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Reading Notes: Jataka Tales Section D

THE CROW THAT THOUGHT IT KNEW

Source: Eastern Stories and Legends by Marie L. Shedlock

In this tale, a crow takes to the woods during a famine and learns to catch fish to eat so that he can survive. Eventually, two more birds join him, and he shares the fish he catches with them. He eats as much as he needs to survive, and gives the rest to the other birds. Eventually, the male decides that he doesn't need to rely on the crow to catch the fish, he'll do it himself.

The crow warns him not to, that he isn't capable of going under the water to snag the fish. The bird does not listen, and ends up getting caught in the weeds and drowning. The bird's wife is overcome with sorrow and returns from whence she came to an unknown future. 

The King Crow (Source pxhere)

I want to change this up a little bit, and make it so that the crow actually eats less in order to evenly split the food with the other two birds. Then, the male bird will become suspicious of the crow, believing that he is hiding food or taking more for himself. This will be the reason for his decision to try and catch the fish on his own. The crow will beg him not to do it, but he insists.

I want the crow to rescue the other bird just in time, proving that he truly just wants what is best for the other two birds and they can all live happily ever after.

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