South Asian Folktales, Myths and Legends

About this book

Anyone looking to escape into a world of battling princesses, scary ogres, heroic warriors, wily animals, and even ordinary people doing extraordinary things, should take a look inside this beautiful compilation of traditional tales from across South Asia.

With 19 stories in total, there are legends from Afghanistan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Kashmir; each prefaced by a short introduction that gives some background and cultural context.

Some stories are well-known, like the epic tale of Rama and Sita, while others, like the Lonely Crocodile, have close equivalents in Western mythology. Still more have some kind of moral or life-lesson like many of Aesop’s fables but all have their own unique flavour that reflects their cultural origins.

Retold and made accessible specifically for young readers, this is a collection that children will return to again and again – any time they want to escape into the magical, fantastical world of myth. A great addition to any school or home library.