based on a story from The Jataka Tales 4th century BC

The King of the Banyan Deer

The lord of Benares is so partial to venison that fields lie fallow and marketplaces stand empty while his people catch deer for him.

300s BC

Introduction

The following tale comes from the collection known as the Jataka, a series of fables setting out the wisdom of Siddhartha Gautama, the fifth- or fourth-century BC teacher of enlightenment. This particular story is set in the deer park near Varanasi (Benares) in Uttar Pradesh where tradition says that Gautama Buddha first taught.

based on a story from The Jataka Tales 4th century BC

IN the wide forest of Benares* lived two great herds of deer, the Banyan Deer and the Branch Deer. Now the lord of Benares loved venison, and every day he summoned his people to hunt deer for his table; but the people grumbled that meanwhile fields lay untilled and markets stood silent. So they made a great Park, and brought the deer into it, and told their lord that he might hunt there at his pleasure.

Every day, the lord of Benares rode through the Park with his cook, and the deer fled from his arrows. So many were wounded or died from weariness that the King of the Banyan Deer said to the King of the Branch Deer, “Friend, we cannot escape death at the hands of this lord, but many die needlessly. Let us send by turns one deer daily to his table, that the others may live.” Henceforth they cast lots, and each morning the lord of Benares and his cook came and found a deer lying across the butcher’s block.

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* Benares is Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh in northern India. The city stands on the banks of the River Ganges, and is regarded as India’s spiritual capital. There are several parks in the area, including the Sarnath Deer Park where according to tradition Gautama Buddha first taught his path of enlightenment. He was said to be the King of the Banyan Deer in this tale.

Précis

Once there was an Indian prince who so loved venison that his people made him a deer park in Benares, where he might hunt to heart’s content without disturbing them. But the toll upon the herds was so great that the deer agreed to cast lots and hand over one of their number to the prince every day.

Jigsaws

Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.

A prince went hunting daily. He made his people accompany him. His people did not want to go.

See if you can include one or more of these words in your answer.

IAnnoy. IIDeer. IIIExpect.

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