Puffin India, New Delhi.
2005.
248 pages.
Cover and B/W illustrations by Uma Krishnaswamy.
Paperback.
Rs. 299
Timeless tales from all over India From Bengal to Bastar and Kashmir to Coorg, there are stories that have been handed down generations: bedtime stories for children, fireside stories for travellers, who have heard these tales, wondered at them and repeated them to others.
In 'A Twist in the Tale: More Indian Folktales', Aditi De collects forty such stories from various parts of India and retells them with dollops of humour.
A friendless crocodile, a timid mouse and a vain fox are among some of the eccentric characters that appear in this book. There is also a clever princess, a hapless priest with heron feathers flying out of his mouth, and galleries of rogues. Strange happenings are not uncommon, so a nail tree grows out of nail clippings and a beetle saves a man from the dungeons. Full of the details of everyday life, festivities and food, these ageless stories have seldom been so exciting and such fun.
Accompanied by Uma Krishnaswamy's brilliant illustrations, this book will introduce the magic of Indian folktales to a new generation of readers.
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Here's a link to a review in The Hindu Young World:
http://www.hindu.com/yw/2005/06/03/stories/2005060300070800.htm
And another link to a piece about how Uma (who did the brilliant illustrations for this book) and I grew to be friends:
http://www.hindu.com/yw/2005/06/03/stories/2005060301670600.htm
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