Jataka Tales Animal Stories

of them in the teaching of children. The obvious lessons are many of them suitable for little people, and beneath the obvious there are depths and depths of meaning which they may learn to fathom later on. The Oriental setting lends an additional fascination. I am glad that Miss Babbitt has under taken to put together this collection, and commend it freely to teachers and parents, FELIX ABLER. CONTENTS PAG8 I THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE 3 II How THE TURTLE SAVED His OWN LIFE . . 10 III THE MERCHANT OF SERI 13 IV THE TURTLE WHO COULD N J T STOP TALKING . 18 V THE Ox WHO WON THE FORFEIT .... 21 VI THE SANDY ROAD 25 VII THE QUARREL OF THE QUAILS . 30 VIII THE MEASURE OF RICE 34 IX THE FOOLISH, TIMID RABBIT 39 ,. X THE WISE AND THE FOOLISH MERCHANT . . 44 XI THE ELEPHANT GIRLY-FACE 52 XII THE BANYAN DEER 58 XIII THE PRINCES AND THE WATER-SPRITE ... 63 XIV THE KINGS WHITE ELEPHANT . . . . 69 XV THE Ox WHO ENVIED THE PIG 74 XVI GRANNIES BLACKIE 77 XVII THE CRAB AND THE CRANE 84 XVIII WHY THE OWL Is NOT KING OF THE BIRDS . . 90 PUBLISHERS NOTE The Jatakas, or Birth-stories, form one of the sacred books of the Buddhists and relate to the adventures of the Buddha in his former existences, 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 glory and sanctity of the Buddha, somewhat as medi eval preachers in Europe used to enliven their sermons by introducing fables and popular tales to rouse the flagging interest of their hearers. Sculptured scenes from the Jatakas, found upon 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 ably handed down orally, and it is uncertain when they were put together in systematic form. xi ORIGIN OF 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 guises throughout the centuries, as when they were used by Boccaccio or Poggio, 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 the Ryotoures three Quaint 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 The Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are cal culated 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 parable of the priceless Pearl, in the New Testament. 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, illus trates self-sacrifice of the noblest sort. The tale of the Sandy Road is one of the finest in the collection. xii --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.