The Elephants Trample the Hares

Currently not on view

The Elephants Trample the Hares

18th century

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

Facing a drought, the elephants go to a hidden lake many days walk away. However, the lake is the home of hares and hundreds are killed by trampling each time the elephants come. To rid themselves of the elephants, a clever hare fools the king of the elephants, convincing him that the moon (who is seen as a hare in Asia) lives in the lake and cannot be disturbed:

By feigning greatly
great success follows;
the hares lived happily
riding high on the moon's glory.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Title:

The Elephants Trample the Hares
Page from a dispersed series of the Panchatantra (Book III: Of Crows and Owls)

Date:

18th century

Artist:

Artist/maker unknown, Indian

Medium:

Opaque watercolor on paper

Dimensions:

Image: 2 3/4 × 6 3/4 inches (7 × 17.1 cm) Sheet: 6 × 9 7/16 inches (15.2 × 24 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Stella Kramrisch Collection, 1994

Accession Number:

1994-148-460

Geography:

Made in Rajasthan, India, Asia

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Currently not on view