Buddhist Fables

  1. The Story of Ruru Deer
  2. The Story of Two Swans
  3. The Hare on The Moon
  4. The Story of Chaddanta Elephant
  5. The Story of Great Monkey
  6. The Story of The Two Deer
  7. The Story of a Buffalo
  8. Silava Elephant
  9. The Wise Monkey
  10. The Story of the Golden Swan
  11. The Story of The Great Ape
  12. The Mighty Fish
  13. Story of the Monkey King
  14. Lion and Jackal
  15. Somdatta
  16. The Story of the Crows
  17. The Monkey Brothers
  18. The Story of Nigrodha Deer
  19. Kalbahu
  20. Nandivisala
  21. Coronation of Owl
  22. The Feast of the Dead
  23. The Heart of the Monkey
  24. The Story of a Rooster
  25. The Story of a Tigeress
  26. The Pigeon and The Crow
  27. The Story of Romaka Pigeon
  28. The Story of Khardiya Deer
  29. The Thankless Monkey
  30. Can A Fool Ever Act Good!
  31. The Story of a Tortoise
  32. Jackal –The Arbitrator
  33. The Story of a Snake Charmer
  34. The Leather Garment
  35. The Giant Crab
  36. Mahilaimukha Elephant
  37. The Story of Vinilaka

Buddhist Classics

  1. The Sacrifice of Vessantara
  2. The Wisdom of Vidhura Pandita
  3. Chullabodhi – The Conqueror of Anger
  4. The Story of Kushinagar
  5. The Virtue of Forbearance
  6. Matanga – The World’s First Crusader of Untouchability
  7. The Temptation of Isisanga
  8. The Flight of Sakka
  9. Mahajanaka’s Renunciation
  10. The Wine-Jar
  11. The Sacrifice of Sivi
  12. The Box of the Monster
  13. The Lotus Stalk
  14. Kandari – The Handsome Prince
  15. Ghat: The Virtuous King
  16. Supparaka – The Ancient Mariner
  17. Sankhapala: The Naga King
  18. Champeyya
  19. The Baveru Island
  20. The Great Gambler
  21. The Story of The Dumb Prince
  22. The Naive House-Holder
  23. The Jewelled Serpent
  24. The Mango-Thief
  25. The Foot-Print Reader
  26. The Story of Sutasoma
  27. The Story of Sudasa
  28. The Little Bowman
  29. The Envoy of Belly
  30. Story of a Drummer
  31. The King, Who Knew The Language Of Animals
  32. The Happy Man
  33. Sama: The Good Son

Life and Legends of Buddha

  1. Gotama Buddha
  2. Birth Story of Gotama
  3. Maha Maya’s Dream
  4. Sage Asita’s Visit
  5. The Four Sights
  6. Story of Renunciation
  7. The Buddha’s Victory over Mara
  8. The Personality of the Buddha
  9. Nalgiri Elephant
  10. Story of Kumara Kassapa
  11. Dhamma-Chakka-Pavattana-Katha
  12. The Buddha’s Teaching of Abhidhamma
  13. Buddha's Visit to Rahula Mata
  14. The Savatthi Miracles
  15. The Flying Buddha
  16. Story of Parinibbana
  17. Suddhodana
  18. Sujata
  19. Sariputta
  20. Moggallana
  21. Story of Mara
  22. Bimbisara
  23. Nanda
  24. Janapada Kalyani Nanda
  25. The Spiritual Journey of Janapada Kalyani
  26. Phussa Buddha
  27. Vipassi Buddha
  28. Sikhi Buddha
  29. Vessabhu Buddha
  30. Kakusandha Buddha
  31. Konagamana Buddha
  32. Kassapa Buddha
  33. Metteya

The Illustrated Jataka & Other Stories of the Buddha by C. B. Varma Introduction | Glossary | Bibliography

059 – The Naive House-Holder

Once, a gentle house-holder lived in Kashi. At that time the heavy rain-pour carried away all the grains; and there was famine in the village. So, the villagers along with the house-holder went to the local headman and asked him for some help. The headman gave them an ox in loan against the agreement that the repayment shall be made within two months when the maize crop would mature.

The wife of the house-holder was a woman of lesser virtue. She was having an affair with the village headman. The naïve householder, somehow, came to know that his wife was not faithful. So, one day, he told his wife that he was going abroad and left his house. The head-man, who looked for such an opportunity immediately sneaked into the house-holder’s residence. But when the woman and the headman were having a good time, the householder returned to the surprise of the two mates.

The headman, in particular was scared at his appearance. But the woman soothed her by saying that there was nothing to bother as she had a plan to deceive her naïve husband; and they hurriedly acted accordingly.

The house holder (extreme right) questioning the headman (left); and his wife sitting in the garner. Bharhut

When the householder entered the house he saw the headman standing in the middle of the house. He was pretending to shout at his wife, “return my ox or its PRICE.” The wife, who was standing on the garner to pretend as if she was guarding it, shouted back, “We have no rice in the granary and we can’t pay you.” The man immediately knew what was being cooked there, because neither the headman was supposed to ask for the repayment of the loan before the expiry of two months; nor was there any grain in the garner for his wife to guard.

So, he first grabbed the headman by his hair and kept on hitting him until he fainted. Next, he turned to his wife and caught hold of her and gave her a stern warning to stop acting like a bitch.

Since then, neither the headman ever dared to look at householder’s residence; nor his wife dared to transgress.

See Gahapati Jataka Jataka Pali No. 199.