Some tales were great (Bopolûchî was my favorite). Most were either ok or boring. ( )

Common folk tales from Bengal, Punjab and Tamil Nadu are presented here for the enjoyment of a western audience. Thankfully, some unfamiliar words and practices are explained in footnotes, but there is not enough of this for my taste. I found myself needing Google nearby just to understand what was going on in a good number of the stories.
The illustrations are really lovely. It is interesting how these stories differ from fairy tales and fables I grew up with in the Midwestern United States. The "moral" or point to them is less absolute. It seems that the 'hero' or protagonist of a story does not have to be above reproach, good things still happen to people who behave poorly and conversely the "good people" don't always get the reward they "deserve" in the end. It would be interesting to have a discussion about or read a discourse on this topic. Possibly the cultural function of these tales was less "instructional" and more just for entertainment? Anyway, they were fascinating and a great glimpse into Indian culture. ( )

Book 25 Tales of India: Folk Tales from Bengal, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu illustrated by Svabhu Kohli was a Library Thing Early Reviewers book for the 75 Book Challenge 2018. This is a beautifully illustrated hardcover book collecting folk tales reflecting the variety of cultures in India. Each tale begins with a full page illustration that is a colorful introduction to the story and its characters. Additionally, each tale has the title in English and in the text of the original language and tells you the culture the tale originally came from. These adventures of Princes and Princesses, Kings and Queens, Brahmans and Beggars are of the decidedly grim or 'Grimm" variety with behaviors of both heroes and demons being far more of the old school as in bloody and violent. While I am sure the book could be read very quickly I recommend reading only one tale each evening so you can savor the marvelous tales in your dreams! ( )

The book is beautifully done and richly illustrated. The stories were interesting but not riveting. I enjoyed the glimpse into another culture that does not get as much attention as European stories. I would recommend for lovers of cultural stories. ( )