Reading Notes: Jataka Tales A

I decided to write notes over my favorite Jataka Tale that I think could be turned into a creative story!

How The Turtle Saved His Own Life

Main Characters: king, king's men young princes, fishes, turtle
Plot: The young princes were playing in the lake the King made in his courtyard. The king's men put fishes inside the lake. One day, the young princes wanted to play with the fishes, and they spotted the turtle and thought it was a demon. King's men had to catch this "demon" and bring it to the King's palace. This scared the princes and caused the King to order his men to kill it. The men discussed how the turtle could be killed and one suggested that they throw it into the rough part of the lake because he himself was afraid of water. The turtle then cried out and told them how terrified he would be of that fate; furthermore, the men decided this would be the perfect way to end his life. Little did they know, the turtle tricked them because he knew he could survive in the water.

(Turtle happily swimming away. Web Source: Wikimedia)

Bibliography: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt