Paksi Prakarana: A-Story-within-a-Story, Technique and the Human-to-Human Worldview

Abstract

Abstract

                Paksi Prakarana is a tale influenced by the Tantropakhyana which evolved from Southern India’s recension of the Pancatantra.  The Thai recension of the tale is a unique adaptation in which the female protagonist “Tantrai” plays the role of a story teller who recounts 3 tales of ancient customs to King Aisuriyaphaharaj: Nandaka Prakarana (A Cow Making Friends with a Lion), Paksi Prakarana (Birds Choosing Their Master) and Pisaca Prakarana (A Devil Marrying a Human).

                The technique of a story within a story in Paksi Prakarana is employed in order to enable the “birds” to tell cautionary tales professing their propositions for or against the types of bird suitable to act as their president, according to the theme of “Birds Choosing Their Master”.  For the human-to-human worldview, the story teller expresses the worldview related to the selection of a leader, caste system, obedience towards parents and teachers and gratitude through the “bird” characters.