Reading Notes: Jataka Anthology

My favorite jataka was "The Monkey Who Gathered Lotuses" translated by Robert Chambers.

Since all the jatakas have morals and are structured similarly to fables (all animal characters, moral at the end of the story), I would think in order to write a jataka, you would need to have a lesson or moral in mind by which you can frame the entire work.

In this jataka, the theme or lesson seems to be around having dexterity, valor, and resource in order to defeat your enemies.

Additionally, the character who triumphs is a reincarnation of Bodhisatta, and the one who troubles him or provides the conflict is a reincarnation of Devadatta.

Characters:
The Lord of all Monkeys (the reincarnated Devadatta)
The Lord of all Monkeys' son (the reincarnated Bodhisatta)
The Lord of all Monkeys' mother
The Ogre who lived at the lake
The rest of the monkey tribe

The premise of the story is written in the first couple paragraphs - which makes way for the later conflict between Devadatta and Bodhisatta.

The next major part of the story (after the meeting of the monkey father and son) is when the son of the Lord of all Monkeys manages to complete the daunting task (gather lotuses from the lake in which the ogre lives). This is where the moral/lesson comes into play, provided by the ogre's words.

The end of the story is the most satisfying - we find out that since the son was able to perform these tasks, the father dies out of shock. Bodhisatta has defeated Devadetta again.

An Adorable Monkey, perhaps the reincarnation of Bodhisatta [source]