Folk Tales from Nepal- The Stolen Image and Other Stories

About the Book Nepal is as rich in folklore as it is culturally. And many a ruin throughout the country have a different tale to tell as if to underline, besides the natural impermanence of man's achivements, the result of greed, vain glory and sheer stupidity. These are stories with a moral of the brave and the good being awarded, of greed and wickedness punished, and of kingdoms lost through stubbornness and stupidity.

Preface I am glad to be able to include stories from the Terai in this latest collection of folk tales from various parts of Kathmandu valley in the folklore series being published by Ratna Pustak Bhandar. As long as human imagination runs riot there will be no dearth of stories of all sorts. However, there is also always the danger of these being lost. Thanks to the support I have received from Sri Govind Shrestha, it has been my pleasure and privilege to collect and publish stories that are being forgotten.

Nepal is as rich in folklore as it is culturally, for the two are complimentary, culture being tangible while lore and legend are to be found in the minds of men and women. There are stories with a moral - of the brave and the good being awarded, of greed and wickedness punished, and of kingdoms lost through stubbornness and stupidity. There are also stories of establishments - a Buddhist vihara or a city- being lost and found. And many a ruin throughout the country have a different tale to tell as if to underline, besides the natural impermanence of man's achievements, the result of greed, vain glory and sheer stupidity.

The folk tale almost always contains a grain of truth that by vivid imagination has been turned through a period of time into a veritable pickle for the purpose of entertainment or to serve as a lesson.

**Contents and Sample Pages**