The Banyan Deer

King Brahmadatta loves hunting. So his villagers scare all the deer out of the forest and into his garden. The poor herds live in fear of his arrows.

Hear how the villagers scare the deer. Meet the leaders of the herds. Hear what pact they make. Listen to the mother doe's plea. Discover the kindness of the Banyan Deer. Find out what he asks the king for. Enjoy what happens in the end.

This is a lovely story. It is one of the Jataka Tales. We think the Banyan deer is very kind.We love how he teaches the King to be kind too.

Download this Banyan Deer mp3 Jakata Tale audio story now!

The Banyan Deer

A Tales of Time adaptation of the Jataka Tale

Once upon a time, on the outskirts of the great city Benaras, was a large, sprawling, forest. This forest was home to no less than one thousand deer.

Five hundred of them belonged to the Banyan Herd. Their leader, King Banyan Deer was tall and elegant, his coat shimmered in the sunset and his antlers were smooth and sleek. 

The other five hundred belonged to the Branch Herd. Their leader, King Branch Deer, was strong and sturdy. His coat was golden brown and his eyes sparkled.

The two herds lived happily alongside one another in the depths of the beautiful forest. None of them had any idea of the plans being made in the Palace of Benaras.

King Brahmadatta of Benaras was extremely fond of hunting. He liked to hunt deer.  This was considered a sport and the meat from the deer was quite delicious. King Brahmadatta knew very well of the herds living in the forest, and every single day, he would take his bow and arrow and head for the trees. He didn't go alone, of course. How was he meant to get his hunt back to the forest? Everyone who lived in Benaras was expected to cancel their morning plans and go hunting with the King.

At first the Villagers thought it was wonderful, spending the morning in the forest, instead of serving customers in their shops. It was like a little holiday. But very soon the Villagers realised, that while they were in the forest, they weren't making money to look after their families. They needed to spend their mornings working. So they started hatching a plan.

They decided to turn the royal park that surrounded the palace into a forest and to fill it with deer. That way, the king could hunt inside his own back garden and wouldn't need help to carry his hunt.

The Villagers got to work. They planted trees and they sowed crops. Then they dug large holes in the ground, filled them with water and made them into lakes. When they had finished, they all went into the forest banging long sticks on the ground to scare the deer.

The Banyan herd and the Branch herd were terrified; they were all rounded up and then driven out of the forest and into the royal park. Hundred by hundred, the deer were herded in through the gates. And when the last deer was inside the park, the gates were locked.

King Brahmadatta was delighted. Now he could hunt in his own garden! He wouldn't need the Villagers help anymore and he sent them all back to their homes and shops.

Standing oh his balcony, he looked down at his forest. He noticed two rather splendid deer. One was tall and elegant with smooth sleek antlers. The other one was strong with a golden coat and sparkling eyes.  They were magnificent. He decided that he would never hunt these two - they would live at any cost.

First thing in the morning, the King stood in his garden and shot arrows into the forest. The deer scattered wildly in every direction. They were full of fear and panic, and many of them got hurt while trying to flee. One of the arrows hit its mark and the King carried his prize back into the palace.

The terrified herds remained hidden amongst the shadows, too afraid to show themselves inside this tree-lined cage.

Every morning, King Brahmadatta walked into the garden with his bow and arrow ready. Though he only killed one deer each day, there were many injuries as the herd scampered round the enclosed space, trying to avoid the arrows.

One afternoon, deep in the shadows, in the eerie quiet that always followed a hunt, King Banyan Deer and King Branch Deer whispered.

They could not watch while their herds were scared and injured by the King's arrows. They made a pact. Every morning, one deer would be sent to the Palace to be slaughtered. At least the rest of the herd would be spared from unnecessary pain and fear.  The herds would take turns.

The following day and all the days after that, one deer would bravely walk out of the shadows and offer himself for slaughter. And every day this sacrifice would allow the other deer to enjoy what life they had until it was their turn.

One day it was the turn of a young female deer who had a newborn baby. She belonged to the Branch herd. She understood the pact that the herds had made, but she was worried that after she was killed there would be no one to take care of her baby.

She went to her leader, King Branch Deer, to plead that he let her remain in the park until her baby had grown enough to look after himself. Then she would gladly go to the palace.

But King Branch Deer would not listen to her plea. He reminded her that the pact was a promise and she must accept her fate. He would not ask another to go in her place.

The mother doe looked at her lovely little baby. She couldn't leave him alone; he would surely die. So she spoke to King Banyan Deer. King Banyan Deer looked at her with great compassion and told her to look after her baby, as he would send another in her place.

The doe was overjoyed and bowed low to the great Deer. Then she took her son off into the forest.

King Banyan spent a moment alone, under the shade of a great oak. He had spared the doe, therefore he must replace her.

He stood tall, and gracefully walked towards the palace. His herd lifted their grazing head and watched as their leader walked nobly past; his shimmering coat reflecting the morning sun and his antlers a symbol of his strength.

He offered himself in sacrifice, but King Brahmadatta recognised him and asked King Banyan Deer why he was here. He was one of the spared deer.

King Banyan explained why he had come and the King was moved by his tale. He was humbled by the supreme sacrifice and the great love of the deer. King Brahmadatta decided to not only spare his life and the life of the doe, but of all the Banyan herd.

The king felt he had done a good thing, but the deer did not stir. He explained that should his herd depart the royal park, then the daily hunt would be focussed on the Branch herd and they would have no relief from their suffering. He could not do that to them. The King, again, was touched by his compassion and he granted freedom to all the deer in the park. Then the deer asked about all the other animals and birds and fish in the kingdom, could not they too live without fear of arrows?

The King agreed. No arrow would be shot in his kingdom at any animal, bird or fish for as long as he was king.

Then King Banyan Deer was content. He thanked the King from the bottom of his heart. Then he flicked his back legs up like a fawn, and he ran off to tell the others.

The gates were opened wide and, hundred by hundred, the deer were set free. They galloped back to their beloved home, where no animal, bird or fish would ever fear an arrow again. They lived peacefully and happily ever after.

The End.

©Tales of Time 2009