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Suvannakakkata Jātaka (No. 389)
The Bodhisatta was a brahmin farmer of Sālindiya.
On the way to his fields he passed a pond and grew friendly with a golden crab
living in the pond. A she-crow longed to eat the farmer's eyes, and persuaded
her husband to induce a snake to bite the farmer. This he did, and, overcome
with the poison, the farmer fell near the pool. Attracted by the noise, the crab
emerged, and, seeing the crow about to peck out the farmer's eyes, caught the
crow with his claws. When the snake came to the rescue of the crow, the crab
fastened on him too. The crab made the snake suck the poison from the farmer's
body, and, when he stood up, the crab crushed the necks of both the snake and
the crow and killed them.
The story was told in reference to Ananda’s
attempt to save the Buddha from the elephant (Dhanapāla) sent by
Devadatta to kill him, by standing between the
elephant and the Buddha.
Māra was the serpent, Devadatta the crow, and Ananda, the crab.
Cińcāmānavikā was the female crow.
J.iii.293-8.

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