The Little Quail's Truth: Jataka Tale Rhymes

A jungle fire roars through the dry land of Magadha, and even brave travelers feel the heat of fear as smoke and flame rush near. When the blaze stops before the Buddha and goes out like a torch plunged into water, the watching brethren are filled with wonder. Yet the Master reveals that this marvel began long before, in the same place, with a life so small and helpless that no one would have expected greatness from it. In that former birth, the Bodhisatta is a baby quail left alone in a nest as fire sweeps toward him. His wings cannot fly, his feet cannot run, and his frightened parents have fled with the other birds. With no strength to save himself, he turns instead to the power of truth, calling on what is pure, honest, and unshakable within him. Told through graceful rhyme and framed by richly traditional Kalamkari-inspired artwork, this Jataka tale becomes a moving story of courage, faith, and the hidden force of goodness. It reminds readers that truth is more than a word spoken aloud. In the mouth of even the smallest creature, truth can turn back the flames.

Pages: 55, Paperback, Independently published