The Monkey and the Crocodile: and Other Fables from the Jataka Tales of India
By Ellen C. Babbitt and Ellsworth Young
5/5
()
About this ebook
"The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking" illustrates the folly of offering a reply when silence is the best answer; "The Ox Who Won the Forfeit" testifies to the effectiveness of kindness rather than brute force; and "The Golden Goose" and "The Penny-Wise Monkey" demonstrate how greed can ruin good fortune. These and dozens of other captivating stories are further enhanced by charming silhouette images.
Read more from Ellen C. Babbitt
Jataka Tales: I & II Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to The Monkey and the Crocodile
Related ebooks
The Wind in the Willows: In Easy-to-Read Type Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kintaro's Adventures & Other Japanese Children's Fav Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Aesop’s Fables (Illustrated) Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The Jungle Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Little Lame Prince Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAesop's Fables: Bedtime Stories (Illustrated) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Leopard Behind the Moon Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just So Stories Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Peter Pan Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Jungle Book & The Second Jungle Book Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Aesop's Fables Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Aesop for Children (Aesop's Fables for Children) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Adventures of Tom Sawyer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Call of the Wild Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHeidi Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Treasure Island Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Under the Bodhi Tree: A Story of the Buddha Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winnie-the-Pooh Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Story of Doctor Dolittle Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rikki Tikki Tavi (Illustrated Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Door in the Wall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Adventure Collection: Treasure Island, The Jungle Book, Gulliver's Travels, White Fang... Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Wind In The Willows Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Indian Children’s Stories: Illustrated Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Children's For You
The Witch of Blackbird Pond: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Shadow Is Purple Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Phantom Tollbooth Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Dark Is Rising Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Workbook on How to Do the Work by Nicole LePera: Summary Study Guide Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5Over Sea, Under Stone Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fever 1793 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Coraline Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pete the Kitty Goes to the Doctor Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Twas the Night Before Christmas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Cedric The Shark Get's Toothache: Bedtime Stories For Children, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Number the Stars: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amari and the Night Brothers Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pete the Kitty and the Unicorn's Missing Colors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Day My Fart Followed Me Home Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Alice In Wonderland: The Original 1865 Unabridged and Complete Edition (Lewis Carroll Classics) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsIsland of the Blue Dolphins: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Terrifying Tales to Tell at Night: 10 Scary Stories to Give You Nightmares! Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Presents a Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Don't Judge An Alligator By Its Teeth!: Benjamin's Adventures, #1 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Atlas Shrugged SparkNotes Literature Guide Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMind-Boggling Word Puzzles Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ban This Book: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dealing with Dragons Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tikki Tikki Tembo Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Crossover: A Newbery Award Winner Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Reviews for The Monkey and the Crocodile
1 rating0 reviews
Book preview
The Monkey and the Crocodile - Ellen C. Babbitt
THE
MONKEY
AND THE
CROCODILE
and Other Fables from the Jataka Tales of India
Dover Publications, Inc.
Mineola, New York
Copyright
Copyright © 2015 by Dover Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Bibliographical Note
The Monkey and the Crocodile and Other Fables from the Jataka Tales of India, first published by Dover Publications, Inc., in 2015, is a republication of Jataka Tales, originally published by The Century Co., New York, in 1918 and More Jataka Tales, originally published by The Century Co., New York, in 1922. The original Publishers Note from Jataka Tales is included in the Dover edition.
International Standard Book Number
eISBN-13: 978-0-486-80628-0
Manufactured in the United States by Courier Corporation
79614001 2015
www.doverpublications.com
CONTENTS
JATAKA TALES
MORE JATAKA TALES
JATAKA TALES
Dedicated
to
DOT
FOREWORD
Long ago I was captivated by the charm of the Jataka Tales and realized the excellent use that might be made 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 lands an additional fascination. I am glad that Miss Babbitt has undertaken to put together this collection, and commend it freely to teachers and parents.
FELIX ALDER.
CONTENTS
PUBLISHER’S 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 character in any story being identified with the Master.
These legends were continually introduced into the religious discourses of the Buddhist teachers to illustrate the doctrines of their faith or to magnify the glory and sanctity of the Buddha, somewhat as medieval 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 probably handed down orally, and it is uncertain when they were put together in systematic form.
ORIGIN OF THE JATAKAS
While some of the stories are Buddhistic and depend for their point on some custom or idea peculiar to Buddhism, many are age-old fables, the floatsam and jetsam of folk-lore, which have appeared under various guises throughout the centuries, as when they were used by Boccaccio or Poggio, 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 Children,
says:
The Jataka Tales contain deep truths, and are calculated 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 Measure 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, illustrates self-sacrifice of the noblest sort. The tale of the Sandy Road is one of the finest in the collection.
And he adds that these tales are, as everyone must admit, nobly conceived, lofty in meaning, and many a helpful sermon might be preached from them as texts.
JATAKA TALES
Jataka Tales
I
THE MONKEY AND THE CROCODILE
PART I
AMONKEY lived in a great tree on a river bank.
In the river there were many Crocodiles. A Crocodile watched the Monkeys for a long time, and one day she said to her son: My son, get one of those Monkeys for me. I want the heart of a Monkey to eat.
How am I to catch a Monkey?
asked the little Crocodile. I do not travel on land, and the Monkey does not go into the water.
Put your wits to work, and you’ll find a way,
said the mother.
And the little Crocodile thought and thought.
At last he said to himself: I know what I’ll do. I’ll get that Monkey that lives in a big tree on the river bank. He wishes to go across the river to the island where the fruit is so ripe.
So the Crocodile swam to the tree where the Monkey lived. But he was a stupid Crocodile.
Oh, Monkey,
he called, come with me over to the island where the fruit is so ripe.
How can I go with you?
asked the Monkey. I do not swim.
No—but I do. I will take you over on my back,
said the Crocodile.
The Monkey was greedy, and wanted the ripe fruit, so he jumped down on the Crocodile’s back.
Off we go!
said the Crocodile.
This is a fine ride you are giving me!
said the Monkey.
Do you think so? Well, how do you like this?
asked the Crocodile, diving.
Oh, don’t!
cried the Monkey, as he went under the water. He was afraid to let go, and he did not know what to do under the water.
When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputtered and choked. Why did you take me under water, Crocodile?
he asked.
I am going to kill you by keeping you under water,
answered the Crocodile. My mother wants Monkey-heart to eat, and I ‘m going to take yours to her.
Why did you take me under water, Crocodile?
he asked.
I wish you had told me you wanted my heart,
said the Monkey, then I might have brought it with me.
How queer!
said the stupid Crocodile. Do you mean to say that you left your heart back there in the tree?
That is what I mean,
said the Monkey. If you want my heart, we must go back to the tree and get it. But we are so near the island where the ripe fruit is, please take me there first.
No, Monkey,
said the Crocodile, I’ll take you Straight back to your tree. Never mind the ripe fruit. Get your heart and bring it to me at once. Then we’ll see about going to the island.
Very well,
said the Monkey.
But no sooner