Amazing Folktales From South Asia

By Christopher Baretto

Join Amar Chitra Katha on a journey through the folktales from our neighbours!

Visit Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan through the stories of adventure, magic, animals and much else.

Read about - the unbreakable bond between two brothers, Cho-cho and Che-cho Dorjee; a mother

sparrow who receives help from the unlikeliest of animals; and of Pasha, the young warrior who triggers a chain of good deeds; and other such amazing stories!

Adapted from the original AMAR CHITRA KATHA comics!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harper Children's
• Release date: Mar 15, 2022
• ISBN: 9789354897252

Christopher Baretto

Christopher Baretto is a stand-up comedian and an author from Mumbai. He has authored several children's books and has written for podcasts and advertisements. His personal projects include stand-up comedy and comedy sketches which are available on his YouTube channel.

Book preview

CHO-CHO DORJEE

A story from Bhutan

In a small village of Bhutan, there lived two brothers, Cho-cho and Che-cho Dorjee. Cho-cho was the elder of the two. Both were hardworking and self-sufficient. They only had each other. Everyone in the village talked about their bond.

It was said that one could separate the salt from the ocean but it was not possible to separate the Dorjee brothers.

Cho-cho was lazy, laid-back and a bit slow. He would often take things literally. Che-cho, on the other hand, was extremely clever. He was strong, sharp and quick-witted. Che-cho did try to help his brother become smarter but failed. However, he loved his brother too much to be bothered by it.

Stories about the Dorjee brothers were popular in the entire village.

One day, one of the villagers was walking on a narrow downhill path with his cart. The cart was full of valuable grains to be traded in the nearby village. The villager was whistling and moving along merrily when he suddenly tripped and…

DOOM DHADAK!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

The cart lost its balance and fell in a ditch! The villager was in shock. He did not know what to do. Somebody, please help me! he tried calling for help. But no one could hear his plea even from a mile away. After trying hard to move the cart for a while, he sat down next to the ditch and began crying helplessly.

Just then, Cho-cho and Che-cho were passing by. Cho-cho asked the crying man, Is there a problem, Sir?

The man replied, I tripped and fell and now my cart is in this ditch.

Cho-cho thought for a while and said, But, Sir, how did the cart end up in the ditch if you fell?

The man realised that Cho-cho was not the brightest of the lot and turned to Che-cho. He said, Young man, you look strong and healthy. Can you please help me pull my cart out of this ditch?

Che-cho replied, Sir, don’t worry about that.

Che-cho went near the ditch, grabbed the cart with one hand and said…

HEAVEEEEEEEEEE HO!

And just like that, he pulled the cart out of the ditch. He did not need anybody’s help to carry out the task. The villager was impressed and grateful. To return the favour, he gave them a sack of grains and went about his way.

There were many such instances where the wit and strength of one brother and the foolishness of the other was on display.

One day, Che-cho was leaving for the fields as usual. Before leaving home, he said to Cho-cho, Brother, please prepare a meal for me and deliver it to me sharp at noon. Also, please make sure that the food is clean.

Che-cho was someone who thoroughly washed his vegetables and grains to ensure he ate only the best quality of meals. While Cho-cho knew that, he took his brother’s instructions to the next level.

As instructed, Cho-cho began preparing a meal for his brother. He said to himself, My brother works hard all day at the field, he takes care of me and loves me a lot. I will make him some rice and meat coated generously with chilli. But he will also need something to wash it down. I will carry a cold jug of milk for that. So, he prepared a complete feast made out of love and admiration for his younger brother.

It was almost noon and Cho-cho departed for the fields where his brother worked. He was happily walking along when suddenly he encountered a pile of cow dung blocking his path. What is this? he wondered. Upon further inspection, the not-so-bright Cho-cho decided to get rid of the cow dung that