Week 6 Reading Notes: Jataka Tales (Babbitt), Part A

 How the Turtle Saved His Own Life:

  • King put fished in lake
  • Boys found "demon" (turtle) and were scared
  • king ordered for men to bring turtle to palace
  • boys cried when it came and king ordered to kill it
  • old man suggests drowning in river
  • turtle says that's the worst punishment of all (tricking him)
  • survived
  • geese and turtle=very good friends
  • geese ask turtle to fly to their home with them
  • turtle can't fly but geese will take him if he keeps his mouth shut
  • geese took stick and turtle held on by his mouth
  • children saw this and were laughing at turtle
  • turtle responded but fell and died
  • geese said i told you so
  • gold deer with jewel eyes and silver horns, etc.
  • king of herd of 500 in Banyan
  • "monkey deer'=humans--forced Banyan into forest and would hunt
  • Banyan deer king asks to stop killing and do one Banyarn one day then a monkey deer the next and so on
  • all agreed
  • Banyan deer king volunteered in spot of a female deer who had baby
  • monkey king granted his life and vowed to stop killing because of his kindness and mercy
  • carpenters cut trees for lumbar
  • one day elephant came to carpenters with splinter in foot
  • carpenters cured it so elephant wanted to return favor
  • elephant started pulling up trees, roll logs to river, or brought tools--carpenters would feed him
  • elephant had son (white) and wanted to help too
  • carpenters children would play with white elephant
  • king saw white elephant and paid carpenters for him
  • took really good care of him
(Illustration from Jakata Tales by Ellsworth Young)


  • ox=Big Red, younger brother=Little Red--work on farm
  • farmer's daughter got married and wanted to fatten pig for ceremony
  • Little Red jealous of pigs good food
  • Big Red told him not to envy because he was getting eaten
  • Little Red learned to appreciate his food
Bibliography: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt, illustrated by Ellsworth Young (1922).

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