Collects eighteen fables from the Jatakas of India.

Unveil the enchanting world of Jataka tales, ancient folklore from India, in this collection retold by Ellen C. Babbitt. Witness the consequences of disobedience in 'Beauty and Brownie', the rise of a humble bowman in 'The Brave Little Bowman', and the triumph of friendship in 'The Elephant and the Dog'. Explore tales of bravery, cunning, and sacrifice, as characters like the foolhardy wolf, the penny-wise monkey, and the wise goat navigate their journeys. Let these timeless stories ignite your imagination and impart timeless wisdom through their timeless charm.

This is the extended and annotated edition including * an extensive annotation of more than 10.000 words about the history and basics of Buddhism, written by Thomas William Rhys Davids * an interactive table-of-contents * perfect formatting for electronic reading devices 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. This edition contains both Jataka books by Mr. Babbitt, "The Jataka Tales" and "More Jataka Tales". Contents: Publisher's Note The Monkey And The Crocodile How The Turtle Saved His Own Life The Merchant Of Seri The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking The Ox Who Won The Forfeit The Sandy Road The Quarrel Of The Quails The Measure Of Rice The Foolish, Timid Rabbit The Wise And The Foolish Merchant The Elephant Girly-Face The Banyan Deer The Princes And The Water-Sprite The King's White Elephant The Ox Who Envied The Pig Granny's Blackie The Crab And The Crane Why The Owl Is Not King Of The Birds The Girl Monkey And The String Of Pearls The Three Fishes The Tricky Wolf And The Rats The Woodpecker, Turtle, And Deer The Golden Goose The Stupid Monkeys The Cunning Wolf The Penny-Wise Monkey The Red-Bud Tree The Woodpecker And The Lion The Otters And The Wolf How The Monkey Saved His Troop The Hawks And Their Friends The Brave Little Bowman The Foolhardy Wolf The Stolen Plow The Lion In Bad Company The Wise Goat And The Wolf Prince Wicked And The Grateful Animals Beauty And Brownie The Elephant And The Dog

Whereas Western intellectuals seek the essence of Buddhism in its doctrines and meditation practices, the traditional Buddhists of Asia absorb the ideas and values of their spiritual heritage through its rich narrative literature about the Buddha and his disciples. The most popular collection of Buddhist stories is, without doubt, the Jatakas. These are the stories of the Buddha's past births, relating his experiences as he passed from life to life on the way to becoming a Buddha. At times he takes the form of a bird, at times he is born as a hare, a monkey, a prince, a merchant, or an ascetic, but in each case he uses the challenges he meets to grow in generosity, virtue, patience, wisdom, and compassion.This anthology of Jatakas, ably told by Ken and Visakha Kawasaki, remains faithful to the original yet presents the stories in clear and simple language. It thereby makes the Jatakas accessible even to young readers and to those for whom English is not their first language.