Folktales from India (Pantheon Fairy Tale & Folklore Library) (Paperback)

~ A.K. Ramanujan (Author) "A poor widow lived with her two sons and two daughters-in-law..." (more)
Key Phrases: village rogue, acrobat girl, city rogue, Tenali Rama, Gandharva Sen, Prince Sabar (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The 111 tales chosen by translator and poet Ramanujan illustrate the heterogeneity of Indian society and its oral folktale tradition. Ranging in length from a few paragraphs to 10 pages, the short narratives fall into seven basic categories: male-, female- or family-centered; concerning either fate or the supernatural; humorous; animal tales; and metafiction. The stories are arranged in "cycles or sessions"--11 groupings containing at least one example of each of the seven themes. Additionally, the associative nature of the tales within each cycle further reinforces the storyteller illusion. Unlike myths, folktales are profane rather than sacred. Thus there are tales wherein humans outwit either gods or fate itself, and where the poor mock the rich (and the caste system). Two recurring characters are the jesters Tenali Rama and Ghopal Bhar, tricksters akin to the Western harlequin. According to Ramanujan, entertainment rather than education is the primary purpose of the folktale, a goal achieved by these stories even when they are also didactic.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-- This selection of oral tales from 21 Indian languages captures the rich variety of human emotions as revealed in the lives of people in that subcontinent. The charm of these tales is increased by Ramanujan's insightful introduction that enhances readers' understanding of the talking beasts, demons, heroes, strong-minded women, rogues, and gurus who populate these pages. Excellent for storytelling collections.

Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon (January 13, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679748326
• ISBN-13: 978-0679748328
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #469,000 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, easy to read folktales, December 2, 2001

By A Customer

At the center of this book is an uninterrupted treasuremine of oral tradition folktales. If the reader looks through the extensive scholarly introduction, she learns that the tales have been organized around a series of themes (men's quest tales, woman's tales, animal tales...) and the significance of various aspects of the storytelling tradition. This organization allows the reader to approach the book from any level. She can just read the stories, uniterrupted by scholarly comments, or she can learn more about how they fit into a larger context. A nice book for the person interested in a quick and easy read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars these tales have no borders, February 15, 1999

By A Customer

It doesn't matter what country your from, these tales are classic. Sure there's a lot of cultural lingo in these, but nothing to the point that brings the reader into a state of confusion. Basically it's easy to understand the essence of the tales. A delightful read, you'll laugh, and you'll probably learn something too.

7 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent collection......, March 31, 2000

By	Amar R Mistry (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Folktales From India: a Selection of Oral Tales From Twenty-Two Languages (Hardcover)

This is the book I got my hands onto from a person who is not an Indian origin. Being an Indian, I'd say that this is the very good collection of stories from India from all different states/languages compiled in simple to understand english.