Children’s Stories from India - Video
When Covid shut down theaters and placed an extended pause on live performances in 2020, musician Greg Herriges and I decided to make videos of our Animal Tales from the Panchantra stories. I made and edited the videos, and then Greg recorded and sent me the audio tracks to add to the visuals. The videos were popular on Facebook and were shown for limited periods on library websites too.
You can watch all our videos for free. If you’d like to make a donation, please consider making a tax-free charitable donation in memory of my wife to the Leslye Orr Fund for Artists with Disabilities, a program of Springboard for the Arts.
The Lion and the Rabbit
The animals in the jungle all live together peacefully, when a mean lion comes into the jungle and claims to be their king. The animals live in fear of the lion, until one day the brave little bunny comes up with a plan to save the day!
Music: Greg Herriges
Video: Sam Mistry
The Elephants and the Mice
On their way to a lake in the jungle, a herd of elephants trample on the homes (an tails) of a family of mice. The King of the Mice asks the elephants to go a different way to the lake, and promises to help the elephants in return. The Queen of the Elephants laughs at the idea of needing help from the mice, but she agrees to take a different path to the lake. One day, some hunters come into the jungle, and capture the elephants! Who’s going to help them now?
Music: Greg Herriges
Video: Sam Mistry
The Foolish Fellow (A Story from the Panchatantra)
In a village in India, there once lived a foolish young man who spent all his time just daydreaming about all the great things he would do in life. But he hardly did any work at all. He learns, the hard way, that dreams don’t come true just by dreaming them. If you want something, you have to work for it.
Music: Greg Herriges
Video: Sam Mistry
The Donkey and the Fox
A donkey has a boring life, working for a washerman. All he does is carry clothes on his back, to and from the river. One day, the donkey decides to go on an adventure, and he makes friends with a clever fox. But you have to choose your friends carefully, because sometimes they can lead you into trouble!
Music: Greg Herriges
Video: Sam Mistry
The Tortoise and the Geese
During a very hot summer, a desert pond dries up, and all the animals have to leave. The tortoise is not sure where to go, when his friends the geese offer to fly him to another pond, by holding onto a stick with his mouth. They warn him that he can’t open his mouth during the flight. But the tortoise is a talkative fellow, and loves to crack jokes! Uh, oh.
Music: Greg Herriges
Video: Sam Mistry