Indian Epics by Reid

A social worker named Dave was walking up and down Main Street making his weekly rounds throughout the homeless population. He saw an unfamiliar face and began to talk to them to find out where they were from and how he could possibly be of assistance. The man said he had been homeless for only a few months and just recently started wandering Main in hopes of finding a job so he could eat. Dave mentioned a soup kitchen just a few streets over that he volunteered for and told the man he could come by once a day for a warm meal, free of charge. Weeks go by while the homeless man, who turns out to be named Chris, goes to the soup kitchen. He loves the food, but maybe he loves it just a little too much. One early morning, Chris asks Dave if he could help out volunteering in the kitchen, as a thank you for letting him come in. Dave, elated, is happy to let Chris help! Unbeknownst to Dave, it was Chris's plan all along to steal the daily soup all for himself so he could eat all he wa...

This second section of the extra Jataka tales seemed a bit bit darker than some of the other's we've read. The one I want to focus on is The Foolhardy Wolf. Similar to the golden goose story I chose yesterday, this is a story about greed, but with a few differences. In this story, the wolf begins hungry and is treated to meat as long as he servers a mighty lion. After eating all this meat, however, he grows stronger and stronger until he decides he does not have to feast with this lion any more. The first thing he tries to kill and eat on his own is an elephant. The lion calls upon him to slay the elephant, but he misses and is killed. This story is great for a few reasons. It tackles the topic of becoming independent, but shows that you cannot get too cocky in independence. On top of that, similar to the golden goose story, this shows how one should not take advantage of a good thing when it is given to you. Bibliography: The Foolhardy Wolf by Ellen C. Babbitt Wolf ...

After reading through these stories, the one I'd like to focus on is The Golden Goose. It's a very simple story that can be pretty powerful, especially with kids. In this story, a golden goose sees a family in need and decides that it will help by shedding its feathers for them to sell. By doing this, it helps them live comfortably. Worried that the goose will not come back and starting to get greedy, the mother of the two daughters decides to catch the goose and pluck all its feathers. The daughters do not want to harm it, but the mother does it anyways. The feathers turn white and are not worthless, and the goose never comes back. It's such a simple lesson in not taking good things for granted, as well as not harming other living beings. Out of all the stories in Part A, this is the one I could retell in a fun, modern way! Bibliography: The Golden Goose by Ellen C. Babbitt. A man and a golden goose