Reading Notes: Jakata Tales Part B

Title: Jataka Tales Part B

Author: Ellen C. Babbitt

Illustrator: Ellsworth Young

Year: 1912

The Wise and Foolish Merchant

I liked this lesson, I thought that it was interesting to read. I would’ve liked more on the thrifty merchant at the end- there could’ve been more balance to it. That is something that I think I have learned the most from these shorter stories and from writing shorter stories, balance is and can be quite difficult to create within the plot. 

The Elephant Girly Face

The name was kind of funny to me- I am assuming that there is a translation that sounds less bizarre but either way I like when the characters have fun names. I would have liked to read more about this elephant, it would be fun to write stories about his adventures.

Goofy Elephant

The Banyan Deer

I enjoyed the imagery in the first block a lot, I thought it was very nice and I usually enjoy when there is a lot of imagery in these stories. I did think that the rest of the story was kind of morbid and I would have liked it if the deer all got to live. 

The Princes and the Water-Sprite

At the beginning of the story it sounded a lot like the Ramayana, but as I read further it was not really all  that similar- I thought it was good, the ending was good the plot was developed.

Water Sprite aka a fairy i found on giphy

The King’s White Elephant

This one didn’t really seem to have a lesson- it was just a nice story. I think that they don’t all need lessons, it is nice to just read a nice story.

The Ox who Envied the Pig

This one did have a lesson, I am not sure what exactly the lesson was- it could be not to envy what someone else has or to not eat junk food, a lesson against decadence? It was short and sweet. 

The Crab and the Crane

This is another one I have read in a few iterations, I liked this version- it is another one that is a little bit morbid to me- but a lot of these fables can be a little bit.

Why the Owl Is Not King of the Birds

This one was very short- but it was good, I would use this one as a model or an example for what a good shorter shorter story looks like.