A group of carpenters living by a forest once helped an injured Elephant by removing a splinter from its sore foot. Grateful, the Elephant assisted them with their work and introduced his white son to learn the tasks. The young Elephant bonded with the carpenters’ children, but was eventually purchased by a king, who cherished and cared for him throughout his life.
Source:
Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1912
► Themes of the story
Harmony with Nature: The bond between the carpenters and the elephant illustrates respect and cooperation between humans and animals.
Cultural Heroes: The white elephant, revered by the king and the people, becomes a symbol of virtue and generosity, embodying the qualities of a hero.
Moral Lessons: The tale teaches kindness, reciprocity, and respect for life, emphasizing the rewards of good deeds.
► From the same Region or People
Once upon a time a number of carpenters lived on a river bank near a large forest. Every day the carpenters went in boats to the forest to cut down the trees and make them into lumber.
One day while they were at work an Elephant came limping on three feet to them. He held up one foot and the carpenters saw that it was swollen and sore. Then the Elephant lay down and the men saw that there was a great splinter in the sore foot. They pulled it out and washed the sore carefully so that in a short time it would be well again.
► Continue reading…
Thankful for the cure, the Elephant thought: “These carpenters have done so much for me, I must be useful to them.”
So after that the Elephant used to pull up trees for the carpenters. Sometimes when the trees were chopped down he would roll the logs down to the river. Other times he brought their tools for them. And the carpenters used to feed him well morning, noon and night.
Now this Elephant had a son who was white all over–a beautiful, strong young one. Said the old Elephant to himself, “I will take my son to the place in the forest where I go to work each day so that he may learn to help the carpenters, for I am no longer young and strong.”
So the old Elephant told his son how the carpenters had taken good care of him when he was badly hurt and took him to them. The white Elephant did as his father told him to do and helped the carpenters and they fed him well.
When the work was done at night the young Elephant went to play in the river. The carpenters’ children played with him, in the water and on the bank. He liked to pick them up in his trunk and set them on the high branches of the trees and then let them climb down on his back.
One day the king came down the river and saw this beautiful white Elephant working for the carpenters. The king at once wanted the Elephant for his own and paid the carpenters a great price for him. Then with a last look at his playmates, the children, the beautiful white Elephant went on with the king. The king was proud of his new Elephant and took the best care of him as long as he lived.
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