“No country in the world possesses a
richer
and more inexhaustible collection of
fairy stories than India."
So wrote the author, noted folklorist
Donald A. MacKenzie (1873-1936) more than ninety years ago when this
wonderful collection of twenty-three fairy and folk tales of India
was first published.
MacKenzie published many books on fairy
tales, folklore, myths and legends during his life. Some were more
in-depth studies of mythology from a particular society and others,
such as this work, were largely collections of tales that he had
gathered through his research into the folklore of a country.
For this particular collection of fairy
tales, the reader will find that a number of stories are, in fact,
parables. And wonderful parables they are, containing all sorts of
wisdom, such as “it is a mistake to make rash proposals, lest one
should be taken at one’s word” or “that no true friendship can
exist between one who has possessions and one who desires to obtain
them.”
Aside from the parables, the book has
many stories that are wonderful tales on their own but also, and as
is the case with most such tales, ones that contain important morals
or lessons for the reader. Many of the stories include speaking
animals (tigers, jackals, camels, and herons) as well as gods,
spirits and other mysterious characters. Of course, a number of the
fairy tales do include a King (Rajah) and a Queen (Rani). And all
will appeal to young and old alike.
The text is accompanied by eight black
and white illustrations as well as one full-color illustration on the
cover—all drawn by Maxwell Armfield.