Reading Notes: The Banyan Deer, Part B

For today's reading, Part B, I read the story The Banyan Deer by Ellen C. Babbitt. The story beings by describing two great king deer that rule over their two kingdoms. One king rules over the Banyan deer, while the other rules over the Monkey deer. However, there also lived a human king that loved to hunt. He ruled over a large group of people. Every time he went hunting, he would want the people to come with him. However, people would get frustrated because they could never get their work done. Therefore, the people made a large park and surrounded all the deer by a fence. They told the king that he could go to the park and hunt whenever he liked. So, the king would visit the park and other times, he would send his cook. However, seeing how beautiful the two king deer were, he spared their life.

Many deer were dying. Therefore, the Banyan deer king sent for the Monkey deer king. He said "Too many deer are dying. Let our people take turns, sacrificing themselves for the greater good." The Monkey king agreed. However, one day, a mother deer was chosen to be sacrificed. She went to her king, the Monkey deer king and said, "Oh king please, let me skip my turn until I can raise my boy. I want him to know who I am. After this, I will give my life." However, the Monkey deer king refused and told her she must give her life. Therefore, she went to the Banyan deer king and told him her situation. The Banyan deer king decided to go in her place. As the human king arrived and saw that the deer king was going to sacrifice himself, he said to the Banyan deer king, "I thought I spared your life?" "You did, but there was a mother that wanted to raise her young. Therefore, I will be taking her place." The human king was touched by the love shown by the deer. He decided to spare the Banyan deer king and the mother deer.

The Deer King: libreshot