Mosquito and Woodworm

Mosquito returns home swollen with blood. When Woodworm inquires about its source, Mosquito claims to extract it from trees. Following this advice, Woodworm begins boring into wood, seeking blood. The story suggests that if Mosquito had admitted to feeding on human blood, Woodworm might have targeted humans instead.

Source:
Tahltan Tales
by James A. Teit
The American Folklore Society
Journal of American Folklore
Vol.32, No.124, pp.198-250
April-June, 1917
Vol.34, No.133, pp.223-253
July-September, 1921
Vol.34, No.134, pp.335-356
October-December, 1921

► Themes of the story

Origin of Things: The story provides an explanation for the woodworm’s behavior of boring into wood.

Cunning and Deception: The tale involves Mosquito’s deceit, leading Woodworm to act based on false information.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson about the consequences of deception and the importance of truthfulness.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tahltan Lore

Learn more about Tahltan people

Mosquito and Woodworm lived together.

The latter saw that Mosquito, when he came home, was swelled up with blood that he had eaten.

Woodworm asked him where he obtained it; and he answered, “I get it from the trees. I suck their blood.”

Woodworm then attacked the trees; and this is the reason why woodworms at the present day bore in wood.

They look for blood.

If Mosquito had told Woodworm that he sucked blood from the people, Woodworm would attack and kill man at the present day.

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The runaway wife

A Haida youth, eager to marry his cousin to inherit his uncle’s position, faced repeated rejection when she continually fled. Seeking help, he consulted a mystical, oversized woman who provided him with a ritual involving land otters and an eagle’s tail. Though the ritual worked and his wife returned, he spurned her for another, leaving her heartbroken despite compensating her with property and slaves.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Forbidden Knowledge: The young man seeks out a mystical woman who provides him with a ritual to win back his wife, involving esoteric practices and supernatural elements.

Cunning and Deception: The youth employs the ritual, a form of cunning, to manipulate his wife’s actions and compel her return, despite her repeated attempts to leave.

Love and Betrayal: The narrative centers on the young man’s desire to marry his cousin, her continual fleeing, and his ultimate rejection of her after using the ritual to bring her back, highlighting themes of unrequited love and betrayal.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

A high-caste youth among the Haida was determined to marry his uncle’s daughter, because his uncle was a very old man and he wanted to take his place. But, after he had given a great deal of property for the girl and taken her, she ran away. He followed her and induced her to come back, but before long she ran away again, and she kept on acting this way for a long time. Finally the young man heard of a very large woman who knew of medicines to get anybody with whom one was in love. When he came to her village her people treated him very kindly, asking him to come up and eat with them. After they had fed him and his companions they made a large fire on top of the retaining timbers for the woman to take her purifying bath. She had a little girl to wait upon her when she bathed, and she was so large that this girl could bathe only one leg at a time.

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After she had finished bathing, the large woman came out and gave the youth an eagle’s tail across which ran a single streak of red paint. Then she said, “Right around the point from your father’s village you will see land otters running up from the water. As soon as the white one among them steps up on the beach, raise your eagle’s tail and see whether she will stand still. If she stands still and does not run away go right past without touching her. Then you may know that you will get your wife and that she will never leave you again; otherwise she will never come back. When you get to the village, that woman you are having a hard time with will come directly to you.”

The young man did as this woman had told him, and, sure enough, when he reached the village his wife was very anxious to see him. She tried to fight against the inclination, but finally she had to go. When she entered, however, her husband refused to take her back. Instead he went to another village along with his father and married somebody else. His first wife took all this hardly, and, when they returned, came to him to demand property. Then the young man gave heir some of his own and some of his father’s property and some slaves so that she would not bother his new wife. At the same time the girl felt very badly. Not a day passed but she cried to think that the husband who had formerly thought so much of her now had another wife.

Gamna’tcki

Gamna’tcki’s wife is abducted by killer whales while washing seal meat. Grieving, he ventures underwater, seeking help from aquatic villages, including red cod, halibut, and shark people. Aided by a shark chief and a slave, he rescues his wife by creating a diversion. The sharks defend him from pursuing killer whales, ensuring his safe return home, marking his journey with clever strategy and alliances.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Underworld Journey: Gamna’tcki ventures beneath the sea, entering the realms of various aquatic beings, to rescue his abducted wife.

Quest: His journey is a determined pursuit to retrieve his wife, involving challenges and the assistance of underwater communities.

Cunning and Deception: The rescue plan involves a clever ruse with the killer whale chief’s slave, creating a diversion to facilitate the escape.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

Gamna’tcki killed a seal, skinned it, and threw the skin and meat to his wife to wash. While she was washing them in the sea she saw some killer whales coming landward. By and by the meat she was washing drifted out from her and she waded after it. She went out until the water reached her hips. Then she suddenly felt some one pull her and she disappeared under water. It was the killer-whale people who thus took her into their canoe. After that Gamna’tcki felt very badly and thought to himself, “How can I get my wife back? How can I look for her under the water?” He could not sleep all night, and early in the morning he thought, “I wonder if I couldn’t raise this water so as to go under it.” In the morning, therefore, before he had eaten he took his red and black paints, went down to the water, raised the edge of it just as if he were raising a blanket, and walked under. He walked on farther and farther. It was just like walking on land.

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By and by he came to a village full of very pale people who went about with their heads down. He found out that they were the red cod people. He wanted to make friends of them, so, thinking that they looked very white, he painted them all red — men, women, and children. That is how these fishes got their color. After that he asked them if they had seen his wife, but they said that they had seen no one, so he went on. Presently he came to another village and asked the people there the same question to which he received the very same answer. Those were the halibut people. In each village they gave him something to eat.

After he had left the halibut people Gamna’tcki traveled for several days before he came to another town. By and by, however, he perceived smoke far ahead of him, and, going toward it, he saw that it was from a fort. Inside of this fort was a large house which he immediately entered, but the people there did not seem to care to see strangers and would not talk to him. These were also very pale people, so to please them he took out his black paint and painted all of them with it. Then they felt well disposed toward him and were willing to talk. “Can you tell me what clan has my wife?” he said. At first they said that they did not know, but afterward one replied, “There is a strange woman in that town across there.” Then this person pointed the village out, and Gamna’tcki felt pleased to know where his wife was. The people he had come among were the sharks, and those whose village they showed him were the killer whales.

Then the shark chief said, “Every time we have had a fight we have beaten them.” The shark people also said to him, “The killer-whale chief has a slave. Every morning the slave goes out after water. Go to the creek and tell him what to do when he comes in. Tell him to bring the water in and hand it to the chief over the fire. As he does so he must drop it, and, while the house is full of steam, pick up your wife and run out with her. The chief has married her. Then come over here with her. They will run after you, but, if you can get away, come right across.” The shark people had always been jealous of the killer whales because they had this woman.

While the shark people were telling him what to do, a strange, bony-looking person kept jumping up from behind the boxes. He wondered what made him act so queerly and began to feel uneasy about it, but, when the bony person saw him looking at him in a strange manner, he said, “Why! don’t you know me? I am that halibut hook (naxu) that the sharks once took away from you. My name is Lgudji’ (the name of an island).”

Just after that the man started for the killer-whale town and sat down by the creek. When the slave came out after water, he asked him to help him, saying, “I hear that my wife is with this chief.” “Yes,” the slave answered, “if she were a man, they would have kept her for a slave like myself. Since she is a woman, the chief has married her, and she is living very well. I will help you as much as I can. She wants to return to you. Now watch and I will do what you tell me to do. I will spill this water on the fire.”

After that he took Gamna’tcki to the door and showed him where his wife sat. Then the slave walked in with the water while he stood outside watching. He watched his wife through a crack and saw that she appeared very much cast down. As soon as the fire was put out and the house filled with steam he ran in, seized his wife, and started off with her.

Then, when the slave thought that he had gotten a long distance away, he shouted, “Some one has taken the woman away.” The chief looked around, and sure enough his wife was gone. Going outside, they saw that this man had almost reached the shark fort, and they saw him enter it.

As soon as he got there, the shark people began to dress themselves for war. They were noisy and acted as though they were very hungry, so that Gamna’tcki became frightened. The halibut hook came to him, however, and told him not to be frightened, because the killer whales were coming over. All at once the fort began moving up and down. Whenever the killer whales tried to enter, the fort killed them by moving up and down and cutting off their heads. The slaughter was so great that the few survivors were frightened and went back. Two or three days later the killer whales came again with like result.

After this the shark people said to Gamna’tcki, “You better not start out right away. Stay here a while with us. They might be lying in wait for you. Since we have fought for you so much, it is better that you should get to your home safely.” Gamna’tcki did so, and some time later they said, “Go straight along by the way you came, and you will find your way out easily.” He did this and reached his home in safety.

Raven (Part 3)

This story highlights Raven’s cleverness, greed, and trickery through a series of adventures. Raven exploits a whale, deceives villagers for their oil, and manipulates ghostly goods, offering moral lessons about dishonesty, greed, and selfishness. He interacts with mythical figures like Cannibal-man and Wolverine-man, whose defeat leads to the creation of mosquitoes. Finally, Raven secures a house of fish, distributing them globally, symbolizing his dual role as a trickster and cultural benefactor.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Trickster: Raven embodies the archetypal trickster, using his wit and deceit to manipulate situations and individuals to his advantage.

Cunning and Deception: The narrative highlights Raven’s use of cleverness and deceit, such as when he tricks villagers into abandoning their whale oil, allowing him to claim it for himself.

Moral Lessons: The story serves as a cautionary tale, illustrating the consequences of dishonesty, greed, and selfishness, and is traditionally used to teach ethical behavior within the community.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Wrangell, Alaska, in January-April 1904

One day Raven saw a whale far out at sea and sat down on the beach to study how he should bring it ashore. Then he got some pitchwood and rocks of the kind that was formerly used in making fire, flew out to the place where he thought the whale would come up, and went into its open mouth. He made a fire inside of the whale and cooked everything there. Only he would not touch the heart. When the whale took in many fish he ate them. Finally he did cut the whale’s heart out and killed it, after which it began drifting about from place to place. Then he sang: “Let the one who wants to be high-born like me cut the whale open and let me out, and he will be as high as I am.” He also sang: “Let the whale go ashore. Let the whale go ashore on a long sandy beach.” Finally he heard waves breaking on a sandy beach, and he said again: “Let the one who wants to be high-born like me cut the whale open and let me out, and he will be as high as I am.”

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Suddenly he heard the voices of children. These children heard his voice, went home and informed their parents. Then the people all came there and cut the whale open, and Raven flew off into the woods crying “Qone’, qone’, qone’.”

Raven stayed up in the woods a long time in order to get the grease and smell off of his feathers, and, when he came down again, he saw boxes and boxes of whale grease. Then he made believe he was surprised and asked the people where they got all of it. They said: “We found a whale that had come right in here where we could get it easily. So we are making oil out of it.” Said he: “Did you hear anything inside when it first came ashore?” “Yes! there was some strange sound in there, and something flew out calling itself qone’.” Then Raven answered, “Years ago just such a thing as this happened, and all of the people of that town that heard the noise died. It brings bad luck to hear such a noise in a whale. You people must leave this right away. Don’t eat any of it. Leave it here.” Then all of the people believed him and left their oil there. It became his.

The writer’s informant added, “In our days when a person is making a living dishonestly by lying and stealing he is not told so directly, but this story is brought up to him and everyone knows what it means.”

Next Raven went to a place where many sea lions, seals, and porpoises were lying about. Among these there were a number of children, who cut pieces of fat from the animals and threw them back and forth. So he made himself look like a child and, when they threw him a piece of fat, he ate it. Finally the children missed their fat and said, “What is becoming of all the fat we were playing with? It is all disappearing.”

“When older people were giving their children advice they would bring up this part of the story and tell them not to be greedy and selfish, but honest. They would say they did not want them to be like Raven, who ate up all his playmates’ fat. When people went about trading they would also bring up this story to a person who wanted to make all the profit himself. They would tell him he was like Raven, who wanted to enjoy everything himself.” (From the writer’s informant.)

Then Raven came to a large town where everyone appeared to have died. He entered the largest house, and saw no one inside, yet he could feel a person continually pushing against him. It was a ghost house, and the town was called the Town of Ghosts (Qayahayi’ ani’). Afterward Raven loaded a canoe with provisions from the ghosts’ houses and started to paddle away, but he did not notice that a very long line was fastened to the stern of the canoe and secured at the other end round a tree. When he reached the end of this rope the canoe was pulled right back to the beach, and the goods were all carried up to the house by invisible hands. One of the ghosts also dropped a very large rock upon his foot, making him lame.

“This episode is brought up to a child people desire to make honest. They say that just as these goods were taken back from Raven, and he was made to feel shame at having been discovered, a thief will always be found out. If the child becomes a thief when he grows up, they tell him that he will be classed among the very lowest no matter how well born he was. They also tell the little ones that there is a Creator watching them anytime, just as these ghosts watched. The Raven could not see them, but they saw him. They say that a person who does evil things is like a crippled or deformed person, for he has disgraced his family. They tell them that a person who gets that low is nobody and that the Creator despises him.”

Next Raven went among the Athapascan Indians of the interior beyond the place he had reached before. There he saw a giant cannibal called Cannibal-man. Knowing that this cannibal was very smart he tried to get the better of him, so he won his confidence and learned that he was married to the black pine (lal). [What immediately follows was probably considered by my informant too indecent to relate.] In the morning the cannibal bathed. After that the two became very good friends, and the cannibal said to Raven, “I am going hunting, and I am going to get four animals, two mountain goats and two ground hogs.” So the cannibal took a hide rope such as the interior Indians used to make and started. On the way Raven said to the cannibal, “Where is that man called Tsa’maya?” He was another very powerful man. And the cannibal showed him where Tsa’maya lived.

Then Raven stayed with Tsa’maya, and they became good friends also. The latter lived all by himself at that time, all of his friends having been killed by Wolverine-man (Nusga-qa’). So he said to Raven, “I do not know what to do with him. I would like to kill him.” And Raven said to him, “Do you see this spear? Go and get a bear skin and put it around yourself. Put the spear in such a position as to make him believe he has killed a bear.” Tsa’maya-did so, and by and by Wolverine-man came along. He was very glad when he saw the bear and said, “I have another.” Then he picked the bear up, took out the spear and carried it home. After that he went to gather wood. While he was gone Raven made himself appear like a common blackbird and in that form said to Tsa’maya, “Wolverine-man’s heart is in his foot.” Then he took the little spear he had concealed in his long hair and gave it to Tsa’maya, who speared Wolverine-man in the foot as soon as he came in. He was hurt badly but ran away from them. When they caught up with him and told him they were going to kill him, he said, “All right.” But every time they killed him he came to life again until finally they burned him. Then, when they were about to pulverize his bones, the bones spoke up and said to them, “Pulverize my bones and blow them away. They will always be a bother to you and everybody else. I shall always remain in the world.” That is where the mosquitoes and gnats come from.

“This episode is referred to when a person takes after a bad father. They say to him, ‘Why do you take after your father? Everybody knows that you are his child. Can’t you take another road and do better than he did?’”

Afterward Raven came to where a house was floating far out at sea, called Ku’datan kahi’ti. Nas-ca’ki-yel had been keeping it there, and in it were all kinds of fishes, but Raven did not know how to get at them. At the same place he also met a monster, called Qa’naxgadayiye (which seems to mean “a thing that is in the way”), who had a spear like the arm of a devilfish called, “devilfish-arm spear.” Raven wanted this, and obtained it by marrying the monster’s daughter. Then he got into a canoe, paddled out near the house, and speared it. Inside he heard all kinds of songs sung by different voices. These were the songs people were to sing in the fishing season. When Raven threw his spear, it became very long and wrapped itself around the house so firmly that he was enabled to take his canoe ashore. He had great difficulty, however, for as he did so he had to sing continually, “I think so, I think so,” a song known to all of the Raven people. Whenever he stopped singing, the house went back to the place where it had been at first. This happened three times and the fourth time he got it in. After that the door of the house opened, and all kinds of fish came out of it. He sang, “Some go to Stikine river. Some go to Chilkat river,” which they immediately did. Then he sang again, “Some go to the small creeks to provide the poor people.” That is how fish came to be all over the world. [According to some people this house was drawn ashore at the Daqlawe’di village]

The poor man who caught wonderful things

A poor fisherman, mocked for his lack of success, accidentally catches a radiant, enormous abalone. Persuaded to release it, he regrets losing such a treasure. Later, he uses his ingenuity by baiting with blood-soaked sponge, catching an abundant, valuable fish nest. Sharing his catch, he gains wealth and respect, turning his fortunes around while symbolically reclaiming the abalone’s promise of prosperity.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Transformation: The protagonist’s fortunes change dramatically from poverty to wealth through his ingenuity and perseverance.

Cunning and Deception: The fisherman uses a clever method—baiting with a blood-soaked sponge—to attract and catch the valuable fish nest, showcasing his resourcefulness.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts lessons about resilience, the value of sharing, and how resourcefulness can lead to success, as the fisherman shares his catch and gains respect and prosperity in return.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Sitka, Alaska
January-April 1904

There was a long town from which all the people used to go out fishing for halibut and other large fish every day. In those times, before bone was used, they made hooks of two pieces of spruce from young trees, sharpened the point and hardened it in the fire. For lines they dried slender kelp stems.

A very poor man living at one end of the town fished among the others, but did not catch anything. While they were having a good time fishing he remained perfectly quiet, and they kept laughing at him.

One day, when he pulled at his line, it acted as if it were fast to something. He thought it had caught upon a rock and pulled it about in the endeavor to free it. All at once it began to come slowly up, and, although every one laughed at him, he held on.

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After he had brought it close to the canoe, he looked down and saw that it was a great live abalone caught in the flesh. Its color shone out of the water. As it ascended it was so big that all the canoes seemed to come inside of it, and it shone in every one’s face. Then some people who wanted to take this valuable thing away from him, said, “Cut the line. It is a great thing that you have caught. You better let it go.” After a while he became tired of the people’s talk, so he cut his line. Then it began to go down very slowly, shining all over.

Then others came to him and said, “You did not do the right thing. It is a very valuable thing you let go.” He said, “Has it sunk?” So nowadays, when a person has lost a valuable thing, they say to him, “Is it an abalone that has sunk?” (De’ca gu’nxa ak we wuta’q) Whenever he thought about this he cried at the riches he had let go.

Another time they went out fishing, and he was with them. He had a sponge in his hand, and taking a piece of flesh out of his nose inside so as to make it bleed, he filled the sponge with blood and let it down into the ocean. When he began to pull up his hook, it was again fast. He pulled it up slowly, for it was very heavy. It was another valuable thing, the nest of a fish called icqe’n. Then he filled his canoe with these fishes, called the other canoes to him and filled them. After that he stood up in his canoe and said, “The abalone has not been drowned from me yet. I still have it.” He distributed these fishes all over the town and began to get rich from the property he received. People gave him all kinds of skins — moose, caribou, fox, etc. He had great stores of riches from having caught the abalone and the nest of fishes.

The big clam

This tale from Tenakee Inlet recounts two mythic events. In the bay named Where-sweetness-killed-a-person, a man, Tsel, was swallowed by a halibut while wading across to join girls picking strawberries, giving the area its name. Nearby, a giant clam that devoured canoes was slain by Raven’s clever plan, leaving the place known as Clam-slide, where the remnants foster abundant growth.

Source:
Tlingit Myths and Texts
by John R. Swanton
[Smithsonian Institution]
Bureau of American Ethnology
Bulletin 39
Washington, 1909

► Themes of the story

Mythical Creatures: The giant clam and the halibut that swallowed Tsel are mythical creatures central to the narrative.

Cunning and Deception: Raven employs cunning to devise a plan that ultimately leads to the clam’s demise.

Origin of Things: The story explains the origins of place names like Where-sweetness-killed-a-person and Clam-slide, linking them to the events described.

► From the same Region or People

North America
- Sub-Arctic Region
  - Tlingit Lore

Learn more about the Tlingit people

Myth recorded in English at Sitka, Alaska
January-April 1904

At the farther end of Tenakee inlet (Ti’nage) is a little bay called Where-sweetness-killed-a-person (Gatlqo’wageya). One summer there were many people encamped there drying salmon, and among them many lively young people. One day some girls took a canoe and crossed the bay to a strawberry patch on the other side. Afterwards a man named Tsel went down into the water to wade over to them but was swallowed by a halibut. So they named the place Kotse’l after this man.

Near this inlet is a high cliff in front of which a big clam formerly lived. It used to stick its head (lit. penis) high up out of the water. It always had its valves open, and if a canoe passed that way, it would close them on it (lit. shut its mouth on it), and the canoe was gone.

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Raven heard of this clam, and he instructed a little mink to call to it, “Stick out your head and let us see you,” (ili’l-anaxda’x tsaga’x dusti’n), while the people stood ready above with sharpened sticks. But, instead of speaking as it was told, the mink said, “Raven made clam” (Yel dje’aosiniyi gal). Finally the mink said plainly as he had been directed, “Stick your head out of the water and let us see you,” and it began to put out its head. He said, “A little more.” When it was well out, all the people seized their sticks and plunged them into it, cutting the ligament which held the valves together so that they sprang apart. Then the whole bay began to smell badly from it. On the rock slide back of the place where this clam used to run out its head all sorts of things now grow. It is called Clam-slide (Yes-kade’).

Prince Wicked and the Grateful Animals

A cruel prince, hated by all, is swept away during a storm and saved by a kind poor man alongside a Snake, Rat, and Parrot. The animals vow gratitude, but the prince betrays the man upon becoming king. The people rebel, kill the ungrateful ruler, and crown the poor man king. Honoring promises, he thrives with his animal friends, ruling wisely and justly.

Source:
More Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1922

► Themes of the story

Transformation through Love: The narrative illustrates how the poor man’s compassionate actions lead to a transformation in his status and life circumstances.

Cunning and Deception: Prince Wicked’s betrayal of the man who saved him highlights themes of deceit and treachery.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts ethical teachings, emphasizing the virtues of kindness and the consequences of ingratitude.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

Once upon a time a king had a son named Prince Wicked. He was fierce and cruel, and he spoke to nobody without abuse, or blows. Like grit in the eye, was Prince Wicked to every one, both in the palace and out of it.

His people said to one another, “If he acts this way while he is a prince, how will he act when he is king?”

One day when the prince was swimming in the river, suddenly a great storm came on, and it grew very dark.

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In the darkness the servants who were with the prince swam from him, saying to themselves, “Let us leave him alone in the river, and he may drown.”

When they reached the shore, some of the servants who had not gone into the river said, “Where is Prince Wicked?”

“Isn’t he here?” they asked. “Perhaps he came out of the river in the darkness and went home.” Then the servants all went back to the palace.

The king asked where his son was, and again the servants said: “Isn’t he here, O King? A great storm came on soon after we went into the water. It grew very dark. When we came out of the water the prince was not with us.”

At once the king had the gates thrown open. He and all his men searched up and down the banks of the river for the missing prince. But no trace of him could be found.

In the darkness the prince had been swept down the river. He was crying for fear he would drown when he came across a log. He climbed upon the log, and floated farther down the river.

When the great storm arose, the water rushed into the homes of a Rat and a Snake who lived on the river bank. The Rat and the Snake swam out into the river and found the same log the prince had found. The Snake climbed upon one end of the log, and the Rat climbed upon the other.

On the river’s bank a cottonwood-tree grew, and a young Parrot lived in its branches. The storm pulled up this tree, and it fell into the river. The heavy rain beat down the Parrot when it tried to fly, and it could not go far. Looking down it saw the log and flew down to rest. Now there were four on the log floating down stream together.

Just around the bend in the river a certain poor man had built himself a hut. As he walked to and fro late at night listening to the storm, he heard the loud cries of the prince. The poor man said to himself: “I must get that man out of the water. I must save his life.” So he shouted: “I will save you! I will save you!” as he swam out in the river.

Soon he reached the log, and pushing it by one end, he soon pushed it into the bank. The prince jumped up and down, he was so glad to be safe and sound on dry land.

Then the poor man saw the Snake, the Rat, and the Parrot, and carried them to his hut. He built a fire, putting the animals near it so they could get dry. He took care of them first, because they were the weaker, and afterwards he looked after the comfort of the prince.

Then the poor man brought food and set it before them, looking after the animals first and the prince afterwards. This made the young prince angry, and he said to himself: “This poor man does not treat me like a prince. He takes care of the animals before taking care of me.” Then the prince began to hate the poor man.

A few days later, when the prince, and the Snake, the Rat, and the Parrot were rested, and the storm was all over, the Snake said good-by to the poor man with these words:

“Father, you have been very kind to me. I know where there is some buried gold. If ever you want gold, you have only to come to my home and call, ‘Snake!’ and I will show you the buried gold. It shall all be yours.”

Next the Rat said good-by to the poor man. “If ever you want money,” said the Rat, “come to my home, and call out, ‘Rat!’ and I will show you where a great deal of money is buried near my home. It shall all be yours.”

Then the Parrot came, saying: “Father, silver and gold have I none, but if you ever want choice rice, come to where I live and call, ‘Parrot!’ and I will call all my family and friends together, and we will gather the choicest rice in the fields for you.”

Last came the prince. In his heart he hated the poor man who had saved his life. But he pretended to be as thankful as the animals had been, saying, “Come to me when I am king, and I will give you great riches.” So saying, he went away.

Not long after this the prince’s father died, and Prince Wicked was made king. He was then very rich.

By and by the poor man said to himself: “Each of the four whose lives I saved made a promise to me. I will see if they will keep their promises.”

First of all he went to the Snake, and standing near his hole, the poor man called out, “Snake!”

At once the Snake darted forth, and with every mark of respect he said: “Father, in this place there is much gold. Dig it up and take it all.”

“Very well,” said the poor man. “When I need it, I will not forget.”

After visiting for a while, the poor man said good-by to the Snake, and went to where the Rat lived, calling out, “Rat!”

The Rat came at once, and did as the Snake had done, showing the poor man where the money was buried.

“When I need it, I will come for it,” said the poor man.

Going next to the Parrot, he called out, “Parrot!” and the bird flew down from the tree-top as soon as he heard the call.

“O Father,” said the Parrot, “shall I call together all my family and friends to gather choice rice for you?”

The poor man, seeing that the Parrot was willing and ready to keep his promise, said: “I do not need rice now. If ever I do, I will not forget your offer.”

Last of all, the poor man went into the city where the king lived. The king, seated on his great white elephant, was riding through the city. The king saw the poor man, and said to himself: “That poor man has come to ask me for the great riches I promised to give him. I must have his head cut off before he can tell the people how he saved my life when I was the prince.”

So the king called his servants to him and said: “You see that poor man over there? Seize him and bind him, beat him at every corner of the street as you march him out of the city, and then chop off his head.”

The servants had to obey their king. So they seized and bound the poor man. They beat him at every corner of the street. The poor man did not cry out, but he said, over and over again, “It is better to save poor, weak animals than to save a prince.”

At last some wise men among the crowds along the street asked the poor man what prince he had saved. Then the poor man told the whole story, ending with the words, “By saving your king, I brought all this pain upon myself.”

The wise men and all the rest of the crowd cried out: “This poor man saved the life of our king, and now the king has ordered him to be killed. How can we be sure that he will not have any, or all, of us killed? Let us kill him.” And in their anger they rushed from every side upon the king as he rode on his elephant, and with arrows and stones they killed him then and there.

Then they made the poor man king, and set him to rule over them.

The poor man ruled his people well. One day he decided once more to try the Snake, the Rat, and the Parrot. So, followed by many servants, the king went to where the Snake lived.

At the call of “Snake!” out came the Snake from his hole, saying, “Here, O King, is your treasure; take it.”

“I will,” said the king. “And I want you to come with me.”

Then the king had his servants dig up the gold.

Going to where the Rat lived, the king called, “Rat!” Out came the Rat, and bowing low to the king, the Rat said, “Take all the money buried here and have your servants carry it away.”

“I will,” said the king, and he asked the Rat to go with him and the Snake.

Then the king went to where the Parrot lived, and called, “Parrot!” The Parrot flew down to the king’s feet and said, “O King, shall I and my family and my friends gather choice rice for you?”

“Not now, not until rice is needed,” said the king. “Will you come with us?” The Parrot was glad to join them.

So with the gold, and the money, and with the Snake, the Rat, and the Parrot as well, the king went back to the city. The king had the gold and the money hidden away in the palace. He had a tube of gold made for the Snake to live in. He had a glass box made for the Rat’s home, and a cage of gold for the Parrot. Each had the food he liked best of all to eat every day, and so these four lived happily all their lives.

The Wise Goat and the Wolf

A wise Goat outsmarts a pair of Wolves who try repeatedly to catch her. Using cunning and caution, she evades their deceptive traps. When the Wolves attempt to lure her a final time, the Goat pretends to bring fierce canine friends, scaring the Wolves away for good. Her intelligence and quick thinking ensure her safety, leaving the Wolves defeated and hungry.

Source:
More Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1922

► Themes of the story

Trickster: The goat embodies the trickster archetype by using her wit to outsmart the wolves’ deceptive traps.

Cunning and Deception: The narrative revolves around the use of cunning and deceptive strategies, both by the wolves attempting to lure the goat and by the goat devising clever plans to evade them.

Moral Lessons: The tale imparts a moral lesson on the value of intelligence, caution, and quick thinking in overcoming adversaries and ensuring one’s safety.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

Once upon a time, many, many wild Goats lived in a cave in the side of a hill.

A Wolf lived with his mate not far from this cave.

Like all Wolves they liked the taste of Goat-meat. So they caught the Goats, one after another, and ate them all but one who was wiser than all the others.

Try as they might, the Wolves could not catch her.

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One day the Wolf said to his mate: “My dear, let us play a trick on that wise Goat. I will lie down here pretending to be dead. You go alone to the cave where the Goat lives, and looking very sad, say to her: ‘My dear, do you see my mate lying there dead? I am so sad; I have no friends. Will you be good to me? Will you come and help me bury the body of my mate?’ The Goat will be sorry for you and I think she will come here with you. When she stands beside me I will spring upon her and bite her in the neck. Then she will fall over dead, and we shall have good meat to eat.”

The Wolf then lay down, and his mate went to the Goat, saying what she had been told to say.

But the wise Goat said: “My dear, all my family and friends have been eaten by your mate I am afraid to go one step with you. I am far safer here than I would be there.”

“Do not be afraid,” said the Wolf. “What harm can a dead Wolf do to you?”

These and many more words the Wolf said to the Goat, so that at last the Goat said she would go with the Wolf.

But as they went up the hill side by side, the Goat said to herself: “Who knows what will happen? How do I know the Wolf is dead?” She said to the Wolf, “I think it will be better if you go on in front of me.”

The Wolf thought he heard them coming. He was hungry and he raised up his head to see if he could see them The Goat saw him raise his head, and she turned and ran back to her cave.

“Why did you raise your head when you were pretending to be dead?” the Wolf asked her mate. He had no good answer.

By and by the Wolves were both so very hungry that the Wolf asked his mate to try once more to catch the Goat.

This time the Wolf went to the Goat and said: “My friend, your coming helped us, for as soon as you came, my mate felt better. He is now very much better. Come and talk to him. Let us be friends and have a good time together.”

The wise Goat thought: “These wicked Wolves want to play another trick on me. But I have thought of a trick to play on them.” So the Goat said: “I will go to see your mate, and I will take my friends with me. You go back and get ready for us. Let us all have a good time together.”

Then the Wolf was afraid, and she asked: “Who are the friends who will come with you? Tell me their names.”

The wise Goat said: “I will bring the two Hounds, Old Gray and Young Tan, and that fine big dog called Four-Eyes. And I will ask each of them to bring his mate.” The Wolf waited to hear no more. She turned, and away she ran back to her mate. The Goat never saw either of them again.

The Lion In Bad Company

A young Lion befriends a cunning Wolf despite his parents’ warnings. The Wolf manipulates the Lion into hunting ponies, leading to repeated thefts from the king. The king’s archer ultimately shoots the Lion during a raid, and the Wolf, abandoning loyalty, flees to the woods. The tale highlights the dangers of ignoring wise counsel and trusting unworthy companions.

Source:
More Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1922

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The Wolf manipulates the young Lion into stealing the king’s ponies for his own desire for horse-meat.

Tragic Flaw: The young Lion’s disregard for his parents’ advice and his naivety in trusting the Wolf lead to his downfall.

Moral Lessons: The tale teaches the importance of heeding wise counsel and the dangers of associating with untrustworthy companions.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

One day a young Lion came suddenly upon a Wolf. The Wolf was not able to get away, so he said to the Lion: “Please, Great Lion, could you take me to your den, and let me live with you and your mate? I will work for you all my days.”

This young Lion had been told by his father and mother not to make friends with any Wolf. But when this Wolf called him “Great Lion,” he said to himself: “This Wolf is not bad. This Wolf is not like other Wolves.” So he took the Wolf to the den where he lived with his father and mother.

► Continue reading…

Now this Lion’s father was a fine old Lion, and he told his son that he did not like having this Wolf there. But the young Lion thought he knew better than his father, so the Wolf stayed in the den.

One day the Wolf wanted horse-flesh to eat, so he said to the young Lion, “Sir, there is nothing we have not eaten except horse-meat; let us take a horse.”

“But where are there horses?” asked the Lion.

“There are small ponies on the river bank,” said the Wolf.

So the young Lion went with the Wolf to the river bank when the ponies were bathing. The Lion caught a small pony, and throwing it on his back, he ran back to his den.

His father said: “My son, those ponies belong to the king. Kings have many skilful archers. Lions do not live long who eat ponies belonging to the king. Do not take another pony.”

But the young Lion liked the taste of horse-meat, and he caught and killed pony after pony.

Soon the king heard that a Lion was killing the ponies when they went to bathe in the river. “Build a tank inside the town,” said the king. “The lion will not get the ponies there.” But the Lion killed the ponies as they bathed in the tank.

Then the king said the ponies must be kept in the stables. But the Lion went over the wall, and killed the ponies in their stables.

At last the king called an archer, who shot like lightning. “Do you think you can shoot this Lion?” the king asked him. The archer said that he was sure he could. “Very well,” said the king, “take your place in the tower on the wall, and shoot him.” So the archer waited there in the tower.

By and by the Lion and the Wolf came to the wall. The Wolf did not go over the wall but waited to see what would happen. The Lion sprang over the wall. Very soon he caught and killed a pony. Then the archer let fly an arrow.

The Lion roared, “I am shot.”

Then the Wolf said to himself: “The Lion has been shot, and soon he will die. I will now go back to my old home in the woods.” And so he did. The Lion fell down dead.

The Stolen Plow

Two traders, one from a village and one from a town, dispute over deceit. The town trader claims mice ate the village trader’s plow, while the village trader retaliates, saying a bird carried off the town trader’s son. In court, the village trader reveals the absurdity of both claims. The judge resolves the matter, restoring the son and the plow to their rightful owners.

Source:
More Jataka Tales
by Ellen C. Babbit
The Century Co., New York, 1922

► Themes of the story

Cunning and Deception: The town trader’s dishonest claim about the plow and the village trader’s clever retaliation both center on deceit and wit.

Moral Lessons: The story imparts a lesson on the consequences of dishonesty and the value of justice.

Revenge and Justice: The village trader’s actions serve as a form of retribution, ultimately leading to a fair resolution.

► From the same Region or People

South Asia
- India
  - Buddhist Lore

Learn more about Jataka Tales

Once there were two traders who were great friends. One of them lived in a small village, and one lived in a large town near-by.

One day the village trader took his plow to the large town to have it mended. Then he left it with the trader who lived there. After some time the town trader sold the plow, and kept the money.

When the trader from the village came to get his plow the town trader said, “The mice have eaten your plow.”

► Continue reading…

“That is strange! How could mice eat such a thing?” said the village trader.

That afternoon when all the children went down to the river to go swimming, the village trader took the town trader’s little son to the house of a friend saying, “Please keep this little boy here until I come back for him.”

By and by the villager went back to the town trader’s house.

“Where is my son? He went away with you. Why didn’t you bring him back?” asked the town trader.

“I took him with me and left him on the bank of the river while I went down into the water,” said the villager. “While I was swimming about a big bird seized your son, and flew up into the air with him. I shouted, but I could not make the bird let go,” he said.

“That cannot be true,” cried the town trader. “No bird could carry off a boy. I will go to the court, and you will have to go there, and tell the judge.”

The villager said, “As you please”; and they both went to the court. The town trader said to the judge:

“This fellow took my son with him to the river, and when I asked where the boy was, he said that a bird had carried him off.”

“What have you to say?” said the judge to the village trader.

“I told the father that I took the boy with me, and that a bird had carried him off,” said the village trader.

“But where in the world are there birds strong enough to carry off boys?” said the judge.

“I have a question to ask you,” answered the village trader. “If birds cannot carry off boys, can mice eat plows?”

“What do you mean by that?” asked the judge.

“I left my good plow with this man. When I came for it he told me that the mice had eaten it. If mice eat plows, then birds carry off boys; but if mice cannot do this, neither can birds carry off boys. This man says the mice ate my plow.”

The judge said to the town trader, “Give back the plow to this man, and he will give your son back to you.” And the two traders went out of the court, and by night-time one had his son back again, and the other had his plow.