A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t2.273

v2.c19.s3.t2.273

Some of the moral tales (as well as some of the fables) have an avowed pedagogical aim, and look as though they had been composed for children. Of this kind, for instance, is No. 484, of the Bodhisatta as a wise parrot, which not only eats rice from the field, but also carries some away in his beak, and in answer to the enquiry for his reason for doing this, replies: "I pay a debt, I give a loan, I lay down a treasure," meaning that he brings food to his old parents, nourishes his young ones, and gives food to other weak birds.