BoomerSooner359: Reading Notes: Free Reading 13 Jataka Tales Part A

After all of the reading I've done in the Jatakas, I've been waiting for that plot twist and this story gave me close to what I was expecting. In the story of the Woodpecker, the Turtle, and the Deer, there was a hunter who found the tracks of the deer and decided to set a trap near the pond so that he could catch the deer. All three of the animals were great friends and also stuck close together. While the deer was going to the pond to catch a drink, he was caught by the trap and let out a shriek that signaled he was trapped. The woodpecker and the turtle heard the shriek and went to the deer to find out what had happened. The woodpecker told the turtle to chew through the leather trap and she would fly to the hunters home and distract him so the deer could be set free. The turtle began gnawing and the woodpecker waited at the hunter's home. When the hunter had awoken, he grabbed his knife and went out the front door to see what he had caught. The woodpecker flew in his face and struck him in the head! The hunter went back into his house and laid down for awhile longer. Again, the hunter grabbed his knife and decided to exit through the back door to avoid the woodpecker. The woodpecker knew the hunter would try this, so the woodpecker waited and once again flew into the hunter's face. The hunter went back inside and laid down for just a little longer. When the sun had come up, the hunter grabbed his knife and went out the door determined to get his catch! The woodpecker flew to the deer and said "hurry, the hunter is coming!" The turtle had gnawed through all but one of the straps. The turtles teeth had become weak and the turtle was bleeding from trying so hard to free the deer. When the hunter had arrived, the deer used all of his strength to break the last strap and get away. The turtle was so tired though, that he was unable to get away and the hunter grabbed him and tied him in a bag to a tree. The deer grabbed the attention of the hunter and stayed barely ahead of the hunter while leading the hunter deep into the forest. The deer then quickly lost the hunter and went back to save the turtle. Knowing the hunter would eventually be back, the three split up and the hunter could not find them. I expected the deer to be set free by his friends but I did not expect the turtle to be caught and need saving! I was almost ready to accept that the turtle gave his life for the deer to be free, but then the deer came back to save him!