh birthday, this personalised adventure is perfect for every child who has ever wondered what it would be like to walk among dinosaurs. When Harvey, Kiaara, and Aalaya discover a mysterious stone marked with an ancient footprint during a family picnic, they are whisked million...

A heartwarming original mystery story about missing slippers, monsoon rains, and an unexpected act of kindness. What would you do if slippers started disappearing from your apartment building? Not both slippers… just one. One pink slipper. One blue slipper. One yellow slipper. As the mystery grows, the children come up with the wildest theories. Monkeys? Ghosts? A secret slipper collector? But whi...

A hilarious Indian folktale about two stubborn men, clever tricks, and the meal that nobody wanted to share. Inspired by a traditional folktale from Tamil Nadu, The Story of Vidaakkandan and Kodaakkandan introduces two unforgettable characters. Kodaakkandan is famous for never giving anything away, while Vidaakkandan is equally well known for never giving up. When the two finally meet, what begins...

A heartwarming original story about community, kindness, and the gardens that grow people as much as plants. Set in an apartment complex in Bengaluru, this gentle original story follows Ananya, a young girl who stumbles upon a hidden terrace garden unlike any she has ever seen. Tended by an elderly neighbour affectionately known as Dodamma, the garden is filled with flowers, vegetables, butterflie...

A magical Indian folktale about moonlight, wonder, and the meaning of home. Inspired by a traditional folktale from Karnataka, The Weaver and the Moon Goddess tells the story of a talented young weaver whose beautiful work catches the attention of an extraordinary visitor from the night sky. One moonlit evening, a silver chariot descends from the heavens, carrying the mysterious guardian of the mo...

A witty and timeless Punjabi folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. The Dream Debt is a funny story about quick thinking, clever arguments, and what happens when someone tries to turn a dream into reality. In a village in Punjab, a wealthy landlord enjoys showing off his cleverness and making life difficult for others. One morning, he stops a poor farmer and makes an extra...

A timeless Indian folktale of friendship, betrayal, and quick thinking for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. The Monkey and the Crocodile is one of India’s best-loved animal stories, told and retold for generations through the Panchatantra and other storytelling traditions. Set beside a mango tree on the banks of a river in Gujarat, it tells the story of an unlikely friendship bet...

A classic Indian folktale of observation, deduction, and mystery for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. The Lost Camel is an old folktale from western India about three travellers who solve a puzzle without ever seeing the thing they are looking for. As they walk along a dusty road, the travellers begin noticing small clues: unevenly nibbled bushes, a trail of ants, buzzing bees, a...

A funny and clever Punjabi folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. The Biggest Lie is a delightful story about storytelling, quick thinking, and the surprising power of saying exactly the right thing at exactly the right moment. In a village in Punjab, four friends are famous for telling the most outrageous tales imaginable. So when a wealthy landlord announces a contest to...

A funny and timeless Kerala folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. Inspired by a traditional Muthassi Kadha (grandmother’s tale) from Kerala, The Landlord’s Vessels is a witty story filled with clever tricks, village humour, and one very greedy landlord. In a village lined with coconut trees and winding paths, a wealthy landlord is famous for his beautiful brass vessels —...

A funny and timeless Indian folktale for children and for grown-ups who love listening too. The Four Pandits is a classic story about four highly educated scholars who know many complicated things but somehow keep making very complicated mistakes. A physician, a grammarian, a logician, and an astrologer set out together to seek work at a Raja’s court. Confident in their intelligence and learning,...