A deer is trapped. A turtle gnaws the leather while a woodpecker delays the hunter. The deer escapes, but the exhausted turtle is caught.
The deer draws the hunter away and returns to free the turtle from a bag. Each friend contributes a different strength.
Adapted from Ellen C. Babbitt, More Jataka Tales (1916), chapter IV · Source text & illustration
Fables use imaginary events to invite reflection; interpretations vary.
Keep reading
The Golden Goose
Value generosity and respect the giver’s boundaries.