Week 14: More Jataka Tales Part A

For week 14, I decided to explore some more Jataka Tales. Like I have said many times before, I love reading short stories, and I especially enjoyed reading the Jataka Tales earlier this semester. For Part A, I decided to read The Otters and the Wolf. When I first read this story, I thought the ending was deceptively funny. I was not expecting such a blunt ending and resolution to the conflict. Normally when I read these quick short stories, there is always some witty end or clever move made by the main character. However, the story simply ends with the wolf splitting apart the fish and then going home. I am not sure what lesson can be derived from the story other than not to quarrel with others or you might end up missing out. This is what happened to the otters. Hopefully they learned not to be selfish next time they catch a fish. I could see myself doing a story retelling on this story because the ending is so anticlimactic. I think emphasizing the lesson of not being greedy would be a suitable way to end a short story and make it more like other Jataka Tales.

Source: More Jataka Tales, Ellen C. Babbit

The Otters And The Wolf - Bedtimeshortstories

The wolf dividing the fish for the otters

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Week 9 Story: Bhima and the Nagas

Duryodhana was a jealous warrior. He could not stand if anybody was better him, no matter the competition. From archery to running to strength training, he saw how his Pandavas cousins performed at the highest marks. However, no made Duryodhana more angry than Bhima. Now Bhima was the best of the spot. He could bench over 300 pounds, squat 450 pounds, and run a mile in less than 6 minutes. No one could match him physically and for this Duryodhana plotted to get rid of Bhima. He knew he could not do it face to face combat, so he decided to poison his food during dinner. He extracted poison from the venomous King Cobra and sprinkled onto Bhima's dinner for the night. As Bhima took his first bites, he passed out and laid asleep on the ground. Duryodhana seizing his opportunity, gagged Bhima and threw into the holy Ganges for him to forever lie. Yet, as Bhima fell into the river it was fated by the gods that he was not to die. His destiny lied far ahead in the future. Thus when Bhima...

Week 14: More Jataka Tales Part B

For Part B of Week 14 reading, I continued the Jataka Tales. Specifically for the week I read The Elephant and the Dog. What really sparked my interest to read the story was the title. As a fan of dogs and knowing the importance of elephants in Indian culture, I was curious to see how the two animals interacted in the story, and I was definitely not disappointed. I loved the heartwarming story of the dog and elephant's friendship and how they needed each other to live. It is always surprising to me how animals from different species are able to form friendships, but I think it highlights how even in animals, love and friendship has no boundary. If I were to retell the story, I would probably add a personal touch such as replacing the dog with my own dog, Max. He is a German Shepherd who loves to hang out with other dogs, so I think he quickly make friends with the elephant. Additionally, I think adding dialogue between the two animals could help showcase their friendship and add m...

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