Book excerpt: Ten unforgettable tales of fascinating human encounters with animals and birds—of a man-eater that terrorizes an entire village; the strange and wonderful trust that develops between a fierce leopard and a boy; revengeful monkeys who never forgive a woman who grows dahlias; a crow who genuinely thinks human beings are stupid; and many others— that create a world in which men and wild creatures struggle to survive despite each other: a world where, in the end, one is not quite sure which side one is on. Panther’s Moon and Other Stories is another marvellous collection of stories from India’s most-loved author that will once again amuse, enchant, and delight readers of all ages.