The Golden Snake: Folktale from India
The Golden Snake: Folktale from India Long ago, in a quiet village hemmed by thick forests and winding rivers, there lived a poor old woman who earned her living by collecting firewood. One day, as she cut branches in the forest, she stumbled upon a shimmering golden snake coiled beneath a banyan tree. Startled, she stepped back, but the snake raised its head and spoke in a gentle voice. “Do not be afraid, Mother,” it said.
The Prophecy of the Tiger: Folktale from India
The Prophecy of the Tiger: Folktale from India On the outskirts of a forest, a brother and sister lived in a small mud hut. As their parents had died long ago, it was the brother’s duty to find a suitable bridegroom for his sister. It so happened that once a young man from a distant village came hunting to their forest and got lost. At nightfall he came to their house. They gave him shelter,
The Silent Exchange: Folktale from India
The Silent Exchange: Folktale from India A rich and powerful Raja (King) was convinced in his heart that no one in the world was as powerful as he was. But he told no one about it. One day he began to wonder whether others could guess what he was thinking. So he called together all his officers and servants and asked them to tell him what thought was in his heart. Many of them made guesses, but
The Giant of Loch Léin: Irish Folklore
The Giant of Loch Léin: Irish Folklore On a time there lived a king and a queen in Erin (Welsh name for Ireland), and they had an only son. They were very careful and fond of this son; whatever he asked for was granted, and what he wanted he had. When grown to be almost a young man the son went away one day to the hills to hunt. He could find no game,—saw nothing
Brains Over Brawn: Folktale from India
Brains Over Brawn: Folktale from India In two adjoining villages there lived two famous men. The one was called Mr. Mighty-of-his-mouth—one that could accomplish wonders with words alone. The other was called Mr. Mighty-of-his-hands—one who could make no use of that glib instrument the tongue, but was able to bear burdens, cut wood, and perform other physical labour. It so happened that they agreed to live together in the house of the Mr. Mighty-of-his-mouth, to
The Clever Monkey and the Boar: Folktale from Japan
The Clever Monkey and the Boar: Folktale from Japan Long, long ago, there lived in the province of Shinshin in Japan, a traveling monkey-man, who earned his living by taking round a monkey and showing off the animal’s tricks. One evening the man came home in a very bad temper and told his wife to send for the butcher the next morning. The wife was very bewildered and asked her husband: “Why do you wish