Herein are 57 enchanting illustrated children’s folk tales from Simla, now Shimla, region in the Indian foothills of the Himalayas.
Here you will find stories like:
Tabaristan,
The Priest and the Barber,
The Fourth Wife is Wisest,
Abul Hussain
Anar Pari,
The Dog Temple,
The Beautiful Milkmaid,
Sheik Chilli Gets Married,
The Enchanted Bird, Music, and Stream and many, many more.
All the tales were recorded using pencil, just as they were told, and as nearly as possible in the words of the narrators, who were village women belonging to the agricultural class of Hindus in the Simla district.
A word of thanks is given to Mr Hallam Murray for his 15 pen and ink illustrations which have brought these unique tales to life.
Himalayan folk-lore, with its beauty, wit, and mysticism, is a most fascinating study, and makes one grieve to think that the day is fast approaching when the honest rugged hill-folk of Northern India will lose their fireside tales under the influence of modern civilisation.
From their cradle under the shade of ancient deodars, beside the rocks, forests and streams of the mighty Himalayan mountains, have Alice Dracott sought to place these tales upon the great Bookshelf of the World before they are lost forever.
Note from the Compiler: The “Simla Village Woman, ” whose photograph is reproduced, is a very good type. I found her most gentle and lovable. Her little boy, and last surviving child, passed on during the original production of this book, yet the young mother bore all her grief with a fortitude which was really quite remarkable.
10% of the publisher’s profit will be donated to Charities.
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KEYWORDS/TAGS: Simla, village, folk tales, folklore, fairy tales, children’s stories, bedtime story, young people, YA, myths, legends, Abul, angry, beautiful, beg, Brahmin, brother, Bunniah, children, city, country, daughter, death, enchanting, magical, Fakir, father, forest, maiden, Guru, hills, Himalayas, Hindu, home, horse, husband, India, jackal, King, marry, merchant, money, mother, mountains, oil, One, Palace, people, poor, Prince, Princess, Rajah, river, second, servants, sister, snake, story, thief, tiger, water, wife, Lawsuit, Owl, Kite, Monkey, Dead Man, Ring, Origin Of Death, Real Mother, Princess Soorthe, Bride, Power Of Fate, Old Witch, Forest, Kulloo, Faithful Dog, Story Of Ghose, Vizier’s Son, Rajah’s Son, Bey Huslo, Panch Mar Khan, Rabbit, Barber, Rupa, Bisuntha, Sheik Chilli, Tiger, Jackal, Guana, Black Cow, Wild Geese, Seek, Fortune, Three Wise Men, Barbil’s Son, Rats, Adventures, Legend Of Naldera Temple
