Loading Search

• Buy this Book
• Book Creators
• Related Blog Posts
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Like Aesop's fables and the parables of Jesus, the Buddhist tradition is replete with moral tales that delight as well as teach. Many of these tales were adapted from local traditions, identifying the main character as an incarnation of the Buddha. Others, such as Siddhartha and the Swan, are tales of the Buddha's own youth. In this brief story, the young prince Siddhartha, while sitting qui... More

Like Aesop's fables and the parables of Jesus, the Buddhist tradition is replete with moral tales that delight as well as teach. Many of these tales were adapted from local traditions, identifying the main character as an incarnation of the Buddha. Others, such as Siddhartha and the Swan, are tales of the Buddha's own youth. In this brief story, the young prince Siddhartha, while sitting quietly and enjoying the wonders of nature, notices a swan tumble to the earth with an arrow in its wing. Siddhartha's cousin, the hunter, claims it for his own, but Siddhartha wants to keep it and nurture it back to health. Back at the palace, a wise man judges that the situation should be viewed from the perspective of the swan, which, like all creatures, would prefer to live and be free. Accompanying the text are large, colorful illustrations by Adiccabandhu and Padmasri, ordained Buddhists and lifelong educators. Adiccabandhu and Padmasri also offer helpful tips for exploring the story further, as they do in their other books belonging to the same entertaining series, The Monkey King and The Lion and the Jackal. --Brian Bruya

You must be a member of JacketFlap to add a video to this page. Please Log In or Register.