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JATAKA TALES
This book was especially republished to raise funds for these charities & many more...
33% of the publishers profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.
A GREAT READ FOR CHILDREN
The 19 unique Jataka tales, or birth-stories, in this book are taken from one of Buddhisms sacred books. They relate the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences. In here you will find a variety of Eastern tales like THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE, HOW THE TURTLE SAVED HIS OWN LIFE, THE MERCHANT OF SERI, THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS, THE MEASURE OF RICE and more.
The Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are calculated to impress lessons of great moral beauty. The tale of the Merchant of Seri, who gave up all that he had in exchange for a golden dish, embodies much the same idea as the New Testaments parable of the priceless pearl. The tale of the Measures of Rice illustrates the importance of a true estimate of values. The tale of the Banyan Deer, which offered its life to save a roe and her young, illustrates self-sacrifice of the noblest sort. The tale of the Sandy Road is one of the finest in the collection.
While some of the stories are based in Buddhist ideology, many are age-old fables, the flotsam and jetsam of folk-lore that have appeared in various guises in as many cultures throughout the centuries. At times they have been used merely as merry tales, and at other times theyre used as literature, as by Chaucer, who unwittingly puts a Jataka story into the mouth of his Pardoner when he tells the tale of the Ryotoures three.
Captivate yourself with the charm of these 18 Jataka Tales. Let their quaint humour and gentle earnestness teach you the wholesome lessons of the Buddhist ideology, among them the duty of kindness to animals.
YESTERDAY'S BOOKS RAISING FUNDS FOR TODAY'S CHARITIES
Excerpt from JATAKA TALES
THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS
ONCE upon a time many quails lived together in a forest. The wisest of them all was their leader. A man lived near the forest and earned his living by catching quails and selling them. Day after day he listened to the note of the leader calling the quails. By and by this man, the fowler, was able to call the quails together. Hearing the note the quails thought it was their leader who called.
When they were crowded together, the fowler threw his net over them and off he went into the town, where he soon sold all the quails that he had caught. The wise leader saw the plan of the fowler for catching the quails. He called the birds to him and said, "This fowler is carrying away so many of us, we must put a stop to it. I have thought of a plan; it is this: The next time the fowler throws a net over you, each of you must put your head through one of the little holes in the net. Then all of you together must fly away to the nearest thorn-bush. You can leave the net on the thorn-bush and be free yourselves."
The quails said that was a very good plan and they would try it the next time the fowler threw the net over them.
The very next day the fowler came and called them together. Then he threw the net over them. The quails lifted the net and flew away with it to the nearest thorn-bush where they left it. They flew back to their leader to tell him how well his plan had worked.
The fowler was busy until evening getting his net off the thorns and he went home empty-handed. The next day the same thing happened, and the next. His wife was angry because he did not bring home any money, but the fowler said, "The fact is those quails are working together now. The moment my net is over them, off they fly with it, leaving it on a thorn-bush. As soon as the quails begin to quarrel I shall be able to catch them."
Not long after this, one of the quails in alighting on their feeding ground, trod by accident on another's head. "Who trod on my head?" angrily cried the second. "I did; but I didn't mean to. Don't be angry," said the first quail, but the second quail was angry and said mean things.
Soon all the quails had taken sides in this quarrel. When the fowler came that day he flung his net over them, and this time instead of flying off with it, one side said, "Now, you lift the net," and the other side said, "Lift it yourself."
"You try to make us lift it all," said the quails on one side.
"No, we don't!" said the others, "you begin and we will help," but neither side began.
So the quails quarrelled, and while they were quarrelling the fowler caught them all in his net. He took them to town and sold them for a good price.
Table of Contents for JATAKA TALES
| I THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE PART I |
| I THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE PART II |
| II HOW THE TURTLE SAVED HIS OWN LIFE |
| III THE MERCHANT OF SERI |
| IV THE TURTLE WHO COULDN'T STOP TALKING |
| V THE OX WHO WON THE FORFEIT |
| VI THE SANDY ROAD |
| VII THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS |
| VIII THE MEASURE OF RICE |
| IX THE FOOLISH, TIMID RABBIT |
| X THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MERCHANT |
| XI THE ELEPHANT GIRLY-FACE |
| XII THE BANYAN DEER |
| XIII THE PRINCES AND THE WATER-SPRITE |
| XIV THE KING'S WHITE ELEPHANT |
| XV THE OX WHO ENVIED THE PIG |
| XVI GRANNY'S BLACKIE |
| XVII THE CRAB AND THE CRANE |
| XVIII WHY THE OWL IS NOT KING OF THE BIRDS |
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