Reading Notes: Jataka Tales Part A

 For this week's reading, I have chosen to read the Jataka Tales retold by Ellen C. Babbitt. I am going to write up some notes over part A today.

How the Turtle Saved his Own Life:

• A king once made a pond for his children to swim and play in
• one day he decided to put some fish in the pond
• as well as a turtle
• the boys had never seen a turtle and thought it was a demon
• the boys ran back to their father crying to kill it
• the king sent out his men to capture this demon
• they were planning many horrendous ways to kill the turtle
• one man said to throw it into the lake and then it shall drown
• once the turtle heard this he questioned why they would ever do such a thing
• the men at once threw him into the lake
• the turtle laughed and lived a good life in the water

The Merchant of Seri:

• there was a merchant of Seri who sold brass and tinware
• there was a second merchant who was very greedy
• when they would arrive at towns they would split up and sell all they could
• the greedy merchant passed a house where an old lady and her granddaughter lived
• all they had to offer was a gold bowl
• the greedy merchant smirked and threw it on the ground and left
• the other merchant came around and they offered the bowl once again not knowing its worth
• the merchant looked at them and realized it was a bowl made out of gold
• he said all of his stuff is not worth this bowl
• he gave them all of what he had plus some money and took the bowl
• the greedy merchant came back asking for the bowl
• but it was already sold
• the merchant crossed the river and lived happily with all the bowl could bring him

A Turtle who Could not Stop Talking:

• A turtle lived in a pond
• two geese came to talk to him
• they came back the next day and they became acquainted
• the geese wanted the turtle to fly back to their home with them
• he said he couldn't because he had no wings to fly
• they agreed to take him if he promised not to say a word
• the grabbed a stick and the turtle held onto it with its mouth
• as they were flying kids were shouting and pointing
• the turtle began to talk
• and fell to his death.

Bibliography The Jataka Tales.Ellen C. Babbitt. Part A

(Image of a tortoise by the San Diego Zoo)