Jeanne M. Lee

A retelling of six Jatakas, or birth stories, which illustrate some of the central tenets of Buddha's teachings, such as compassion, honesty, and thinking clearly before acting.

After her father dies, a young Chinese woman struggles to survive and finds she has much in common with an old hunchbacked woman in her village.

A young Vietnamese girl visiting the graves of her ancestors finds the old gravekeeper frightening until a severe storm reveals to her the old woman's kindness.

A sea princess who wishes to lessen the hardships of the poor laborers employed in building the Great Wall of China seeks help from the Goddess of Mercy.