Reading Notes: Inayat's Twenty Jataka Tales, Part B

I really liked reading Inayat's retellings of Jataka tales, and my three favorites from Part A of the reading assignment were "The Patient Buffalo," "The Goblin Town," and "The Quarrelsome Quails."

First, "The Patient Buffalo" is a really cool commentary on power dynamics in ancient society. Though the monkey pesters the buffalo relentlessly, the powerful buffalo does not harm it. Though the fairy comes and tempts the buffalo to abuse its power, the buffalo sagely remarks that the monkey is weak both mentally and physically, and that it would not be right for a smarter and stronger animal, a superior being, to harm the monkey. This is a reflection of the intelligent and powerful, that they should not abuse their power on those people without their privilege or natural gifts.

Second, "The Goblin Town" sounded like such a fun read, and it is! I liked the magical flying horse at the end, it was a cool cross-cultural connection to Greek myth. Also, the women who lure the men and trap them are very much like the Sirens or Circe of Greek myth, as well. This story is an interesting commentary on gender dynamics, as it conveys that women who seduce men and keep them 'bound' in one place are monsters, or goblins. They are things to be avoided and viewed with disgust. Therefore, this story celebrates masculine agency and decries women as monstrous.

Third, "The Quarrelsome Quails" reminded me a lot of the story from Part A, "The Empty Lake," in which a wise king of the animals helps them to survive potential extinction. The quails outsmart the hunting villager for a while, but when a quarrel arises among two of them, they are caught along with many others and killed. This story comments on cooperation within society, for if all people listen to the king (laws) they will live on happily, but if people disregard the king (laws) and quarrel, not only will they suffer the consequences, but those close to them will be caught up in the ramifications, too.

King quail preaching cooperation. Source.

Bibliography: Inayat, Noor. Twenty Jataka Tales. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=inu.39000000078449&view=2up&seq=102