It was one of these books which Chosroes, the king of Persia, caused to
be translated from the Sanscrit into the ancient language of his country,
in the sixth century of the Christian era, sending an embassy into
Hindostan expressly for that purpose. Of the Persian book a translation
was made in the time of the Calif Mansour, in the eighth century, into
Arabic. This Arabic translation it is which became famous under the title
of "The Book of Calila and Dimna, or the Fables of Bidpai."[3]

[3] An English translation from the Arabic appeared in 1819, done by the
Rev. Wyndham Knatchbull. Sir William Jones says that the word
_Bidpaii_ signifies beloved, or favourite, physician. And he
adds that the word _Pilpay_, which has taken the place of
_Bidpaii_ in some editions of these fables, is the result
simply of a blunder in copying the word _Bidpaii_ from the
original. La Fontaine himself uses the word _Pilpay_ twice in
his Fables, viz., in Fables XII. and XV., Book XII.--Ed.

Calila and Dimna are the names of two jackals that figure in the history,
and Bidpai is one of the principal human interlocutors, who came to be
mistaken for the author. This remarkable book was turned into verse by
several of the Arabic poets, was translated into Greek, Hebrew, Latin,
modern Persian, and, in the course of a few centuries, either directly or
indirectly, into most of the languages of modern Europe.

Forty-one of the unadorned and disconnected fables of Aesop were also
translated into Arabic at a period somewhat more recent than the Hegira,
and passed by the name of the "Fables of Lokman." Their want of poetical
ornament prevented them from acquiring much popularity with the Arabians;
but they became well known in Europe, as furnishing a convenient
text-book in the study of Arabic.