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Twenty Jataka Tales
These twenty tales have been drawn from famous legends concerning the former lives of the Buddha. Beloved by children and adults alike, they tell of people and animals moved to acts of sacrifice by the noble example of their fellow creatures. The flavor is often suggestive of Aesop, as are the lessons that are so subtly and keenly conveyed.
Presented in a simplified narrative, the tales maintain the magical and timeless beauty of their Far Eastern origins. The stories are ideal for reading to children, as they tell of highly dramatic adventures that are resolved by non-violent and compassionate means. Challenging circumstances bring forth courage and the capacity to love, opening the way to solutions against seemingly impossible odds.
This book will also be coveted for its exquisite illustrations by the well-known illustrator H. Willebeek Le Mair.
Presented in a simplified narrative, the tales maintain the magical and timeless beauty of their Far Eastern origins. The stories are ideal for reading to children, as they tell of highly dramatic adventures that are resolved by non-violent and compassionate means. Challenging circumstances bring forth courage and the capacity to love, opening the way to solutions against seemingly impossible odds.
This book will also be coveted for its exquisite illustrations by the well-known illustrator H. Willebeek Le Mair.
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1975
10 people are currently reading
457 people want to read
About the author
Noor Inayat Khan
22 books15 followersFrom BBC History:
Noor Inayat Khan was born on New Year's Day 1914 in Moscow to an Indian father and an American mother. She was a direct descendant of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Muslim ruler of Mysore. Khan's father was a musician and Sufi teacher. He moved his family first to London and then to Paris, where Khan was educated and later worked writing childrens' stories. Khan escaped to England after the fall of France and in November 1940 she joined the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force). In late 1942, she was recruited to join SOE as a radio operator. Although some of those who trained her were unsure about her suitability, in June 1943 she was flown to France to become the radio operator for the 'Prosper' resistance network in Paris, with the codename 'Madeleine'. Many members of the network were arrested shortly afterwards but she chose to remain in France and spent the summer moving from place to place, trying to send messages back to London while avoiding capture.
In October, Khan was betrayed by a Frenchwoman and arrested by the Gestapo. She had unwisely kept copies of all her secret signals and the Germans were able to use her radio to trick London into sending new agents - straight into the hands of the waiting Gestapo. Khan escaped from prison but was recaptured a few hours later. In November 1943, she was sent to Pforzheim prison in Germany where she was kept in chains and in solitary confinement. Despite repeated torture, she refused to reveal any information. In September 1944, Khan and three other female SOE agents were transferred to Dachau concentration camp where on 13 September they were shot.
For her courage, Noor Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross in 1949.
Noor Inayat Khan was born on New Year's Day 1914 in Moscow to an Indian father and an American mother. She was a direct descendant of Tipu Sultan, the 18th century Muslim ruler of Mysore. Khan's father was a musician and Sufi teacher. He moved his family first to London and then to Paris, where Khan was educated and later worked writing childrens' stories. Khan escaped to England after the fall of France and in November 1940 she joined the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force). In late 1942, she was recruited to join SOE as a radio operator. Although some of those who trained her were unsure about her suitability, in June 1943 she was flown to France to become the radio operator for the 'Prosper' resistance network in Paris, with the codename 'Madeleine'. Many members of the network were arrested shortly afterwards but she chose to remain in France and spent the summer moving from place to place, trying to send messages back to London while avoiding capture.
In October, Khan was betrayed by a Frenchwoman and arrested by the Gestapo. She had unwisely kept copies of all her secret signals and the Germans were able to use her radio to trick London into sending new agents - straight into the hands of the waiting Gestapo. Khan escaped from prison but was recaptured a few hours later. In November 1943, she was sent to Pforzheim prison in Germany where she was kept in chains and in solitary confinement. Despite repeated torture, she refused to reveal any information. In September 1944, Khan and three other female SOE agents were transferred to Dachau concentration camp where on 13 September they were shot.
For her courage, Noor Khan was posthumously awarded the George Cross in 1949.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
February 17, 2011
Noor Inayat Khan was extremely brave.
She was a hero.
She also, as is evidenced by this book, a talented writer. When she was killed by the Nazis, France and Britian each not only lost a patriot but the world lost an author.
It is impossible not to read this collection and not think of the political climate of Europe at the time the book came out (just prior to WW II) despite the elements of Buudism. Of the twenty tales, most deal with leadership. All deal with scarifice and/or morality. Most deal with the idea of service for the higher ideal. A reader can see ideas of good and just government (In some ways, "The Guilty Dogs" almost seems like a tale about the evils of any type of genocide). In some ways, the tales seem to offer a reason for why Khan volunteered for the SOE.
The style is wonderful, almost conversational and maternal (Khan was in the process of starting a children's newspaper when France was invaded). The stories, and the illustrations, are done in such a way that they are attractive to both child and adults. There are meant as lessons, but are not heavy handed and let the reader discover the moral.
She was a hero.
She also, as is evidenced by this book, a talented writer. When she was killed by the Nazis, France and Britian each not only lost a patriot but the world lost an author.
It is impossible not to read this collection and not think of the political climate of Europe at the time the book came out (just prior to WW II) despite the elements of Buudism. Of the twenty tales, most deal with leadership. All deal with scarifice and/or morality. Most deal with the idea of service for the higher ideal. A reader can see ideas of good and just government (In some ways, "The Guilty Dogs" almost seems like a tale about the evils of any type of genocide). In some ways, the tales seem to offer a reason for why Khan volunteered for the SOE.
The style is wonderful, almost conversational and maternal (Khan was in the process of starting a children's newspaper when France was invaded). The stories, and the illustrations, are done in such a way that they are attractive to both child and adults. There are meant as lessons, but are not heavy handed and let the reader discover the moral.
September 3, 2016
Akin to Aesop's fables. Very short tales about being kind and wise. Most involve animals instead of people.
August 27, 2022
Reading this brought back so many memories of my childhood. I never grasped the depth of the stories back then. I'm glad, I decided to pick this up.
September 27, 2015
These Indian tales are very intelligent and marvellous, with their own morals and sayings. I have been learning about Ancient India, and little Indian children are meant to be told them too. They are all very good stories about talking animals and amazing kings.
The author of this book, who told all the Indian tales for little children, was an Indian princess named Noor. With easy-to-read words and sentences ('and to you, my little ones'), these tales are the perfect ones for six- twelve-year-olds. Noor was a very brave princess, and in the Second World War she chose to be a spy, not a pretty little princess surrounded in luxury. The Nazis captured her and tortured her trying to get her to name things and tell details - but she never once said anything. Soon, she was killed. Her last word was 'Liberty'.
The author of this book, who told all the Indian tales for little children, was an Indian princess named Noor. With easy-to-read words and sentences ('and to you, my little ones'), these tales are the perfect ones for six- twelve-year-olds. Noor was a very brave princess, and in the Second World War she chose to be a spy, not a pretty little princess surrounded in luxury. The Nazis captured her and tortured her trying to get her to name things and tell details - but she never once said anything. Soon, she was killed. Her last word was 'Liberty'.
November 23, 2008
Genre: Fables
Reading Level: Fluent
Topics & Themes: Legends of Buddha.
Curricular Use: Read aloud
Social: Self-sacrifice. Love for all creatures. Equality. Qualities of a leader/king. Moral theme of each story. Religion.
Literary Elements: Personification: most of the stories feature animal characters. Metaphor. Imagery.
Text & Pictures: Each story begins with a black and white illustration capturing a scene from the fable.
Additional Notes: Book written by a member of the last royal family of India to preserve the old stories. She was later imprisoned and killed by the Nazis in World War II.
Reading Level: Fluent
Topics & Themes: Legends of Buddha.
Curricular Use: Read aloud
Social: Self-sacrifice. Love for all creatures. Equality. Qualities of a leader/king. Moral theme of each story. Religion.
Literary Elements: Personification: most of the stories feature animal characters. Metaphor. Imagery.
Text & Pictures: Each story begins with a black and white illustration capturing a scene from the fable.
Additional Notes: Book written by a member of the last royal family of India to preserve the old stories. She was later imprisoned and killed by the Nazis in World War II.
July 7, 2024
This collection of twenty short tales, reminiscent of Aesop's fables, emphasizes kindness, wisdom, and leadership. Each story touches on sacrifice, morality, and service to higher ideals, offering insights into good and just governance. The style is conversational and maternal, providing lessons without being heavy-hande.
September 8, 2017
Although I had not previously read this collection, some of these stories seemed familiar.
January 24, 2021
Hard to rate, as it’s a good example of prevailing folklore...and yet also a good example of the “enlightened” system of ethics prevalent in Eastern world views. I decided to read this short collection as it was part of the enrichment reading for my daughter’s history lessons (Mystery of History, Volume I, where we’ve already covered the origins and basic tenets of Hinduism, Buddhism, and this upcoming week, Confucianism).
If you contrast Jataka against Aesop or Western folktales found in the Grimms and Anderson, you find rather different ontological and teleological views. Descendants of western evangelicalism are familiar with the superstitions, worldview, and exaltation of man in western paganism—particularly Greek and Roman mythology, which are still held in high esteem in scholastic circles and elitist statism. But eastern paganism is a different animal. Equally as depraved, obviously, but on a completely different track. We get a touch of eastern influence in western cultures, but for the most part, eastern thinking is very foreign to westerners.
This...is not good. Not only is ignorance a considerable hurdle to dominion, it also leaves us susceptible to influence. The forbidden and unknown is always attractively mysterious to our rebellious hearts. How to remove the potential temptation? Remove the mystery. Which is why we’re analyzing the world views in Jataka tales and Why Snails Have Shells the same way we’ve analyzed Aesop, Greek mythology, and Grimm: how does it compare to the Bible?
If you contrast Jataka against Aesop or Western folktales found in the Grimms and Anderson, you find rather different ontological and teleological views. Descendants of western evangelicalism are familiar with the superstitions, worldview, and exaltation of man in western paganism—particularly Greek and Roman mythology, which are still held in high esteem in scholastic circles and elitist statism. But eastern paganism is a different animal. Equally as depraved, obviously, but on a completely different track. We get a touch of eastern influence in western cultures, but for the most part, eastern thinking is very foreign to westerners.
This...is not good. Not only is ignorance a considerable hurdle to dominion, it also leaves us susceptible to influence. The forbidden and unknown is always attractively mysterious to our rebellious hearts. How to remove the potential temptation? Remove the mystery. Which is why we’re analyzing the world views in Jataka tales and Why Snails Have Shells the same way we’ve analyzed Aesop, Greek mythology, and Grimm: how does it compare to the Bible?
December 16, 2019
"It is not your sword that makes you king; it is love alone. Forget not that your life is but little to give if in giving you secure the happiness of your people." p. 21.
These are the words of the monkey king as he taught King Brahmadatta the necessity of leading with compassion. The author who retells these classic Indian tales, Noor Inayat Khan, would later give her life for her people. She was executed at the Dachau concentration camp in 1944 after being captured as a British member of the French resistance. She was 30 years old. All of these stories are about the wisdom of gentleness and compassion.
Khan's father was a Sufi teacher and a pacifist. Although her family was Muslim, the Jakata tales are from the Buddhist tradition. And although she was from an Indian Muslim family, she felt it was her duty to serve bravely in World War II in order to "make a bridge between the English people and the Indians." In a sense, her own life became yet another Jataka story of compassion and service.
These are the words of the monkey king as he taught King Brahmadatta the necessity of leading with compassion. The author who retells these classic Indian tales, Noor Inayat Khan, would later give her life for her people. She was executed at the Dachau concentration camp in 1944 after being captured as a British member of the French resistance. She was 30 years old. All of these stories are about the wisdom of gentleness and compassion.
Khan's father was a Sufi teacher and a pacifist. Although her family was Muslim, the Jakata tales are from the Buddhist tradition. And although she was from an Indian Muslim family, she felt it was her duty to serve bravely in World War II in order to "make a bridge between the English people and the Indians." In a sense, her own life became yet another Jataka story of compassion and service.
February 27, 2024
★: 3
Foi uma leitura muito interessante, pois nunca tinha lido tantas fábulas budistas. Tem uma escrita simples de entender e acho que qualquer pessoa, independente da faixa etária, vai entender o propósito de cada estória ou pleo menos ficar um pouco reflexiva. Cada fábula foi escrita com um propósito, mas o que ficou presente em todas e foi mais visível é que quando se tem um coração bom e puro a vida fica mais leve e a justiça será feita.
Uma parte bem interessante foi o final, em que conta um pouco da biografia da autora desse livro. Muito bom saber que mesmo depois passando por uma vida complicada, Noor continuou com a braveza e a bondade que exisitam em seu coração desde criança.
Foi uma leitura muito interessante, pois nunca tinha lido tantas fábulas budistas. Tem uma escrita simples de entender e acho que qualquer pessoa, independente da faixa etária, vai entender o propósito de cada estória ou pleo menos ficar um pouco reflexiva. Cada fábula foi escrita com um propósito, mas o que ficou presente em todas e foi mais visível é que quando se tem um coração bom e puro a vida fica mais leve e a justiça será feita.
Uma parte bem interessante foi o final, em que conta um pouco da biografia da autora desse livro. Muito bom saber que mesmo depois passando por uma vida complicada, Noor continuou com a braveza e a bondade que exisitam em seu coração desde criança.
February 8, 2025
I remember vaguely from my reading of the Dhamapada 30 years ago the Buddha explaining that it is hardest to maintain a right-thinking principle while facing its opposite. So “It is hardest to be humble before the proud.” Or, “It is hardest to be peaceful before the violent.” That kind of thing, though I’m sure my quotes are off. Anyway, most of the stories in this collection portray this conflict, and how love helps one stick to right-thinking. My favorite is a deer that is hunted by a king. The king injures himself during the chase, falling into a chasm, and the deer goes back and rescues him.
October 2, 2024
3,5
Nada muito surpreendente para falar apenas que: esperava mais.
Gostei que o livro é escrito por uma mulher e fiquei curiosa para ler histórias clássicas infantis que não fossem do mesmo eixo Europa-estados unidos de sempre.
Mas como todos os outros, não sei se leria para uma criança se não achasse que elas estivesse pronta para entender certas discussões.
No mais, em alguns momentos achei meio repetitivo.
Nada muito surpreendente para falar apenas que: esperava mais.
Gostei que o livro é escrito por uma mulher e fiquei curiosa para ler histórias clássicas infantis que não fossem do mesmo eixo Europa-estados unidos de sempre.
Mas como todos os outros, não sei se leria para uma criança se não achasse que elas estivesse pronta para entender certas discussões.
No mais, em alguns momentos achei meio repetitivo.
February 16, 2025
This collection of tales is adorable and moving -- it is tales from the Buddha for children, chiefly examples in the best Aesop style of selfless love. The author was a princess, and a spy in WWII, by the way, dropped into France, and fearless in her efforts on behalf of the Resistance. Tragically, she was captured and died in Dachau in 1944.
March 17, 2026
Really solid book of moral animal fables from Ancient India, framed as stories from past lives of the Buddha. Very similar to Aesop's fables, with a touch of magic/fairy tales integrated in. Some favorites are The Master's Test, The Patient Buffalo, and The End of the World, which are all very poignant to me.
April 23, 2021
An odd little collection of children's stories based on general Buddhist ideas. The teachers are always animals. A handful of noteworthy moments, but in my opinion a fairly basic & thin expression of Buddhist ideas. Could be good for kids - dunno.
August 2, 2022
Que livro coração quentinho! ??
Leitura rápida e encantadora, histórias curtas e com mensagens incríveis.
A biografia da autora no final é sensacional, faz a gente questionar "como eu nunca ouvi falar nessa mulher antes?".
Escritora, espiã e princesa!
Super recomendo a leitura!
Leitura rápida e encantadora, histórias curtas e com mensagens incríveis.
A biografia da autora no final é sensacional, faz a gente questionar "como eu nunca ouvi falar nessa mulher antes?".
Escritora, espiã e princesa!
Super recomendo a leitura!
June 1, 2023
São histórias simplesmente e de entendimento prático, bom pra ler no tempo livre, com calma e paciência. Particularmente achei as histórias fofas, mas também nao acho que se deva ler esperando uma obra de arte ou perfeição.
August 4, 2020
There are 3 or 4 weak stories but the rest were amazing!
September 12, 2020
Great stories for my 2nd grade class.
June 19, 2021
I think I am a little too old for such stories.
September 19, 2021
Respect to this phenomenal woman and martyr from ww2
My only contention is that every tale ends with 'and they lived happily ever after'
My only contention is that every tale ends with 'and they lived happily ever after'
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2021
Un libro de relatos lleno de empatía y compasión con la naturaleza
January 6, 2022
Fun very quick book!!
February 8, 2022
Wonderful tales, particularly for younger folk. Most are short: just two or three pages. Most problems or disputes are settled by love, understanding, and self-sacrifice. They are nice!
June 17, 2022
Interesting book to read for homeschool literature class.
March 15, 2023
Incredibles stories that all end in happy ending. Love the collection thar Noor Inayat Khan selected, it truly translated who she was as a human being.
April 25, 2023
Lindo, lindo e lindoo!
Ótimo para crianças, cheio de lições incríveis sobre o budismo.
"E viveram todos felizes para sempre"
Ótimo para crianças, cheio de lições incríveis sobre o budismo.
"E viveram todos felizes para sempre"
June 7, 2023
“brother, be not sad to leave this world. Many stay and are unhappy; many leave and joy is theirs.”
Oof
Oof
June 13, 2023
A lovely collection of beautifully illustrated tales.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews