Reading Notes: Jataka Tales B
Bibliography: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt
The Wise and Foolish Merchant
There were two merchants, one wise and the other stupid. The stupid one agreed to go first through the desert because everything would be fresh but the wise merchant knew he would create the path for him to go. While the dumb merchant was going through the desert, he ran into a demon who tricked him into throwing away all of his water by telling him there is a forest with a ton of water over there. The merchant did just that but then realized that there isn't any water there so he was dehydrated and hungry and the demons were easily able to take them away. Later, the wise merchant goes through the forest and the demon tried to trick them again but he knew they were demons and did not throw away his water. He later found the empty goods of the stupid merchants so he took those and sold them for a profit.
The Elephant Girly-Face
This king had an elephant named Girly-Face because he was so gentle and nice. One day, some robbers were talking about how they have to be cruel to be robbers in front of Girly-Face's stable. He heard that and thought oh I have to be cruel so he started killing people. The king didn't know what was happening so he called one of his wise men to find out what's wrong. The wise men figured that the elephant overheard some evil people talking and if he heard good people talking, he would return to normal. The king then hired these guys to talk about how people have to be nice in front of Girly-Face's stable and he returned to normal.
The Banyan Deer
There's this king that loved to hunt deer and he would oftentimes get the townspeople to go with him. The townspeople did not like it because that meant they couldn't get any work done so they created this small space with deer just for the king to hunt. In this forest, there existed two deer kings: the Banyan deer and the Monkey deer. The king promised he wouldn't kill either of these kings. They made a pact where every time the king hunted, a deer would alternate from each of their kingdom to go and be killed which would lessen the amount of deers lost from their kingdoms. One day, however, a mother from the Monkey deer's kingdom was sent to be killed but she wanted to take care of her newborn until he is ready to live by himself before she dies. The Monkey deer refused so she went to the Banyan deer. The Banyan deer agreed to take her place. The king, seeing the Banyan deer, was confused since he granted their safety. The Banyan deer then told the king about the mother and the king was super touched so he promised not to kill any more deers.
The Princes and the Water Sprite
A king has three sons: the first was Prince of the Stars, the second was the Moon Prince, and the third was the Sun Prince. The king was overjoyed so he promised the queen a boon. When the Sun Prince turned 21 the queen used her boon and asked for the kingdom to be given to the Sun Prince. The king refused though since it should go to the eldest son. The king then feared for the safety of the older sons so he sent them away to a forest until the king has died. The Sun Prince decided to follow them. While they were in the forest, the Sun Prince went to go get water from a lake, which was ruled by a water sprite. The water sprite asked the Sun Prince a question before he could get water. He answered it wrong so the water sprite captured him. The Moon Prince then went and he also answered it wrong and got captured. The Star Prince went and answered it correctly so the water sprite said he would free one of them. The Star Prince chose the Sun Prince since they left because of him in the first place. The water sprite was pleased at how wise the Star Prince was so he freed both of the brothers. Eventually, the king died and the Star Prince became the king. The Star Prince also gave part of the kingdom to his two brothers and built a shrine for the water sprite.
The King's White Elephant
There was this elephant with a big splinter in its foot. These carpenters helped remove it and the elephant was super grateful so it would help the carpenters move logs. The elephant then had a son who was white all over and the elephant told the son of how the carpenters helped him out. The son then decided to help the carpenters too and would play with their kids. The king then saw how helpful the white elephant was and wanted it so he paid the carpenters for the elephant. The elephant was sad to leave his friends but the king took very great care of it in the palace.
The Ox Who Never Envied the Pig
There were two ox brothers and they saw this pig eating lots of good food. One of the ox was upset that the pig was eating good food while they ate straw but the other ox told him that he's eating the food of death. Later, once that pig was fat, he was killed and eaten.
Grannie's Blackie
This grandma had an elephant and the kids named it Grannie's Blackie. All the elephant did was play with the kids and chill. The elephant realized that grannie was doing all the work and she was getting old so he wanted to do something to help out. He woke up early, went to the river, and helped some guy move some wagons. He got paid two silvers for each wagon he moved. He then went back to grannie with the money. From then on, grannie rested while Blackie did all the hard work and they lived happily ever after.
The Crab and the Crane
There was this lake that was drying up so a crane went up to the fishes and told them about a different lake. The crane offered to carry the fishes in his mouth to the lake. The fishes were skeptical at first so they sent a trustworthy fish with the crane to the lake. The crane brought the fish back and he said that there was a lake so the fishes agreed. But the crane tricked them and instead of carrying the fishes to the lake, he carried them to the forest where they ate them. The crane then ate all the fish. The next day, the crane tried to do the same trick with a crab. The crab said the only way he can go is if he sits on the crane's back. The crane agreed and took him to the forest where he was gonna eat the crab but the crab noticed the fish bones and instead used its claws to snap the crane's neck.
Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds
A long time ago when the animals were deciding on who to be the king of birds, they first chose the owl. The crows, however, did not want the owl to be their king so they disagreed on the basis that it looks cross all the time. The owl ended up not being the king and from that day forward, crows and owls hated each other.
The Wise and Foolish Merchant
There were two merchants, one wise and the other stupid. The stupid one agreed to go first through the desert because everything would be fresh but the wise merchant knew he would create the path for him to go. While the dumb merchant was going through the desert, he ran into a demon who tricked him into throwing away all of his water by telling him there is a forest with a ton of water over there. The merchant did just that but then realized that there isn't any water there so he was dehydrated and hungry and the demons were easily able to take them away. Later, the wise merchant goes through the forest and the demon tried to trick them again but he knew they were demons and did not throw away his water. He later found the empty goods of the stupid merchants so he took those and sold them for a profit.
The Elephant Girly-Face
This king had an elephant named Girly-Face because he was so gentle and nice. One day, some robbers were talking about how they have to be cruel to be robbers in front of Girly-Face's stable. He heard that and thought oh I have to be cruel so he started killing people. The king didn't know what was happening so he called one of his wise men to find out what's wrong. The wise men figured that the elephant overheard some evil people talking and if he heard good people talking, he would return to normal. The king then hired these guys to talk about how people have to be nice in front of Girly-Face's stable and he returned to normal.
The Banyan Deer
There's this king that loved to hunt deer and he would oftentimes get the townspeople to go with him. The townspeople did not like it because that meant they couldn't get any work done so they created this small space with deer just for the king to hunt. In this forest, there existed two deer kings: the Banyan deer and the Monkey deer. The king promised he wouldn't kill either of these kings. They made a pact where every time the king hunted, a deer would alternate from each of their kingdom to go and be killed which would lessen the amount of deers lost from their kingdoms. One day, however, a mother from the Monkey deer's kingdom was sent to be killed but she wanted to take care of her newborn until he is ready to live by himself before she dies. The Monkey deer refused so she went to the Banyan deer. The Banyan deer agreed to take her place. The king, seeing the Banyan deer, was confused since he granted their safety. The Banyan deer then told the king about the mother and the king was super touched so he promised not to kill any more deers.
The Princes and the Water Sprite
A king has three sons: the first was Prince of the Stars, the second was the Moon Prince, and the third was the Sun Prince. The king was overjoyed so he promised the queen a boon. When the Sun Prince turned 21 the queen used her boon and asked for the kingdom to be given to the Sun Prince. The king refused though since it should go to the eldest son. The king then feared for the safety of the older sons so he sent them away to a forest until the king has died. The Sun Prince decided to follow them. While they were in the forest, the Sun Prince went to go get water from a lake, which was ruled by a water sprite. The water sprite asked the Sun Prince a question before he could get water. He answered it wrong so the water sprite captured him. The Moon Prince then went and he also answered it wrong and got captured. The Star Prince went and answered it correctly so the water sprite said he would free one of them. The Star Prince chose the Sun Prince since they left because of him in the first place. The water sprite was pleased at how wise the Star Prince was so he freed both of the brothers. Eventually, the king died and the Star Prince became the king. The Star Prince also gave part of the kingdom to his two brothers and built a shrine for the water sprite.
The King's White Elephant
There was this elephant with a big splinter in its foot. These carpenters helped remove it and the elephant was super grateful so it would help the carpenters move logs. The elephant then had a son who was white all over and the elephant told the son of how the carpenters helped him out. The son then decided to help the carpenters too and would play with their kids. The king then saw how helpful the white elephant was and wanted it so he paid the carpenters for the elephant. The elephant was sad to leave his friends but the king took very great care of it in the palace.
The Ox Who Never Envied the Pig
There were two ox brothers and they saw this pig eating lots of good food. One of the ox was upset that the pig was eating good food while they ate straw but the other ox told him that he's eating the food of death. Later, once that pig was fat, he was killed and eaten.
Grannie's Blackie
This grandma had an elephant and the kids named it Grannie's Blackie. All the elephant did was play with the kids and chill. The elephant realized that grannie was doing all the work and she was getting old so he wanted to do something to help out. He woke up early, went to the river, and helped some guy move some wagons. He got paid two silvers for each wagon he moved. He then went back to grannie with the money. From then on, grannie rested while Blackie did all the hard work and they lived happily ever after.
The Crab and the Crane
There was this lake that was drying up so a crane went up to the fishes and told them about a different lake. The crane offered to carry the fishes in his mouth to the lake. The fishes were skeptical at first so they sent a trustworthy fish with the crane to the lake. The crane brought the fish back and he said that there was a lake so the fishes agreed. But the crane tricked them and instead of carrying the fishes to the lake, he carried them to the forest where they ate them. The crane then ate all the fish. The next day, the crane tried to do the same trick with a crab. The crab said the only way he can go is if he sits on the crane's back. The crane agreed and took him to the forest where he was gonna eat the crab but the crab noticed the fish bones and instead used its claws to snap the crane's neck.
Why the Owl is Not King of the Birds
A long time ago when the animals were deciding on who to be the king of birds, they first chose the owl. The crows, however, did not want the owl to be their king so they disagreed on the basis that it looks cross all the time. The owl ended up not being the king and from that day forward, crows and owls hated each other.
The Owl and the Crows
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