Indian Epics Work

Once upon a time, there was a small giant living amongst the little people. This small giant went by the name of Grum, and all the people he lived by liked him. He was a gentle giant and took great care to keep danger away from the smallest of the little people. Grum would catch things falling before they squashed these little people. To Grum, the little people looked helpless. Grum had learned his manners from a wise old man who had found him as an infant in the mud outside the village. Grum had been taught to treat everyone well with respect and no one would ever think anything of his size. But one day, Grum was visiting his friend Argoy. Grum understood Argoy better than anyone, but the old wise man had believed Grum was meant to understand elephants. As Grum was visiting with Argoy like so many times before, a group of little people wandered nearby. They didn't notice Grum and Argoy and began to talk amongst themselves. They spoke of murder and hatred. Grum's ears ...

I found an elephant jataka also interesting. This elephant apparently acted the way he believed it had been taught. In the beginning, he was a good elephant. Then it hears some bad men talking about bad things they should do and believes that is what he should start doing. He kills several men and concerns the King. The King sends someone to check on him and they figure he must have heard some bad things. They then send out some good men to chat near his stall about good things. He hears the good things, and thus changes to be a good elephant. We can really all be like this... Elephant Story Source : The Elephant Girly-face by Ellen C. Babbitt

Out of the Jatakas I read, I enjoyed the ox story the most. This ox had an owner and he was the strongest ox. He did what his master asked of him because he was treated right. The owner boasted of his ox to all that he came across. One day he was boasting and the townspeople laugh and tell him to have his ox move all of these carts at once to prove his strength. Master brings his ox into town but he whips and calls his poor ox names. The ox refuses to move in response. The ox and owner go home that night. The next morning the ox tells him he will make the carts move and prove his strength if his master will treat him right like he usually does. They agree and go into town where the ox does what he says. Master learned his lesson. Ox Illustration Story Source : The Ox Who Won the Forfeit by Ellen C. Babbitt