Skip to main content
Chaptra
Cover of Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India

Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India

Written by Katherine Neville Fleeson

Not rated yet — tap a star to review it
Folklore

Chaptra reads alongside you — AI insights, chapter breakdowns and reader discussions for every book. Join free

About this book

" Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India" by Katherine Neville Fleeson is a collection of folk tales written in the late 19th century. The work features a wide array of stories that reflect the traditions, beliefs, and cultural practices of the Laos people, often passed down orally through generations. With a rich blend of adventure, moral lessons, and elements of fantasy, this collection showcases the unique narratives and characters that inhabit the Laos landscape. The opening of the work introduces the setting and purpose, explaining that these tales were collected by the author during her time among the Laos people. The stories serve both as entertainment and a means of teaching lessons to the youth, embodying the hopes and challenges of the community. It features a variety of characters, including a revered old woman from the jungle and hunters seeking enchantment, and hints at a strong connection to the spiritual world through the portrayal of natural elements and guiding spirits. The introduction sets the stage for the enchanting stories that follow, establishing a nexus of culture, morality, and folklore inherent to Laos.

Read it with a club

Small groups reading the same books and talking as they go.

All clubs
A stack of brightly coloured hardbacks

News

  • 1 member
  • 1,813 discussions
  • Active 16h ago

Read Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India alongside people who are reading it too.

Open the club

Also here: News Bulletin, Just Joking....

Chaptra Prime — paid clubs, every club feature, and unlimited reading support, for $5 a month or $60 once.

See Prime

Reading guide

Themes, characters and key ideas in Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India, written by Chaptra AI.

  • about 12 hours
  • intermediate
  • mythical
  • didactic
  • mystical

Katherine Neville Fleeson's "Laos Folk-Lore of Farther India" is a vital ethnographic collection that compiles a rich tapestry of traditional tales, myths, and legends from Laos. It serves as an invaluable window into the cultural heritage, spiritual beliefs, and moral frameworks of the Laotian people, particularly from the early 20th century when it was likely compiled. The book meticulously preserves a diverse range of stories, from creation myths and origin tales to fables illustrating social norms and cautionary legends about spirits and the natural world. Through these narratives, Fleeson offers a significant contribution to the study of comparative folklore and Southeast Asian ethnography, highlighting the enduring power of oral tradition.

“"The spirits of the forest demand respect, for they are older than the oldest tree and wiser than any human sage."”

Key themes

Humanity's Relationship with Nature and the Supernatural
This theme explores the deep reverence and sometimes fear Laotian culture holds for the natural world and the unseen forces that inhabit it. Many tales explain natural phenomena through spiritual intervention or emphasize the importance of living in harmony with the environment and respecting the spirits (phi) of forests, rivers, and mountains.
Morality, Justice, and Consequences
A foundational theme in folklore, these tales often serve as didactic tools, illustrating the importance of virtues like honesty, humility, generosity, and filial piety, while warning against vices such as greed, pride, deceit, and selfishness. Justice is often meted out, sometimes by supernatural forces, ensuring that good is rewarded and evil punished.
Community and Social Harmony
Many stories underscore the importance of community cohesion, mutual support, and adherence to social norms. They often depict the consequences of individual actions on the collective, emphasizing the value of cooperation, respect for elders, and maintaining peace within the village or family unit.

Worth discussing

How do the Laotian folk tales collected by Fleeson reflect the cultural values and social norms of the region?

Chapter-by-chapter breakdowns, character arcs and the full thematic analysis come with a free account.

Sign up freeLog in

Discussions

No one has started one yet

Join

Questions this book opens up

No discussions yet

Be the first to start a discussion about this book!

Sign up to start the discussion

Reviews

No reviews yet

Be the first to review this book!