ABSTRACT
AS the Gïta-govinda, a work on the border-line of lyric poetry and drama, led us to speak of the drama, so the Indian drama, which is essentially lyric and narrative, leads us on to the form for which the Indian spirit has shown the greatest aptitude, narrative literature. We have seen the heroes of the Mahābhārata diverting themselves in their distress by listening to fables and stories. In discussing Buddhist literature I have mentioned the avadānas and the "Garland of Jatakas". Let us remember that at an early date India possessed the largest collection of stories in existence, the Jātakas.
