WIXLIB

Tales of IndiaKeT- iitold byEllen C. Babbitt

NY PUBLIC LIBRARYTHE BRANCH LIBRARIES3 3333 09268 816344023

JatakaTales

Jataka TalesRe-told byEllen C. BabbittWith illustrations byEllsworth YoungNewYorkThe CenturyCo,

COPYRIGHT, 1912, BYTHE CENTURYCo.Published, September, 1912THE NEW YORKPUBLIC LIBRARY*.N(8TfLDfcN FOUNDATION*.CPRINTED IN U.L.S.A.

DedicatedtoDOTISJ 3)J 3 JJ 5)JJ 5 ]

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FOREWORDwas captivated by the charm of theJataka Tales and realized the excellent use that mightbe made of them in the teaching of children. TheLong agoIobvious lessons aremanyofthemsuitable forlittleand beneath the obvious there are depths anddepths of meaning which they may learn to fathomlater on.The Oriental setting lends an additionalpeople,fascination.Iamglad that Miss Babbitt has under-taken to put together this collection, andfreely to teacherscommendand parents.FELIX ABLER.VIIit

IXVIIXVIIITHE MONKEY AND THEHow THECROCODILETURTLE SAVED HisOWN.3LIFE.10""".THE MERCHANT OF SERI1318THE TURTLE WHO COULD N'T STOP TALKINGTHE Ox WHO WON THE FORFEIT.21THE SANDY ROAD25THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS30THE MEASURE OF RICE34THE FOOLISH, TIMID RABBIT'S.39THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MERCHANT44THE ELEPHANT GIRLY-FACE52THE BANYAN DEER58THE PRINCES AND THE WATER-SPRITE'.63THE KING'S WHITE ELEPHANT69THE Ox WHO ENVIED THE PIG74.GRANNIE'S BLACKIETHE CRAB AND THE CRANEWHY THE OWLIs77*-NOT KING OF THE BIRDS84.90

PUBLISHER'S NOTEThe Jatakas, or Birth-stories, form one of the sacredbooks of the Buddhists and relate to the adventuresof the Buddha in his former existences, the best charany story being identified with the Master.These legends were continually introduced into thereligious discourses of the Buddhist teachers to illus-acter intrate the doctrines of their faith or tomagnify theglory and sanctity of the Buddha, somewhat as medieval preachers in Europe used to enliven their sermonsby introducing fables and popular tales to rouse theflagging interest of their hearers.Sculptured scenes from the Jatakas, found upon thecarved railings around the relic shrines of Sanchi andAmaravati and of Bharhut, indicate that the "Birthwere widely known in the third centuryB.C., and were then considered as part of the sacredAt first the tales were probhistory of the religion.ably handed down orally, and it is uncertain whenthey were put together in systematic form.stories"xi

ORIGIN OF THE JATAKASWhile some of the stories are Buddhistic and depend for their point on some custom or idea peculiar toBuddhism, many are age-old fables, the flotsam andjetsam of folk-lore, which have appeared under variousguises throughout the centuries, as when they wereused by Boccaccio or Poggio, merely as merry tales, orby Chaucer, who unwittingly puts a Jataka story intothe mouth of his pardoners when he tells the tale of"the Ryotoures three."Quaint humor and gentle earnestness distinguishthese legends and they teach many wholesome lessons,among them the duty of kindness to animals.Dr. Felix Adler in his "Moral Instruction of ChiKdren," says:The Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are calThe taleculated to impress lessons of great moral beauty.had inallthatheofwhoof the MerchantSeri,gave upexchange for a goldendish,embodies much the same ideaas the parable of the priceless Pearl, in the New Testament.The tale of the Measures of Rice illustrates the importancewhich offereditslifeTheof the Banyan Deer,to save a roe and her young, illus-of a true estimate of values.taletrates self-sacrifice of the noblest sort.Sandy Roadisone of theThefinest in the collection.xiitaleof the

ORIGIN OF THE JATAKASAndeveryone mustadmit, nobly conceived, lofty in meaning, and many ahelpful sermon might be preached from them as texts."he adds that thesetales "are, asKill

Jataka Tales

Jataka TalesTHE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILEPARTMONKEYAAlived in a great treeon a riverbank.In the river there weremanyCrocodiles.Crocodile watched theMonkeys for a long time,she said to her son"My son, get one ofand one daythoseI:Monkeysfor me.Iwant the heart of a Monkeyto eat.""How amCrocodile.does not goI tocatch aMonkey?" asked"I do not travel on land,into the water.""Put your witstowork, and youthe'11find asaid the mother.AndthelittleCrocodile thought and thought.3littleand the Monkeyway,"

JATAKA TALESAtlasthe said to himselfget thatriver bank.1'11island"I:know whatI'11do.Monkey that lives in a big tree on theHe wishes to go across the river to thewhere thefruit is so ripe."So the Crocodile swam to the tree where theMonkey lived. But he was a stupid Crocodile."Oh, Monkey," he called, "come with me over tothe island where the fruit is so ripe.""HowcanIgo with you ?" asked the Monkey."Ido not swim.""NobutI do.I will takeyou over onmyback,"said the Crocodile.The Monkey was greedy, and wanted the ripejumped down on the Crocodile's back."Off we go !" said the Crocodile.fruit,so he"Thisisafine rideyou are giving me!" said theMonkey."Do you think so?Well,asked the Crocodile, diving.how do youlike this?""Oh, don't!" cried the Monkey, as he went underHe was afraid to let go, and he did notknow what to do under the water.When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputteredthe water.4

THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILEand choked."Whydid you takeme underwater,Crocodile ?" he asked.amgoing to kill you by keeping you underwater," answered the Crocodile."My mother wantsandI'mtoeat,going to take yours toMonkey-heart"Iher.""Whydid you takeme underwater, Crocodile?" he asked."I wish you had told me you wanted my heart,"Monkey, "then I might have brought it withsaid theme.""Howmeanqueer !" said the stupid Crocodile. "Do youto say that you left your heart back there inthe tree?""ThatiswhatImean," said the Monkey."If you

JATAKA TALESwant my heart, we must go back to the tree and get it.But we are so near the island where the ripe fruit is,please takemetherefirst.""No, Monkey," said the Crocodile, "I '11 take youNever mind the ripe fruit.straight back to your tree.Get your heart and bring it to me at once. Thenwe '11 see about going to the island.""Very well," said the Monkey.But no sooner had he jumped onto the bank of theriver thanwhisk! up he ran into the tree.From the topmost branches he called down to theCrocodile in the water below:"Myforit,heartcomeisforway uphere!Ifyou wantPARTcomeIIMonkey soon moved away fromHe wanted to get away from theTHEButit,it !"so that he might live in peace.the Crocodile found him, fardownthat tree.Crocodile,the river,living in another tree.In the middle of the river was an island coveredwith fruit-trees.6

THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILEHalf-way between the bank of the river and theThe Mon-island, a large rock rose out of the water.key could jump to the rock, and then to the island.The Crocodile watched the Monkey crossing fromthebank of the riverto the rock,and thento theisland.Hethought to himself, "The Monkey will stay onthe islandallday, and I'11catchhim onhisway homeat night."The Monkey had aswamfine feast,about, watching himToward nightwhile the Crocodileallday.the Crocodile crawled out of thewater and lay on the rock, perfectly still.When it grew dark among the trees, the MonkeyHe ran down to the river bank,started for home.and there he stopped."Whatisthe matter with the rock?" thethought to himself."I neversawitlying on it!"But he went to the edge of the waterTheCrocodileMonkeyso high before.isandcalled:"Hello, Rock!"Noanswer.Then heRock !"Monkey called, and then hecalled againThree times the:"Hello,7said:

JATAKA TALES"Whyis it,Friend Rock, that you do not answermeto-night ?""Oh," said the stupid Crocodile to himself, "therock answers the Monkey at night. I'll have to answer for the rock this time."So he answered::'Yes, Monkey!The Monkey laughed, and said:Crocodile,isI"Oh,isit?"it 'syou,it?""Yes," said the Crocodile.you.Whatam going"Iamwaiting here forto eat you.""You have caught meina trapthis time," said theis no other way for me to go home.mouthwideso I can jump right into it."Open yourMonkey."ThereThe Monkey jumped.8

THE MONKEY AND THE n their mouths wide, they shut their eyes.While the Crocodile lay on the rock with his mouthwide open and his eyes shut, the Monkey jumped.But not into his mouth! Oh, no! He landed onthe top of the Crocodile's head, and then sprangUp he whisked into his tree.quickly to the bank.When the Crocodile saw the trick the Monkey hadplayed on him, he said:"Monkey, you have greatYouI '11 let you alone afterknownofear.cunning.this.""Thankyou, Crocodile, but I shall be on the watchfor you just the same," said the Monkey.

IIHOW THE TURTLE SAVEDAonKINGit.mentoHISOWNLIFEonce had a lake made in the courtyardyoung princes to play in. They swamabout in it, and sailed their boats and raftsOne day the king told them he had asked theput some fishes into the lake.for theOff the boys ran to see the fishes. Now, along withThe boys were dethe fishes, there was a Turtle.thehadnever seen a Turwithbutfishes,lightedtheytle, and they were afraid of it, thinking it was ademon. They ran back to their father, crying,is a demon on the bankThe king ordered his men to"Thereto bringitto thepalace.of the lake."catch the demon, andWhen the Turtle wasand ran away.brought in,The king was very fond of his sons, so he orderedthe men who had brought the Turtle to kill it.the boys cried"Howshallwekill it?"they asked.IP

HOW THE TURTLE SAVED"PoundittoHIS LIFEpowder," said some one."Bakeitinhot coals/' said another."ThrowSo one planoldthe thing into the lake."was spoken of. Then anbeenafraid of the wateralwaysafter anotherman who had"Throw the thing into the lake where it flowsout over the rocks into the river.Then it will surelysaid:be killed."Whenwhat the old man said, heand asked: "Friend, what havethe Turtle heardthrust out his headII

JATAKA TALESdone that you should do such a dreadful thing asthat to me?The other plans were bad enough, butto throw me into the lake!Don't speak of such aIcruel thing!"When the king heardhismentowhat the Turtle said, hetake the Turtle at once and throw ittoldintothe lake.The Turtle laughedto himself as he slidthe river to his old home.away down"Good!" he said, "thosehowdonotknowsafeI am in the water!"people

IllTHE MERCHANT OFwas oncea merchant of Seribrass and tinware.THEREtown,SERIwhosoldHe went from towntocompany with another man, who alsoand tinware. This second man was greedy,allhe could for nothing, and giving as littlegettingas he could for what he bought.When they went into a town, they divided the streetsbetween them. Each man went up and down thestreets he had chosen, calling, "Tinware for sale.Brass for sale." People came out to their door-steps,and bought, or traded, with them.insold brassIn one house there lived a poor old woman and hergranddaughter. The family had once been rich, butnowthe only thing they had left of all their riches wasa golden bowl.The grandmother did not know itwas a golden bowl, but she had kept this because herhusband usedto eat out of13itin the old days.It

JATAKA TALESstood on a shelfwas not oftenamongthe other pots and pans, andused.Hethrew the bowl on the ground.The greedy merchant passed this house, calling,"Buy my water-jars! Buy my pans!" The granddaughter said:thing for"Myto"Oh, Grandmother, do buy some-me !"dear," said the oldbuy anything.Iwoman, "we aretoo poorhave not anything to trade,even.""Grandmother, see what the merchant will give forWe do not use that, and perhaps hethe old bowl.