Jataka Tales cover
The hawks and their friends was a fantastic story. I honestly think the message that the story was trying to get across was the importance of friendship. It is difficult to roam the world alone and friends are there to help in one's time of need.The brave little bowman was a story that just goes to show that big things come in small packages. I think it is interesting that the big man became so arrogant and attempted to get rid of the little bowman even though he wasn't doing any work.
The foolhardy wolf had a very clear message. It seems that it is not wise to abandon a situation in which one is treated with luxury. It is not smart to grow arrogant from benefits and to believe that one can do the tasks of others just because of a false sense of comfort.
The stolen plow story was strange. It says that the traders are great friends but the town trader does not act like a fan in the least. I really like how the village trader was able to spin the situation in his favor to get his plow back. He was not fooled by the town trader's tale.
The lion in bad company story seemed a lot like peer pressure. It seemed like the wolf encouraged a negative behavior that the lion's father disagreed with. The lion became addicted to the negative activity and it eventually resulted in his death.
The wise goat and the wolf story was another of story that resembled the weaker character being much wiser and having the ability to outsmart the stronger character. The wolves were too eager and foolish to successfully fool the wits of the wise goat.
The elephant and the dog story was adorable. This was one of the first stories where the animals were friends and did not watch to hurt each other. I liked how the king practically turned his entire kingdom upside down in search for a wolf only to make his elephant happy.
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