There are several stories in the Jataka tales, but not all of them particularly caught my attention. One that really did was this fascinating story of monkey and crocodile.
I even like the very beginning of this story: Mother Crocodile wanted to eat the heart of a monkey and asked her little son crocodile to catch a monkey. Yet the son crocodile didn't think it's possible since monkeys live on land and didn't come into water.
Nevertheless the little son crocodile came up with a witty plan: "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." I thought it was a clever plan.
I also like how the author blatantly labeled her son crocodile character as stupid: "But he was a stupid Crocodile."
Trying to kill the monkey by drowning him seemed pretty clever. Obviously, the monkey suffered greatly from going underwater: "When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputtered and choked."
I thought the crocodile was pretty clever, but the monkey is really clever: "I wish you had told me you wanted my heart," said the Monkey, "then I might have brought it with me." It was a 'wow' moment for me when I read this dialogue line because the monkey, despite being in a crisis situation, found out a way to save his life from the crocodile.
I like how the monkey made fun of the crocodile: "From the topmost branches he called down to the Crocodile in the water below: 'My heart is way up here! If you want it, come for it, come for it!'"
At the same time, the crocodile also was a formidable opponent with much determination and perseverance: "The Monkey had a fine feast, while the Crocodile swam about, watching him all day."
It seemed obvious to me that the crocodile really wanted to kill the monkey and get his heart.
Wow, the monkey was not an easy pray at all: "What is the matter with the rock?" the Monkey thought to himself. "I never saw it so high before. The Crocodile is lying on it!" To me, this was truly impressive because the monkey intuitively knew that the bulge wasn't a rock. I like how cautious and careful the monkey was.
This prior knowledge about the crocodile was also impressively cunning intelligence of the monkey:
"'You have caught me in a trap this time,' said the Monkey. 'There is no other way for me to go home. Open your mouth wide so I can jump right into it.' Now the Monkey well knew that when Crocodiles open their mouths wide, they shut their eyes."
I think this fascinating story teaches an important lesson: anyone can save their life when they are fearless, cunning, and intelligent.
I like the character traits of both animals. Monkey, although he was challenged with life-threatening crises, remained fearless, clever, cunning, and intelligent and saved his life from the crises.
Crocodile, on the other hand, had ultimate persistence in my opinion. He failed several times, but he had kept trying despite the miserable failures. Other average animals in other tales would have easily given up when they failed. This crocodile wasn't drawn back despite his failures and had kept pushing himself.
Besides the fascinating story of monkey and crocodile, the story of poor captured turtle, although wasn't so fascinating like the story of monkey and crocodile, was also quite interesting. I felt bad and sad when the poor turtle asked the old man who suggested to throw the turtle into river full of rocks: "Friend, what have I done that you should do such a dreadful thing as that to me? The other plans were bad enough, but to throw me into the lake! Don't speak of such a cruel thing!"
Wow, it found out it was a cunning, theatrical act. Turtle cried out to the old man as if it was really hurtful and dreadful to him. It's another lesson about the importance of intelligence and cunning during crisis similar to that of the story of monkey and crocodile.
Bibliography:
Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt, illustrated by Ellsworth Young (1912).
I even like the very beginning of this story: Mother Crocodile wanted to eat the heart of a monkey and asked her little son crocodile to catch a monkey. Yet the son crocodile didn't think it's possible since monkeys live on land and didn't come into water.
Nevertheless the little son crocodile came up with a witty plan: "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." I thought it was a clever plan.
I also like how the author blatantly labeled her son crocodile character as stupid: "But he was a stupid Crocodile."
Trying to kill the monkey by drowning him seemed pretty clever. Obviously, the monkey suffered greatly from going underwater: "When the Crocodile came up, the Monkey sputtered and choked."
I thought the crocodile was pretty clever, but the monkey is really clever: "I wish you had told me you wanted my heart," said the Monkey, "then I might have brought it with me." It was a 'wow' moment for me when I read this dialogue line because the monkey, despite being in a crisis situation, found out a way to save his life from the crocodile.
I like how the monkey made fun of the crocodile: "From the topmost branches he called down to the Crocodile in the water below: 'My heart is way up here! If you want it, come for it, come for it!'"
At the same time, the crocodile also was a formidable opponent with much determination and perseverance: "The Monkey had a fine feast, while the Crocodile swam about, watching him all day."
It seemed obvious to me that the crocodile really wanted to kill the monkey and get his heart.
Wow, the monkey was not an easy pray at all: "What is the matter with the rock?" the Monkey thought to himself. "I never saw it so high before. The Crocodile is lying on it!" To me, this was truly impressive because the monkey intuitively knew that the bulge wasn't a rock. I like how cautious and careful the monkey was.
This prior knowledge about the crocodile was also impressively cunning intelligence of the monkey:
"'You have caught me in a trap this time,' said the Monkey. 'There is no other way for me to go home. Open your mouth wide so I can jump right into it.' Now the Monkey well knew that when Crocodiles open their mouths wide, they shut their eyes."
I think this fascinating story teaches an important lesson: anyone can save their life when they are fearless, cunning, and intelligent.
I like the character traits of both animals. Monkey, although he was challenged with life-threatening crises, remained fearless, clever, cunning, and intelligent and saved his life from the crises.
Crocodile, on the other hand, had ultimate persistence in my opinion. He failed several times, but he had kept trying despite the miserable failures. Other average animals in other tales would have easily given up when they failed. This crocodile wasn't drawn back despite his failures and had kept pushing himself.
Besides the fascinating story of monkey and crocodile, the story of poor captured turtle, although wasn't so fascinating like the story of monkey and crocodile, was also quite interesting. I felt bad and sad when the poor turtle asked the old man who suggested to throw the turtle into river full of rocks: "Friend, what have I done that you should do such a dreadful thing as that to me? The other plans were bad enough, but to throw me into the lake! Don't speak of such a cruel thing!"
Wow, it found out it was a cunning, theatrical act. Turtle cried out to the old man as if it was really hurtful and dreadful to him. It's another lesson about the importance of intelligence and cunning during crisis similar to that of the story of monkey and crocodile.
Monkey jumps onto Crocodile. Source: Monkey and Crocodile in Jataka tales
Bibliography:
Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt, illustrated by Ellsworth Young (1912).
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