Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

There were a few stories that I really liked this week.

The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal
Story source: Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1912).

I really liked this story because at first, it seemed like the Jackal was very slow and unable to understand but as it turned out it was very smart and was tricking both the Brahman and the Tiger all the time. Another thing that stood out to me was that the pipal-tree, the buffalo, and the road were all so busy complaining they did not even care about the Brahman's plight. Sure, they were unhappy but he was about to be eaten!
The jackal, however, helped him by tricking the tiger back into his cage by pretending to be foolish and stupid. Really, it was the Brahman who was foolish by letting the tiger out in the first place. If he hadn't been kind, he would never have been in trouble at all. It is an interesting parallel to look at the Brahman's kind act, which was foolish and caused trouble and the jackal's kind act, which was smart and saved the Brahman.

Photo Credit: wikimedia

Androcles and the Lion
The Lion and the Statue
Story source: The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs (1894).
I had read the story of Androcles and the Lion before but again it is a story of kindness. Because Androcles helped the lion, it brought him food and did not eat him even after it had been captured and had gone hungry.
The Lion and the Statue was different, it is a story about how people can be biased. The man believes a statue of Hercules killing a lion proves that men are superior, however, the lion points out that the statue was made by a man.

Photo Credit: flickr

The Three Roses
Story source: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922)

Beauty and the Beast has always been my favorite of the popular princess fairytales, however, this was definitely a new take on it. While I have read the version where the "beauty" has terrible sisters, I have never read a version where the "beast" is a basilisk. Nor have I read a version where the "beauty" has to chop his head off with a sword. This was a new twist to the tale.
I liked this version where Mary seems to realize that because she asked for the roses, it was up to her to pay for them. She acted the part of the dutiful daughter in a way I doubt her sisters would have. She also was willing to do as the basilisk said, first by helping it and then by killing it.

Photo Credit: flickr

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