Folk-Tales of Bengal

A collection of traditional Bengali folk narratives gathered and translated by the author, presenting fairy tales, origin myths, ghost stories, animal trickster tales, and moral anecdotes drawn from oral storytellers. Stories include royal births and jealous queens, enchanted objects that bind life, shapeshifting spirits, clever animals, and supernatural trials; many explain natural phenomena or cultural customs. The arrangements blend narrative retellings with framing remarks about sources and storytelling formulae, and several tales end with a ritualistic refrain. Illustrations accompany many of the narratives. The volume preserves vernacular motifs, simple moral consequences, and folkloric devices such as tokens, tests, and magical rescue.