Week 2 Reading Anthology

 BIBLIOGRAPHY:Both stories are from the versions in Jataka Tales Ellen C. Babbitt.

 

The Turtle and the King 

There once was a king that had a lake made in the courtyard so the young princes could play in. They swam, sailed, and rafted in the lake. One day, the king asked his men to put fishes in it and in hearing this the boy ran off to see them. Along with with the fishes,  there was also one turtle that was put in the lake. The boys were absolutely delighted with the new fishes in the lake but they were afraid of the turtle. The young boys had never seen a turtle and they thought it was a demon. They ran off crying to their father " There is a demon on the bank of the lake."

The king ordered his men to catch and bring the demon to the palace. When the boy saw the men come to the palace with the turtle, they ran off scared. The king,  seeing his sons scared, ordered his men to kill the turtle. 

" How shall we kill it?" the men asked.

" We should pound it to powder," someone suggested. 

" Bake it in hot coals," another one of them said. 

After many different plans were discussed, an old man suggested to throw the turtle in the river. The old man was afraid of the water and said, " surely flowing over the rocks will kill it."

The turtle hearing this, poked out his head and said, " Friend! What have I done to you that I deserve such a cruel fate! The other plans were horrendous but this one is truly the worst of them all! " 

The king heard the turtles plea and order his men to throw him in the river at once. The turtle swimming down the river laughed and thought to himself, " these men do not know how safe I am in the water!" and he swam all the way home. 

The Turtle and The Geese 

There once was a turtle that lived in a pond at the foot of a hill.  Two young wild Geese who were looking for food saw the turtle and talked with him. The following day, the geese came back to speak with the turtle again and became well acquainted. Soon they were great friends.

The geese one day came and spoke to the turtle of their leaving the next day to their home far away. The geese said " Friend, we have a home far away that is very beautiful. We leave tomorrow and it will be a long pleasant journey. Won't you come with us?"

" I have no wings," said the turtle. 

" Friend, not to worry. We willl take you, you will only have to keep your mouth closed and not say a word to anyone." 

" I can do that! I will do all that you wish if you just take me with you." 

The next day, the geese came with a stick and told the turtle to hold it in the middle of his mouth while they each held an end of the stick. They also told the turtle to not not say a word till they reached their destination.

The geese took off while the turtle held tight to the middle of the stick. 

The children of the village saw the turtle being flewn by the geese and a stick and started laughing and pointing. " Look have you ever seen anything more ridiculous, " the children cried while pointing. 

" What business is it of yours that my friends carry me?" when he let go, and fell to his death at the feet of the children. 

Turtle On a Rock