A Syrup of the Bees

A collection of mythic narratives and poems drawn from Indian folklore centers on Widyádharas, aerial, shape-changing fairy-beings whose magic and loves generate mischief and fate. Key episodes follow a proud Widyádharí, her father, and the social and supernatural consequences of her refusal to marry within her kind as desire, jealousy, and transmigration push her toward a mortal destiny. A prefatory essay contrasts Indian grown-up fairy tales with European models, and the translation blends lyrical description, temple and palace scenes, and dreamlike transitions to examine loyalty, beauty, and the costs of human-divine entanglement.