Folk Tales of Bengal
Lal Behari Dey, Folk Tales of Bengal, London: Macmillan & Co., Limited, 1912
xiv, 273 pages with tipped in frontispiece and 31 colour tipped-in plates on thick brown paper by Warwick Goble along with captions on tissue guards; original full vellum binding with intricate patterns in gilt and titles to the front board and spine, silk ribbons, top page edges gilted; remainder untrimmed
11.5 x 9.25 x 2.25 in (29.3 x 23.7 x 6 cm)
This is a limited deluxe edition of which only 150 copies were issued.
The present lot is a collection of 22 folk and fairy tales written by Lal Behari Dey, a journalist and pioneer of English writing. First published in 1883 with 32 colour plates illustrations by Warwick Gobles, this edition was reprinted in 1912. Goble (1862-1943) had become a resident illustrator at Macmillan and this is one of his finest works.
From astronomical myths to exotic tales about the origins of opium and rubies, the stories in this book were based on Dey's knowledge of his native Bengal's wealth of folklore. In his own words: "An old Brahman told me two stories; an old barber, three; an old servant of mine told me two; and the rest I heard from another old Brahman. None of my authorities knew English; they all told the stories in Bengali, and I translated them into English."
The book contains 22 folk tales, which are divided into three categories: animal tales, fairy tales, and ghost stories. The tales are based on oral traditions and were collected from various parts of Bengal, including modern-day Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Assam.
In his introduction, Lal Behari Dey explains the cultural and historical background of the folk tales and discusses their significance as a form of popular literature. He also provides notes on the translation process and the meaning of certain words and phrases used in the stories.
Folk Tales of Bengal is considered a pioneering work in the field of Bengali folklore and has been influential in the preservation and promotion of Bengali folk culture.
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