Reading Notes: Jataka Tales, Part B

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Very similar to the first nine stories in this accumulation of tales, they are filled with the foolish and wise. They all hear to tell a sort of life lesson through merchants, wise men, robbers and animals, kings, queens and princes. I always enjoy the stories in which involve wise men because it is interesting to see how they come out on top of the foolish. The wise man and foolish merchant demonstrated this and that the fool thought that by going first to the villages to sell goods this would work to his advantage. In all reality the wise who went behind him had the better deal. He saw what the demons trick were and was able to take the remaining goods from the fools carts on to sell himself. Just because someone seems helpful they may not have the best intentions for you.  

One of the stories after that was about the three princes and the queen who wanted her youngest to be king. Why she wanted her youngest to be king and did not love her older two just the same was odd. It never addressed this but obviously the oldest was the more qualified as he had more life experience and was able to catch on to what the water-sprite was on to.

The other story I enjoyed and I think can be a great lesson for everyone was the pig who ate himself to death. While other envied him and the food was consuming the farmers were preparing the pig to be eaten at the wedding feast. It is important to note that having it all does not mean a long and enjoyable life. That food or whatever earthly object it maybe is fleeting and will only last for a very short time. I also did not realize that there was such beef between owls and crows!

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