The Monkey and the Crocodile: and Other Fables from the Jataka Tales of India

the long version

Children will be enchanted by the quaint humor and timeless wisdom of these age-old fables drawn from Buddhist texts. Timid rabbits, noble deer, quarrelsome quails, greedy merchants, and other memorable animal and human characters populate the tales, all of which offer thought-provoking morals. "The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking" illustrates the folly of offering a reply when silence is the best answer; "The Ox Who Won the Forfeit" testifies to the effectiveness of kindness rather than brute force; and "The Golden Goose" and "The Penny-Wise Monkey" demonstrate how greed can ruin good.