Reading Notes: Jakatas- The Cunning Crane and the Crab

from

The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India by W. H. D. Rouse

The story begins with little detail about the small pond. Still, I liked the way that it was described from the crane's point of view. I imagined the voice of the fish to be distinctly different from the crane. The tone of the fish were innocent and it kind of upset me that they never had any chance to develop. Instead of writing about any realization the fish might have had, it simply described that they were eaten. Likewise, was there meant to be any reason that the fish skeletons were dumped by a tree? The author mentions it several times, not only when referring to the fish grave but also when talking about the scenery passing the crane as it carried the crab. I think I was just a bit underwhelmed overall. I read a story of a crane being tricked when I was younger and it was filled with more strategy than just violence. While I can't just give the story away, I hope it explains why I wasn't as satisfied with this story overall. I also didn't understand why the crab was that essential to the story. In all fairness, symbolism holds a lot of weight for me. It determines quality past the surface level of the story. I can't really even pinpoint the lesson and that is why I am unsatisfied.

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