Reading Notes : Jhataka, Part D
Hawks and Their Friends
- A family of hawks resided on an island close to the great forest. Near the north shore, King of the beasts took over who was the Lion. On the east shore, it was a Kingfisher. On the south shore, it was a turtle who occupied the area. Mother hawk told father hawk to go make some friends on the island. Some men hunted in the forest and on the island and made beds to stay the night under the hawk nest. The hunters heard the birds and decided to eat them for breakfast. The father bird asked the kingfisher for help as the fire was burning from the men. Time after time, the kingfisher helped by putting out fires and got very tired. Father hawk went to go ask the turtle for help and after a while, the turtle became tired as well. Father hawk went to get the Lion's help and the lion scared the men away. The hawk was glad to have made friends with all of these animals as they had saved their lives.
Foolhardy Wolf
- A lion went all around his lair looking for food and came upon a buffalo, killing it and consuming it quickly. He then came upon a hungry wolf. The wolf was no match to the strong lion so he decided to be his servant in order to live. The deal was to alert the lion of food on the mountain top and the lion would go kill it and then share the meat with the wolf. The wolf never had good meat to eat so he became stronger and stronger as he was fed. The wolf wanted to be in charge and kill an elephant and reverse roles with the lion and the lion warned him that this was dangerous. The wolf did not listen and was persistent so the lion agreed. When there was an elephant in sight, the wolf tried killing the elephant but instead, he was the one who got killed as he missed his aim.
Stolen Plow
- Two traders were great friends. One lived in a small village while another lived in a large town close by. One day the village trader took his plow to the big town to have it mended and the big town trader kept the revenue and told him that the mice have eaten his plow. The big town trader dropped off his son and the small town trader said that a bird carried him off by the banks of the river. They both went to court and found out they were both lying and the judge ordered them to return the plow to the other man and the son to the other and they both went their own ways.
Lion in Bad Company
- A young lion came upon a wolf and the wolf was frightened and asked to be his slave if he keeps him in his den. The young lion took him to his mother and father and the father said it wasn't a good idea keeping the lion there but the young lion did not listen and kept the wolf there anyway. The wolf wanted horse-meat to eat so he told the young lion to kill the king's horses and day by day, the young lion would devour each pony even though his father had told him not to as the king will kill anyone who takes their ponies. The king called an archer to kill the lion who kept taking the King's ponies and one day, the lion sprang over the wall to take a pony and was hit by an arrow. The wolf then returned to his old home in the woods since the lion did not listen to his father and was left to die.
Wise Goat and the Wolf
- Many goats resided in a cave on the side of a hill. A wolf lived there as well. Wolves love the taste of goat meat so they decided to eat one after the other without having the other ones knowing. One day, the wolf wanted to play a trick on the wise goat with his mate pretending to be dead in order to kill her to devour her. The wolf did not want to go as all her friends and family have been killed. The wolf who was pretending to play dead was so hungry that he raised his head to see if they were coming and once the goat saw him raise his dead, she ran back towards the cave. The mate of the wolf came by to trick the goat again but this time the goat had a trick up her sleeve as well. She told the wolf that she was going to bring multiple friends and their mates and the wolf quickly ran out.
Beauty and Brownie
- There were two deer named Beauty and Brownie who lived with their parents and a group of deer in the forest. The father told the two deer that there was danger coming and to take a group of deer along with them. Whenever there is corn in the forest, it is a trap that the men have set up there to catch deer. The parents told the deer to travel at night without them as there are plenty of good rood up at the top of the high hills. Beauty followed his instructions closely and did not lose a single deer. Brownie had forgotten what his father had said and traveled in the morning. Hunters saw the deer and killed many of Brownie's herd. Beauty led all of his herd back to his parents without losing a single one while Brownie had lost almost all of his since he never paid attention to what was told to him.
Elephant and the Dog
- There was a dog that used to go into the stable where the King's elephant lived. The dog ate the elephant's scraps day after day and the Dog and the Elephant had become best friends. They ate together and shared the food they had with each other. They slept next to each other and played with each other whenever they were in the mood. They enjoyed each other's company. A farmer was interested in the dog and bought him from the elephant keeper. The elephant would not do anything without the dog so he rebelled against his owner. The chief servant went to go find out what the problem was with the dog until he realized that the elephant has lost his play mate. The king put word out that he wanted the dog back and the farmer was ready to give him back as both were super upset without each other. They were reunited at last and the dog and the elephant lived happily ever after.
- A family of hawks resided on an island close to the great forest. Near the north shore, King of the beasts took over who was the Lion. On the east shore, it was a Kingfisher. On the south shore, it was a turtle who occupied the area. Mother hawk told father hawk to go make some friends on the island. Some men hunted in the forest and on the island and made beds to stay the night under the hawk nest. The hunters heard the birds and decided to eat them for breakfast. The father bird asked the kingfisher for help as the fire was burning from the men. Time after time, the kingfisher helped by putting out fires and got very tired. Father hawk went to go ask the turtle for help and after a while, the turtle became tired as well. Father hawk went to get the Lion's help and the lion scared the men away. The hawk was glad to have made friends with all of these animals as they had saved their lives.
Foolhardy Wolf
- A lion went all around his lair looking for food and came upon a buffalo, killing it and consuming it quickly. He then came upon a hungry wolf. The wolf was no match to the strong lion so he decided to be his servant in order to live. The deal was to alert the lion of food on the mountain top and the lion would go kill it and then share the meat with the wolf. The wolf never had good meat to eat so he became stronger and stronger as he was fed. The wolf wanted to be in charge and kill an elephant and reverse roles with the lion and the lion warned him that this was dangerous. The wolf did not listen and was persistent so the lion agreed. When there was an elephant in sight, the wolf tried killing the elephant but instead, he was the one who got killed as he missed his aim.
Stolen Plow
- Two traders were great friends. One lived in a small village while another lived in a large town close by. One day the village trader took his plow to the big town to have it mended and the big town trader kept the revenue and told him that the mice have eaten his plow. The big town trader dropped off his son and the small town trader said that a bird carried him off by the banks of the river. They both went to court and found out they were both lying and the judge ordered them to return the plow to the other man and the son to the other and they both went their own ways.
Lion in Bad Company
- A young lion came upon a wolf and the wolf was frightened and asked to be his slave if he keeps him in his den. The young lion took him to his mother and father and the father said it wasn't a good idea keeping the lion there but the young lion did not listen and kept the wolf there anyway. The wolf wanted horse-meat to eat so he told the young lion to kill the king's horses and day by day, the young lion would devour each pony even though his father had told him not to as the king will kill anyone who takes their ponies. The king called an archer to kill the lion who kept taking the King's ponies and one day, the lion sprang over the wall to take a pony and was hit by an arrow. The wolf then returned to his old home in the woods since the lion did not listen to his father and was left to die.
Wise Goat and the Wolf
- Many goats resided in a cave on the side of a hill. A wolf lived there as well. Wolves love the taste of goat meat so they decided to eat one after the other without having the other ones knowing. One day, the wolf wanted to play a trick on the wise goat with his mate pretending to be dead in order to kill her to devour her. The wolf did not want to go as all her friends and family have been killed. The wolf who was pretending to play dead was so hungry that he raised his head to see if they were coming and once the goat saw him raise his dead, she ran back towards the cave. The mate of the wolf came by to trick the goat again but this time the goat had a trick up her sleeve as well. She told the wolf that she was going to bring multiple friends and their mates and the wolf quickly ran out.
Beauty and Brownie
- There were two deer named Beauty and Brownie who lived with their parents and a group of deer in the forest. The father told the two deer that there was danger coming and to take a group of deer along with them. Whenever there is corn in the forest, it is a trap that the men have set up there to catch deer. The parents told the deer to travel at night without them as there are plenty of good rood up at the top of the high hills. Beauty followed his instructions closely and did not lose a single deer. Brownie had forgotten what his father had said and traveled in the morning. Hunters saw the deer and killed many of Brownie's herd. Beauty led all of his herd back to his parents without losing a single one while Brownie had lost almost all of his since he never paid attention to what was told to him.
Elephant and the Dog
- There was a dog that used to go into the stable where the King's elephant lived. The dog ate the elephant's scraps day after day and the Dog and the Elephant had become best friends. They ate together and shared the food they had with each other. They slept next to each other and played with each other whenever they were in the mood. They enjoyed each other's company. A farmer was interested in the dog and bought him from the elephant keeper. The elephant would not do anything without the dog so he rebelled against his owner. The chief servant went to go find out what the problem was with the dog until he realized that the elephant has lost his play mate. The king put word out that he wanted the dog back and the farmer was ready to give him back as both were super upset without each other. They were reunited at last and the dog and the elephant lived happily ever after.
This jhataka was something that stood out to me this reading since it showed that you should always listen to your elder ones since they have more experience and they have been through everything beforehand.
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