Indian Folktales

By Grace Lalrinpari Hauzel

"Indian Folktales" by Grace Lalrinpari Hauzel is a collection of stories that presents a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Indian folklore. The book likely features a selection of traditional tales from various regions of India, each carrying its unique cultural nuances, moral lessons, and storytelling styles. It's a wonderful resource for those interested in exploring the depth and diversity of Indian oral traditions.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gumby Publishers
• Release date: Sep 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223774402

Book preview

Grace Lalrinpari Hauzel is an enthusiastic budding writer who has been writing short stories and poetries since she was 6 years old. She manifested her views on life, emphasizing the enigmatic and arduous journey which are often thought provoking. Grace writes about nature, human emotions and divine love, using human love as an allegory. Grace is notorious for being a sleepyhead, most importantly a blithesome person. Her literary skills have gained recognition and have been awarded various awards.

Indian Folktales by Grace Lalrinpari Hauzel is a collection of stories that presents a glimpse into the rich tapestry of Indian folklore. The book likely features a selection of traditional tales from various regions of India, each carrying its unique cultural nuances, moral lessons, and storytelling styles. It's a wonderful resource for those interested in exploring the depth and diversity of Indian oral traditions.

The Lion and the Crane

Once in a land stirred by the winds of Himavanta, a Bodhisatta found himself reincarnated as a noble, alabaster crane. During the same era, the land of Benares was ruled by King Brahmadatta. Fate, being the mischievous actor it is, presented us with a curious tableau: a panting lion, a bone lodged stubbornly in his throat. Poor creature was swollen, starved, and gasping. Perched astride a lofty tree, my keen avian eyes spied his distressing conundrum.

What, pray, seems to be ailing thee, good sir? I enquired diligently.

The lion confessed his ordeal. Seeing an opportunity for service, I proposed, I possess the means to extricate you from your predicament, dear friend. However, I fear becoming a morsel of your royal dinner!

Fret not, assured the lion. I shan't consume you. I implore you, do save my life!

Resolving to aid, I instructed the lion to recline on his side. Still, I was wary – after all, a cat with a mane is still a cat. I strategically placed a slim rod between his jaws, effectively disabling his powerful bite. Slipping my head into his maw, I gave a deliberate tap to the bone with my beak. Lo and behold! The bone gave way and our feline friend's throat was cleared. With quick wit, I extracted myself, had the stick fall free and regained my perch.

Days passed, the lion regained strength and soon feasted on a buffalo it had hunted. Curious to gauge his gratitude, I engaged him in a playful banter, Your Highness, a deed of service we've rendered onto thee. Pray, what reciprocation might we anticipate?

The lion retorted, My diet’s steeped in blood, and my hunts are never kind. You should consider yourself fortunate to avoid being my feast.

Listening to the ungrateful beast, I impressed upon him:

He who lacks gratitude, pays no good deed forward, and shows no empathy, is unworthy of service. His friendship won't be procured by even the clearest act of kindness. It’s wiser to elegantly excuse oneself from his company, neither fostering bitterness, nor vending slander. And with that, I took my leave, soaring into the infinite skies.

And the enlightened Teacher, the Buddha, put to words this tale reminding all that the lion was, in fact, the treacherous Devadatta, and the wise, brave crane, was none other than him – the Buddha himself.

How the Raja's Son won the Princess Labam

In a realm of yesteryears, a monarch, possessing a singular heir with a penchant for the savage sport of hunting, did exist. The queen, or the Raja's lady, one day addressed her son in a stern tone, You are permitted to pursue your predacious interests on three faces of our kingdom, yet the fourth remains untouchable. The reason behind such preclusion was a well-guarded secret - the tale of a radiating beauty, the Princess Labam, whose allure was known to stir an insatiable desire within all men. The good queen feared, quite rightly, that her son would abandon his parental hearth in a relentless pursuit of the enchanting princess.

Respectful of his matriarch, the young prince complied, limiting his hunting exploits to the ordained three sides. However, curiosity, a trait notorious among the youthful, eventually got the better of him. On a day of such rebellion, he ventured into the forbidden territory, which unveiled itself as a verdant wilderness, inhabited solely by an array of chatty parrots. Noticing the colourful spectacle, the prince aimed and shot, causing the parrots to flutter in disarray towards the heavens. Quite the spectacle, isn't it? However, one parrot - the regal Hiraman - stayed behind.

Desolate and betrayed, Hiraman beckoned his feathery vassals, Lo! Do not abandon me, comrades! Burdened by desertion, I shall reveal our secret to Princess Labam. Heeding the summons of their king, the parrots zipped back, much to the prince's astonishment. Good heavens, these avian creatures possess the gift of language! he exclaimed. Eager to explore the mystery further, he inquired, Pray, who is this Princess Labam? Where might her abode be? Irked by his persistence, the parrots scoffed, To reach the land of Princess Labam is a task grander than your skills, good sir. Well, that's what they chose to reveal.

The young royal found himself ensnared in a melancholy of unknown depth when the truth was deliberately concealed from him. His spirit so broken, he abandoned his weapon and retreated to his homely sanctuary. Upon arrival, he was a ghost of himself, devoid of speech, shunning sustenance and surrendering to his bed for days that seemed to merge into one. He existed, but he barely lived. The moment arrived when his apparent illness was cast aside by a singular, obsessive thought - to seek the enigmatic Princess Labam. His declaration shook the deafening silence, expressing his unwavering determination to uncover her allure, much to the horror of his crestfallen parents.

His parents, lacking the knowledge of her