Jataka Tales and Realiz Ed the Excellent Use That Might Be Made of Them in the Teaching of Children
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J a t a k a T a l e s Re- told by Ellen Babbi C . tt W ith illustrations by Ell sworth ! ou ng N ew ! ork T he C entu ry 1 9 1 2 ! edic ated to ! O ! OREWOR! Long ago I was captivated by the charm of the Jataka Tales and realiz ed the excellent use that might be made of them in the teaching of children . The obvious lessons are many of them suitable for little s people, and beneath the obvious there are depth and depths of meaning which they may learn to fathom later on . The Oriental setting lends an additional I fascination . am glad that Miss Babbitt has under a ut t ken to p together this collection, and commend it freely to teachers and parents . ! E! IX ! ! ER A . vii C O NT ENT S THE MONK E! AND THE CROCODILE How THE TURTLE SA! ED HIS OW N ! I! E THE MERC HANT O! SERI ’ THE TURTLE WHO COU LD N T STOP TALK ING THE Ox WHO WON THE ! OR! EIT THE SAND! ROAD THE ! UARREL O! THE ! UAILS THE MEASURE OP RICE E ! OO IS IM I R BB IT TH L H , T D A ‘ THE WISE AND THE ! OOLISH MERC HANT THE ELEPHANT GIRL! -! ACE THE BAN! AN ! EER THE PRINCES AND THE WATER- SPRITE ’ THE KI NG S WHITE ELEPHANT THE Ox WHO EN! IED THE PIG ’ GRANNIE S BLACK IE THE CRAB AND THE CRANE WH! THE OW! IS NOT KI NG O! THE BIR! S PUBLISHER’ S NOTE a a - r one e The J tak s , or Birth sto ies , form of the sacr d books of the Buddhists and relate to the adventures e of the Buddha in his former existenc s , the best char acter in any story being identified with the Master . These legends were continually introduced into the religious discourses of the Buddhist teachers to illus trate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the as glory and sanctity of the Buddha, somewhat medi eval preac hers in Europe used to enliven their sermons by introducing fables and popular tales to rouse the flagging interest of their hearers . e o Sculptured sc nes from the Jatakas, found Up n the carved railings around the relic shrines of Sanchi and “ Amaravati and of Bharhut , indicate that the Birth ” stories were widely known in the third century B . C . , and were then considered as part of the sacred history of the religion . At first the tales were prob u n ably handed down orally, and it is ncertai when ut m r they were p together in syste atic fo m . XI ORIGIN O! THE JATAKAS While some of the stories are Buddhistic and de pend for their point on some custom or idea peculiar to - Buddhism, many are age old fables, the flotsam and - jetsam of folk lore, which have appeared under various r guises throughout the centu ies, as when they were P used by Boccaccio or oggio, merely as merry tales , or by Chaucer, who unwittingly puts a Jataka story into the mouth of his pardoners when he tells the tale of “ ” R o r the y tou es three . ! uaint humor and gentle earnestness distinguish these legends and they teach many wholesome lessons , among them the duty of kindness to animals . “ Dr . Felix Adler in his Moral Instruction of Chil ” ! dren, says h a aka Ta s nta n e tr t s and are c al T e J t le c o i de p u h , la o m r ss essons of rea m ra b a t Th c u ted t i p e l g t o l e u y. e tale of the Merc han of Seri who ave u all hat he had in t , g p t exc han e for a o en ish embo ies muc h he same i ea g g ld d , d t d h r f h ric e ess P ar in h N s m n as t e a ab e o t e e t e ew Te a e . p l p l l , t t The tale of the Measures of Ric e illustrates the importanc e h f h B n n ! r of a true estima e of va ues . T e a e o t e a a ee t l t l y , whic h ffere its i to save a roe and her oun i us o d l fe y g, ll - or Th f h trates self sac rific e of the noblest s t. e tale o t e h Sandy Road is one of the finest in t e c ollec tion. X11 ORIGIN O! THE JATAKAS “ And he adds that these tales are, as everyone must a admit, nobly conceived , lofty in meaning, and many ” n t be ea em t helpful sermo migh pr ched from th as tex s . J a t a ka T a l e s I THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE MONKEY lived in a great tree on a river bank . In the river there were many Crocodiles . r k A C ocodile watched the Mon eys for a long time, “ one ! and day she said to her son My son, get one of those Monkeys for me . I want the heart of a Monkey to eat . “How am I to catch a Monkey ! ” asked the little “ Crocodile . I do not travel on land , and the Monkey does not go into the water . “ ’ Put 11 your wits to work, and you find a way, said the mother . And the little Crocodile thought and thought. 3 JATAKA TALES “ ’ At l I a I 11 do ast he said to himself know wh t . ’ I 11 get that Monkey that lives in a big tree on the river bank. He wishes to go across the river to the i ” island where the fruit s so ripe . SO the Crocodile swam to the tree where the Monkey lived . But he was a stupid Crocodile . “ “ al Oh, Monkey, he c led, come with me over to ” the island where the fruit is SO ripe . “ ” How can I go with you ! asked the Monkey. do not swim . “ — t I o u . N b I do will take you over on my back, said the Crocodile . The Monkey was greedy, and wanted the ripe fruit, ’ SO he jumped down on the Crocodile s back. “ ff !” O we go said the Crocodile . This is a fine ride you are giving me !” said the nk Mo ey . “ ! ! ” Do you think so Well, how do you like this asked the Crocodile, diving. “ ’ 1” Oh, don t cried the Monkey, as he went under H was the water. e afraid to let go, and he did not know what to do under the water . on When the Crocodile came up, the M key sputtered 4 JATAKA TALES and want my heart , we must go back to the tree get it! so But we are near the island where the ripe fruit is, ” please take me there first. “ ” “ ’ I 11 ou No, Monkey, said the Crocodile, take y straight back to your tree . Never mind the ripe fruit . Get your heart and bring it to me at once . Then ’ ” we 11 see about going to the island . “ ” Very well, said the Monkey. But no sooner had he jumped onto the bank of the — river than whisk ! up he ran into the tree . From the topmost branches he called down to the Crocodile in the water below “ ! ou e My heart is way up here If y want it, com ” for ! it, come for it PART II E Monkey soon moved away from that tree. He wanted to get away from the Crocodile, O S that he might live in peace . n w But the Crocodile fou d him , far do n the river, living in another tree . In the middle of the river was an island covered - with fruit trees . 6 THE MONKEY AN! THE CROCODILE Half- way between the bank of the river and the f Mon island, a large rock rose out o the water . The key could jump to the rock, and then to the island . The Crocodile watched the Monkey crossing from ‘ of nd to the the bank the river to the rock, a then island . a on He thought to himself, The Monkey will st y ’ 11 wa o the island all day, and I catch him on his y h me at night . d e The Monkey had a fine feast, while the Croco il swam about, watching him all day. Toward night the Crocodile crawled out of the on . water and lay the rock, perfectly still M n When it grew dark among the trees, the o key k . n n started for home He ran dow to the river ba , he and there stopped . “ ” What is the matter with the rock ! the Monkey “ so . thought to himself . I never saw it high before The Crocodile is lying on it !” But he went to the edge of the water and called R !” Hello , ock NO answer . h ! T en he called again Hello, Rock a and he i Three times the Monkey c lled, then sa d 7 JATAKA TALES h c not me W y is it, Friend Ro k, that you do answer to-night “ Oh, said the stupid Crocodile to himself , the ’ n roc k answers the Monkey at night .