New Haven, Yale University Press
London, Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press
Mcmxxiii

Copyright 1923 by Yale University Press.

Printed in the United States of America.

To my nephew Westcott

This book contains twenty-six stories selected from the author’s larger work Buddhist Parables, Yale University Press, 1922. The translation is a close, idiomatic rendering of the original Pāli text. In a few cases, words and phrases have been softened, and sentences have been omitted. In Story 1, two whole paragraphs which interrupt the progress of the story have been omitted. The author has not, however, “written down” any of the stories in order to remove such difficulties as the original translation may present to the child.

Note on Pronunciation of Pāli Names.

The quantity of vowels is marked throughout. Short a is pronounced like u in but, long ā like a in father, long ī like ee in see, long ū like oo in too, short i and short u differing from the corresponding long vowels not in sound but in length. The u in Buddha, for example, is short. Simple consonants are pronounced as in English, except that c is pronounced like ch in church, g as in get, and j as in judge. Combinations like th and dh should be pronounced as in hothouse and madhouse. Names containing underdotted letters have been eliminated. A syllable is said to be long if it contains either a long vowel, or a short vowel followed by two consonants (except a consonant followed by h). Words of three or more syllables are accented on the second syllable from the last, provided the next to the last syllable is short, as Gótama, Mállika. If the next to the last syllable is long, it receives the accent, as Brahmadátta, Nibbāna.

Contents.

PAGE
Note on pronunciation of Pāli names[ viii]
List of illustrations[ xiii]
Introduction[ xv]
Note on the illustrations[ xxix]
1. The grateful elephantJā. 156: ii. 17[ 1]
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
2. Grateful animals and ungrateful man Jā. 73: i. 322[ 9]
Driftwood is worth more than some men
3. Elephant and ungrateful forester Jā. 72: i. 319[ 19]
The whole earth will not satisfy an ungrateful man
4. Quail, crow, fly, frog, and elephants Jā. 357: iii. 174[ 26]
The biter bit
5. Quails and fowler Jā. 33: i. 208[ 30]
In union there is strength
6. Brahmadatta and the prince Vin. i. 342[ 33]
Love your enemies
7. Antelope, woodpecker, tortoise, and hunter Jā. 206: ii. 152[ 48]
In union there is strength
8. Brahmadatta and Mallika Jā. 151: ii. 1[ 52]
Overcome evil with good
9. A Buddhist Tar-baby Jā. 55: i. 272[ 58]
Keep the Precepts
10. Vedabbha and the thieves Jā. 48: i. 252[ 64]
Cupidity is the root of ruin
11. The anger-eating ogre S. i. 237[ 72]
Refrain from anger
12. The patient woman M. 21: i. 125[ 75]
Patient is as patient does
13. Blind men and elephant Udāna, 66[ 79]
Avoid vain wrangling
14. King and boar[ 83]
Evil communications corrupt good manners
Part 1. Gem, hatchet, drum, and bowl Jā. 186: ii. 101
Part 2. Corrupt fruit from a good tree Jā. 186: ii. 104
15. A Buddhist Henny-Penny Jā. 322: iii. 74[ 92]
Much ado about nothing
16. The birds (cf. 17) Vin. iii. 147[ 97]
Nobody loves a beggar
17. Dragon Jewel-neck[ 99]
Nobody loves a beggar
A. Canonical version Vin. iii. 145
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 253: ii. 283
18. Snake-charm [ 107]
A blessing upon all living beings!
A. Canonical version Vin. ii. 109
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 203: ii. 144
19. Partridge, monkey, and elephant[ 114]
Reverence your elders
A. Canonical version Vin. ii. 161
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 37: i. 217
20. The hawk[ 119]
Walk not in forbidden ground
A. Canonical version S. v. 146
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 168: ii. 58
21. How not to hit an insect[ 124]
Better an enemy with sense than a friend without it
A. Boy and mosquito Jā. 44: i. 246
B. Girl and fly Jā. 45: i. 248
22. Monkey-gardeners[ 129]
Misdirected effort spells failure
A. One-stanza version Jā. 46: i. 249
B. Three-stanza version Jā. 268: ii. 345
23. Two dicers[ 135]
Take care!
A. Canonical version D. ii. 348
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 91: i. 379
24. Two caravan-leaders[ 138]
Be prudent!
A. Canonical version D. ii. 342
B. Uncanonical version Jā. 1: i. 95
25. Boar and lion Kathāsaritsāgara, 72[ 154]
Eat me, O lion!
26. Fairy-prince and griffin Kathāsaritsāgara, 22 and 90[ 157]
Eat me, O griffin!
Glossary[ 169]