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Cover of Folk-Tales of Bengal

Folk-Tales of Bengal

Written by Lal Behari Day

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TalesBengali (South Asian people)

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About this book

"Folk-Tales of Bengal" by Lal Behari Day is a collection of traditional folk tales written in the late 19th century. The book compiles stories that reflect the rich cultural and social life of Bengal, drawing on the narratives shared by local storytellers. These tales often feature themes of love, loyalty, magic, and moral lessons, illustrating the complexities of human experiences against a backdrop of myth and folklore. The opening of "Folk-Tales of Bengal" introduces the author's motivation for collecting these stories, starting with a nostalgic recollection of hearing tales from an old woman in his village. The author recounts his interactions with various storytellers, ultimately finding a Bengali Christian woman who shares some tales of her own. This portion sets the stage for the collection, indicating that the stories are rooted in genuine local tradition. The first story, "Life's Secret," begins with a king and his two queens, touching on themes of jealousy, loyalty, and life intertwined with magical elements, such as the prince Dalim Kumar's life being bound to a boal fish, which indicates an intertwining of fate and folklore that will permeate through the tales that follow.

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Folk-Tales of Bengal, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 8 hours
  • intermediate
  • enchanting
  • moralistic
  • mysterious

Lal Behari Day's "Folk-Tales of Bengal" is a vital 19th-century compilation that preserves the rich oral traditions of Bengal. The collection features a diverse array of stories, each reflecting the region's cultural nuances, social values, and spiritual beliefs through engaging narratives. Day's motivation, as introduced in the book's opening, stems from a nostalgic desire to record these tales, which he heard from local storytellers, thereby bridging generations and safeguarding cultural heritage. These tales frequently explore universal themes such as love, loyalty, jealousy, and justice, often interwoven with elements of magic, destiny, and moral instruction. The book serves as both an entertaining read and a valuable ethnographic record, offering insights into the human condition through a distinctly Bengali lens.

“"In the days of my boyhood, I used to hear many a folk-tale from an old woman in my village."”

Key themes

Cultural Heritage and Oral Tradition
This overarching theme is intrinsic to the book's very existence. Day's collection highlights the importance of preserving the rich oral storytelling traditions of Bengal, ensuring that these narratives, which embody the collective memory, values, and imaginative world of a people, are not lost to time but passed down through generations.
Fate, Destiny, and Magic
This theme explores how individual lives are often intertwined with predetermined destinies and supernatural forces. Characters' fortunes, lives, and challenges are frequently dictated by magical elements, such as life being bound to an external object, emphasizing a worldview where unseen powers profoundly influence human existence.
Moral Instruction and Justice
Many tales serve as parables, explicitly or implicitly teaching ethical lessons and reinforcing societal values. They often depict a clear distinction between good and evil, with virtue ultimately rewarded and vice severely punished, thus upholding a sense of cosmic justice and encouraging moral behavior.

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