Week 14 Reading Notes: Eastern Stories and Legends by Shedlock
For this reading assignment I chose to read Eastern Stories and Legends by Shedlock. Which can be found here.
1. The Hare That Ran Away
This is based off the Foolish Timid Rabbit. I did The Chase story based off this. I did find it interesting to read this version though. In the original, the Earth was breaking apart but in this version the Earth is falling in. The do keep to original theme of fruit falling from the tree though and that is what scared the hare. I also thought it was interesting that in this version of the story they tell the lion to be Buddha. I think this brings an interesting perspective to the lion character and explains a little how he could remain so calm and be so wise when all the other animals were panicking.
2. The Monkey and Crocodile
This is the story of the crocodile that tricked to trick the monkey so that he could kill him and give the monkey's heart to his wife. In the end, the monkey outwitted the crocodile and told him that his heart was hanging from the tree. The crocodile believed him and took him back to shore where the monkey jumped to safety. This version is pretty much like the original and I didn't notice that a lot of details had changed.
3. The Spirit That Lived in a Tree
This is a story about a reincarnation of Buddha that lived in a tree. As far as I know, I have not read a version of this story yet. The story talks about how all the villagers worshiped this tree that was Buddha's reincarnation and how the King had ordered it to be cut down so that he may build his palace. The villagers were distraught. All of the surrounding trees were also spirits and the main tree felt protective over them. The spirit went to the king and begged him to cut him down one piece at a time and leave the roots for last. He explained that all his children trees would die as soon as the roots were cut. The king was so moved by the tree's willingness to go through all that pain to save his kids that he told the tree spirit that he would not cut him down.
I feel like this is kind of the story of Christ. This could be told as if it were the story in the bible of Jesus's crucifixion. He sacrificed himself so that all his children on Earth would be saved.
4. The Hare That was Not Afraid to Die
Again, I'm not sure that I have read a version of this story. However, it talks about four creatures that are friends. The Hare (Buddha's reincarnation for this story) tells them that the next day they must give all their food away to anyone who might ask. Sakka came down from the heavens and disguised himself to test out if the creatures would hold up their promise to give away their food. The Jackal, the Otter, and the Monkey all said if he waited until tomorrow they would give him their food. The Hare on the other hand, had not gathered any food, but instead offered to give himself up for him to eat. When he lived up to his promise and jumped into the coals the stranger had arranged, he was not burned up. The stranger then explained that he was there to test him and that all the creatures on Earth from this day forward would know of his virtue. He made the moon to look like the Hare.
5. The Parrot That Fed His Parents
This story is of Buddha being a parrot. When he became big and strong, he took over the flock so that his parents could rest. He took on the responsibility of feeding them everyday as well. He would fly to the rice fields and grab rice for them. The Keeper of the rice field noticed that the parrot was not only eating what he wanted, but he was also carrying food back somewhere. The Keeper set a trap to capture the King-Parrot. The other parrots did not come to his rescue and the Keeper picked up the King-Parrot. He questioned him as to why he took more food than he could eat each day. When the parrot explained why, he was so moved that he let the parrot go and told him that he could take and eat as much as he wanted.
6. The Man Who Worked to Give Alms
In this story Buddha is reborn as Vissaya. He gives many alms all across India. Sakka thinks that Vissaya is trying to dethrone him so he takes away all the grain so that people can no longer pay alms. When the people tell Vissaya of their trouble filling the alms halls, he says that they should give or take money instead. Vissaya, the merchant, decided that since everyone was gone, he would go out into the fields and cut grass himself so that he could still pay alms. When Sakka saw this, he asked the merchant why he gave alms. He said he didn't do it to dethrone him but rather because you gain knowledge from doing so. Sakka was moved and gave him back all his stuff so that he could pays alms everyday for the rest of his life.
7. The King Who Saw the Truth
This story tells of a king who saw to it that his people never wanted for anything. But he still didn't feel like what he was giving was enough. He came up with a plan to give everything of himself that he could. Sakka came down to test this out. He posed as an old man and asked the king to give him an eye, for he was blind. The king said that since he only asked for one, he would be gracious and give him both. Because of his sacrifice, Sakka gave the king back his sight, but also enhanced it to see the truth.
All of these stories had a reincarnation of Buddha in them somewhere. I think it was interesting to see how it bestowed more wisdom than the original versions.
1. The Hare That Ran Away
This is based off the Foolish Timid Rabbit. I did The Chase story based off this. I did find it interesting to read this version though. In the original, the Earth was breaking apart but in this version the Earth is falling in. The do keep to original theme of fruit falling from the tree though and that is what scared the hare. I also thought it was interesting that in this version of the story they tell the lion to be Buddha. I think this brings an interesting perspective to the lion character and explains a little how he could remain so calm and be so wise when all the other animals were panicking.
2. The Monkey and Crocodile
This is the story of the crocodile that tricked to trick the monkey so that he could kill him and give the monkey's heart to his wife. In the end, the monkey outwitted the crocodile and told him that his heart was hanging from the tree. The crocodile believed him and took him back to shore where the monkey jumped to safety. This version is pretty much like the original and I didn't notice that a lot of details had changed.
3. The Spirit That Lived in a Tree
This is a story about a reincarnation of Buddha that lived in a tree. As far as I know, I have not read a version of this story yet. The story talks about how all the villagers worshiped this tree that was Buddha's reincarnation and how the King had ordered it to be cut down so that he may build his palace. The villagers were distraught. All of the surrounding trees were also spirits and the main tree felt protective over them. The spirit went to the king and begged him to cut him down one piece at a time and leave the roots for last. He explained that all his children trees would die as soon as the roots were cut. The king was so moved by the tree's willingness to go through all that pain to save his kids that he told the tree spirit that he would not cut him down.
I feel like this is kind of the story of Christ. This could be told as if it were the story in the bible of Jesus's crucifixion. He sacrificed himself so that all his children on Earth would be saved.
4. The Hare That was Not Afraid to Die
Again, I'm not sure that I have read a version of this story. However, it talks about four creatures that are friends. The Hare (Buddha's reincarnation for this story) tells them that the next day they must give all their food away to anyone who might ask. Sakka came down from the heavens and disguised himself to test out if the creatures would hold up their promise to give away their food. The Jackal, the Otter, and the Monkey all said if he waited until tomorrow they would give him their food. The Hare on the other hand, had not gathered any food, but instead offered to give himself up for him to eat. When he lived up to his promise and jumped into the coals the stranger had arranged, he was not burned up. The stranger then explained that he was there to test him and that all the creatures on Earth from this day forward would know of his virtue. He made the moon to look like the Hare.
5. The Parrot That Fed His Parents
This story is of Buddha being a parrot. When he became big and strong, he took over the flock so that his parents could rest. He took on the responsibility of feeding them everyday as well. He would fly to the rice fields and grab rice for them. The Keeper of the rice field noticed that the parrot was not only eating what he wanted, but he was also carrying food back somewhere. The Keeper set a trap to capture the King-Parrot. The other parrots did not come to his rescue and the Keeper picked up the King-Parrot. He questioned him as to why he took more food than he could eat each day. When the parrot explained why, he was so moved that he let the parrot go and told him that he could take and eat as much as he wanted.
6. The Man Who Worked to Give Alms
In this story Buddha is reborn as Vissaya. He gives many alms all across India. Sakka thinks that Vissaya is trying to dethrone him so he takes away all the grain so that people can no longer pay alms. When the people tell Vissaya of their trouble filling the alms halls, he says that they should give or take money instead. Vissaya, the merchant, decided that since everyone was gone, he would go out into the fields and cut grass himself so that he could still pay alms. When Sakka saw this, he asked the merchant why he gave alms. He said he didn't do it to dethrone him but rather because you gain knowledge from doing so. Sakka was moved and gave him back all his stuff so that he could pays alms everyday for the rest of his life.
7. The King Who Saw the Truth
This story tells of a king who saw to it that his people never wanted for anything. But he still didn't feel like what he was giving was enough. He came up with a plan to give everything of himself that he could. Sakka came down to test this out. He posed as an old man and asked the king to give him an eye, for he was blind. The king said that since he only asked for one, he would be gracious and give him both. Because of his sacrifice, Sakka gave the king back his sight, but also enhanced it to see the truth.
All of these stories had a reincarnation of Buddha in them somewhere. I think it was interesting to see how it bestowed more wisdom than the original versions.
Title: Giant Tree
Source: Wikimedia Commons
I chose this picture because in the story, The Spirit Who Lived in a Tree, it talks about how large and how sturdy the tree the tree-spirit lived in was. When I saw this picture, this is what I imagined the trees looked like.
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