Jungle Wungle Fables. Modern story adaptations from the Panchatantra and Jataka Tales
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The Tale of the Mouse Made Maiden

Based on the segments of the story provided in the search results, I will craft a narrative children’s story from the “Panchatantra Tales”. Following this, I’ll generate generative AI prompts that could be used to visually illustrate key moments and characters of the story. I’ll include these prompts within the story itself, marking them clearly, and then format the final story in a markdown file format.

Here is the narrative tale:


The Tale of the Mouse Made Maiden

In a time long past, on the verdant banks of the holy Ganges, where the river roared and tumbled from towering cliffs, frothing and churning, there existed a tranquil hermitage. This sacred dwelling was home to wise sages, men of great virtue, who spent their days immersed in deep study and devout sacrifices, nourishing their bodies with nothing but pure water and the simplest of nature’s offerings.

The head sage, an enlightened soul named Yagnavalkya, was revered for his knowledge and his deep commitment to the ascetic way of life. One fateful day, as he bathed in the river’s purifying embrace, a hawk dropped from the heavens a baby mouse upon him. Yagnavalkya, ever compassionate, felt a stirring of pity. He placed the tiny creature upon a banyan leaf and, once again, cleansed himself in the mighty Ganges.

By the grace of his profound austerities, Yagnavalkya transformed the insignificant mouse into a beautiful baby girl. With joyous heart, he carried her to his abode and entrusted the child to his wife, who had not known the blessing of a child of her own. She raised the girl with tenderness and care, as if sprung from her very womb.


Image Prompt 1 (Random Seed: 18345678): Create an image of a sage with a long beard and serene face, wearing simple robes, standing by the Ganges with frothy water and towering cliffs in the background. A hawk is dropping a baby mouse onto a banyan leaf floating on the river’s surface.


Image Prompt 2 (Random Seed: 18345678): Illustrate a wise sage converting a baby mouse into a human girl with waves of magical energy surrounding them. The background should be full of the serene hermitage’s natural beauty.


The years passed like the fleeting seasons, and the mouse-turned-maiden blossomed into a strikingly beautiful young woman under the sage’s roof. When she reached the ripe age of twelve, Yagnavalkya’s wife reminded him of his paternal duties to seek a worthy suitor for their daughter.

Yagnavalkya agreed wholeheartedly, acknowledging that the time had come for her to marry. The girl had become the epitome of grace and knowledge, a perfect maiden by all accounts. As preparations to find a suitable bridegroom began, a remarkable event unfolded. The young maiden espied a mouse and felt an overwhelming sense of kinship and belonging surge through her. With a coy shyness, she approached her father and expressed a wish most peculiar. She longed to return to her original form and be wed to a mouse—the one creature she considered her true equal.

With a heart torn between sorrow and understanding, Yagnavalkya honored his daughter’s wish. Summoning the depth of his powers, he reversed the magic that had given her human form. Once a girl, the maiden became a mouse once more, and thus she was married to a mouse, with whom she would share her life in joyful union.


Image Prompt 3 (Random Seed: 18345678): Capture the heartfelt moment between a sage father and his shy daughter before she turns back into a mouse. They are in a lush forest and the daughter is touching a mouse with affection.


Character Description Prompt (Random Seed: 18345678): Portray a sage with wise eyes and a gentle expression, wearing simple robes; a young maiden with pure and simple beauty; and a mouse with intelligent and friendly eyes, exuding an air of nobility for his kind.

Cover Page Prompt (Random Seed: 18345678): Design a cover showing a magical transformation from a mouse into a young maiden, with a mystical forest and the ancient hermitage in the background. The title: “The Tale of the Mouse Made Maiden” is written in elegant typography.

Main Scene Prompt (Random Seed: 18345678): Illustrate a vibrant hermitage scene on the banks of the Ganges, with sages in meditation, wildlife, and an aura of peace and tranquility.

Before I can proceed with converting this story into a markdown file format, could you please confirm that the narrative and prompts align with your requirements, Venky?

Written/Updated on December 07, 2023 🖋️