Folk Tales of Bengal

Bengali folklore constitutes a considerable portion of Bengali literature. In Bengali society, as with most ancient societies, folk literature became a collective product. It also assumes the traditions, emotions, thoughts and values of the community. Rev. Lal Behari Day was told these 22 Bengali tales by his Gammer Grethel. In turn his Gammer (Grandmother) heard these as a little girl at the knee of her old grandmother, reputed to be a good story-teller. This means these stories have been told and passed down for no less than 5 generations before the author heard them, which takes us back to at least AD1720 - if not earlier.

Herein you will find stories like; LIFE'S SECRET, PHAKIR CHAND, THE INDIGENT BRAHMAN, THE STORY OF THE RAKSHASAS, THE STORY OF PRINCE SOBUR, THE ORIGIN OF OPIUM, THE MAN WHO WISHED TO BE PERFECT, THE STORY OF A BRAHMADAITYA, THE ORIGIN OF RUBIES and many more.

Originally narrated in Bengali, at the behest of Richard Temple, to whom this book is dedicated, Rev. Behari Day translated them into English for a Western audience. These stories are further brought to life through the 32 color illustrations by Warrick Goble, adding a welcome dimension to the stories, making it easier to imagine the settings for the characters and stories contained herein.

Stories have also been purloined from Brahmans, barbers, servants and other sources. We, therefore, have reason to believe that the stories given in this book are a genuine sample of the old, old stories told by old Bengali women from age to age through a hundred generations.