Himalayan Folklore: Ghosts and Demons from West Nepal

About the Book In the folk tales of every land, we have survivals of the primitive conception of the world and the forces of nature. In this connection, it is not easy to distinguish between mythology and folklore; for both represent an early stage of consciousness when man's fancy worked with freedom and was employed to give an explanation of all things. They are largely relics of man's early unrestrained fancy.

Introduction The fact has often been remarked that almost all races, however remote from one another in place and time, and however little related in language, have practically much the same myths. The same may be said of the fairy tales and folklore of different countries. This has given rise to much speculation. Some have thought that the elements of folklore, representing such remarkable similarities, must be genealogically descended from ideas prevalent at a time when the human race was practically one, and undivided.

It is obviously impossible to trace such a connection historically, since we have nothing but the folk tales themselves to go upon; although it can be seen that the old Sanskrit stories, such as those contained in the Panchtantra and also many other stories, are the originals of much in the folklore of Asia and England.

**Contents and Sample Pages**