Kalīla wa-Dimna
The two jackals of the title, Kalila and Dimna. Arabic illustration, 1220 | |
| Author | Unknown (originally Sanskrit, translated by Ibn al-Muqaffa') |
|---|---|
| Original title | كليلة ودمنة |
| Translator | Ibn al-Muqaffa' |
| Language | Arabic, Middle Persian |
| Subject | Fables |
| Genre | Beast fable |
| Published | 8th century (Arabic translation) |
| Publication place | Abbasid Caliphate |
| Media type | Manuscript |
Kalīla wa-Dimna or Kelileh o Demneh (Persian: کلیله و دمنه) is a collection of fables. The book consists of fifteen chapters containing many fables whose heroes are animals. A remarkable animal character is the lion, who plays the role of the king; he has a servant ox Shetrebah, while the two jackals of the title, Kalila and Dimna, appear both as narrators and as protagonists. Its likely origin is the Sanskrit Panchatantra. The book has been translated into many languages, with surviving illustrations in manuscripts from the 13th century onwards.