Here are tales from different parts of the country, from followers of different faiths; stories of kings and commoners, tribal people and townsmen. Included in this collection are stories, painstakingly culled and thoughtfully crafted, from the Mahabharata (‘Shiva’s Anger’ and ‘Shakuntala’); the Jataka (‘The Hare in the Moon’ and ‘The Crane and the Crab’) and from regional folklore (‘The Tiger-King’s Gift’ and ‘The Happy Herdsman’). With detailed annotations on the sources of each of these stories, Tales and Legends from India showcases the unique and wonderful ethos of India, as told by its most beloved storyteller, Ruskin Bond.
Ruskin Bond has been writing for over sixty years, and has now over 120 titles in print—novels, collections of stories, poetry, essays, anthologies and books for children. His most recent work is the novel, Tales of Fosterganj. His first novel, The Room on the Roof, received the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Award in 1957.