Indian Fairy Tales | Page 2

fortunate in their
English translators, who render with vigour and point; and I rejoice in
being able to publish the translation of two new Jatakas, kindly done
into English for this volume by Mr. W. H. D. Rouse, of Christ's College,
Cambridge. In one of these I think I have traced the source of the Tar
Baby incident in "Uncle Remus."
Though Indian fairy tales are the earliest in existence, yet they are also
from another point of view the youngest. For it is only about
twenty-five years ago that Miss Frere began the modern collection of
Indian folk-tales with her charming "Old Deccan Days" (London, John

Murray, 1868; fourth edition, 1889). Her example has been followed by
Miss Stokes, by Mrs. Steel, and Captain (now Major) Temple, by the
Pandit Natesa Sastri, by Mr. Knowles and Mr. Campbell, as well as
others who have published folk-tales in such periodicals as the Indian
Antiquary and The Orientalist. The story-store of modern India has
been well dipped into during the last quarter of a century, though the
immense range of the country leaves room for any number of additional
workers and collections. Even so far as the materials already collected
go, a large number of the commonest incidents in European folk-tales
have been found in India. Whether brought there or born there, we have
scarcely any criterion for judging; but as some of those still current
among the folk in India can be traced back more than a millennium, the
presumption is in favour of an Indian origin.
From all these sources--from the Jatakas, from the Bidpai, and from the
more recent collections--I have selected those stories which throw most
light on the origin of Fable and Folk-tales, and at the same time are
most likely to attract English children. I have not, however, included
too many stories of the Grimm types, lest I should repeat the contents
of the two preceding volumes of this series. This has to some degree
weakened the case for India as represented by this book. The need of
catering for the young ones has restricted my selection from the well-
named "Ocean of the Streams of Story," _Katha-Sarit Sagara_ of
Somadeva. The stories existing in Pali and Sanskrit I have taken from
translations, mostly from the German of Benfey or the vigorous
English of Professor Rhys-Davids, whom I have to thank for
permission to use his versions of the Jatakas.
I have been enabled to make this book a representative collection of the
Fairy Tales of Ind by the kindness of the original collectors or their
publishers. I have especially to thank Miss Frere, who kindly made an
exception in my favour, and granted me the use of that fine story,
"Punchkin," and that quaint myth, "How Sun, Moon, and Wind went
out to Dinner." Miss Stokes has been equally gracious in granting me
the use of characteristic specimens from her "Indian Fairy Tales." To
Major Temple I owe the advantage of selecting from his admirable
Wideawake Stories, and Messrs. Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. have
allowed me to use Mr. Knowles' "Folk-tales of Kashmir," in their
Oriental Library; and Messrs. W. H. Allen have been equally obliging

with regard to Mrs. Kingscote's "Tales of the Sun." Mr. M. L. Dames
has enabled me add to the published story-store of India by granting me
the use of one from his inedited collection of Baluchi folk-tales.
I have again to congratulate myself an the co-operation of my friend Mr.
J. D. Batten in giving beautiful or amusing form to the creations of the
folk fancy of the Hindoos. It is no slight thing to embody, as he has
done, the glamour and the humour both of the Celt and of the Hindoo.
It is only a further proof that Fairy Tales are something more than
Celtic or Hindoo. They are human.
JOSEPH JACOBS.

CONTENTS
I. THE LION AND THE CRANE II. HOW THE RAJA'S SON WON
THE PRINCESS LABAM III. THE LAMBIKIN IV. PUNCHKIN V.
THE BROKEN POT VI. THE MAGIC FIDDLE VII. THE CRUEL
CRANE OUTWITTED VIII. LOVING LAILI IX. THE TIGER, THE
BRAHMAN AND THE JACKAL X. THE SOOTHSAYER'S SON XI.
HARISARMAN XII. THE CHARMED RING XIII. THE
TALKATIVE TORTOISE XIV. A LAC OF RUPEES FOR A PIECE
OF ADVICE XV. THE GOLD-GIVING SERPENT XVI. THE SON
OF SEVEN QUEENS XVII. A LESSON FOR KINGS XVIII. PRIDE
GOETH BEFORE A FALL XIX. RAJA RASALU XX. THE ASS IN
THE LION'S SKIN XXI. THE FARMER AND THE
MONEY-LENDER XXII. THE BOY WHO HAD A MOON ON HIS
FOREHEAD AND A STAR ON HIS CHIN XXIII. THE PRINCE
AND THE FAKIR XXIV. WHY THE FISH LAUGHED XXV. THE
DEMON WITH THE MATTED HAIR XXVI. THE IVORY CITY
AND ITS FAIRY PRINCESS XXVII. SUN, MOON, AND WIND GO