The Jatakas are believed to have originated as what?

Popular oral tales

When it comes to understanding the perspectives of subjects towards their rulers, inscriptions alone cannot provide a comprehensive picture. Ordinary people seldom left behind written accounts of their thoughts and experiences. However, historians have sought to address this challenge by exploring narratives found in anthologies such as the Jatakas and the Panchatantra. These stories likely emerged as popular oral tales that were eventually recorded in written form. The Jatakas, specifically written in Pali during the middle of the first millennium CE, hold valuable insights into this realm of inquiry.