Week 10 Story: The Jealous Weiner

There once was a bratwurst named Big Mac. He lived in the deli meat section of a refrigerator. With him lived a hot dog named Lil Mac as well as a few dozen hamburgers. 

The owner of the refrigerator was Brett. Brett was going to have a cookout with all of his friends that night. He told his son Jack to get the hamburgers out of the refrigerator and get them ready for the cookout. 

Lil Mac was so excited when Jack opened the refrigerator and opened the deli meat drawer, but lost that excitement when Jack only grabbed the burgers and shut the drawer. 

"Why did he only take the hamburgers, Big Mac?" asked Lil Mac, "I want to go on the adventure!"  

Big Mac explained: "My friend Lil Mac, do not envy those hamburgers. Yes, they get to go on an adventure outside of the deli meat drawer, but it is an adventure you do not want to go on. You will soon see why this is so."

Lil Mac watched throughout the afternoon trying to understand what Big Mac meant. All he saw was the burgers getting pampered, making him more and more jealous. They got seasoned with wonderful herbs and spices, cooked to perfection, and dressed up in crisp lettuce, fresh tomatoes, pickles, onions, and sauces.

Lil Mac said “I don’t understand, Big Mac. Those burgers are so lucky to get all that special treatment! Why shouldn’t I be jealous?!”

Big Mac responded, “Just watch my friend.”

Not long after, Lil Mac watched as those burgers that he so envied were eaten one by one! He watched in horror as they were ripped apart, cut in half, and chomped down on until the last one disappeared.

Big Mac asked, “Do you now understand why it is foolish to envy those taken out of our drawer?”

“Now I understand.” Lil Mac said squeamishly, “I will no long envy anyone taken out of this refrigerator, I am lucky to live out my life in this deli meat drawer.”

Bibliography: The Jataka Tales of India By Ellen C. Babbitt (Link)

Cheeseburger (Source)

Author’s Note: For this story, my inspiration came from the Week 10 reading of The Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt. Specifically, I used the story “The Ox Who Envied the Pig” as the model for this story. That story tells the tale of an ox who is jealous of a pig who is given better food, but he doesn’t know that the pig is only getting the better food because he is being fattened up for slaughter. I used hot dogs and hamburgers instead of farm animals. These characters came to me because I am dressing up as a hot dog for Halloween and the story just flowed from there.

Reading Notes: The Jataka Tales of India

From the Part B reading of the Jataka Tales i really enjoyed the story of The Wise and Foolish Merchant. I found it very interesting and it tells a good story about wisdom and trust. The foolish merchant wishes to make the journey first because he thinks it will best for him; he would get the first pick of food, water, and prices for his goods. The wise merchant allows him to go first because he knows that the foolish merchant will smooth his path and take all of the old food and water leaving only fresh food and water for him. I also enjoyed the story Why the Owl is not King of the Birds. i found it interesting that this story was so short and non-violent which is different than the other stories we have read involving kings. 

Bibliography: The Jataka Tales of India by Ellen C. Babbitt (Link)

Desert (Source)

Reading Note: Babbitt: Jataka Tales

This week I read the Babbitt Jataka Tales. I specifically like The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking. The title stood out to me at first glance so I chose to read it and I was fairly entertained. It as very different than I thought it would be but I enjoyed it. I liked the style this story is written in and I may try it out for my next story. Short and to the point and a lighter plot even though the turtle ends up dying. Most of my stories has been more serious so I may try to switch it up.

Bibliography: The Jataka Tales of India by Ellen C. Babbitt (Link)

Turtle (Source)