Folklore Weaver

A very rich merchant in the Kashmir valley had a very stupid and ignorant son. He engaged the best teachers in the land for him, yet the fellow learned nothing. He was too idle, too careless, too thick-headed to profit by any instruction. He lolled away his time instead. His father gradually lost hope and began to despise him, though his mother was always making excuses for him. When the lad had reached a marriageable age, his mother begged the merchant to seek out a suitable bride for him. The merchant, however, was too ashamed and troubled to say or do anything about his stupid son, and had made up his mind never to get him married. But the mother had set her heart on it. Not to have a son married would be a disgrace; it would also be against their custom and religion. So she urged other excuses on his behalf and spoke of how she had noticed now and again extraordinary traits of wisdom and wit in her son. This sort of talk only infuriated the merchant. He finally said to her one day,...

On the banks of the Ganges, a monkey lived in a rose-apple tree. The rose-apples were delicious and plentiful. While he was eating them with obvious relish one day, a crocodile came out of the river, and the monkey threw down a few rose-apples and said, 'These are the best rose-apples in the world. They taste like nectar' The crocodile chomped on them and found them truly wonderful. The monkey and the crocodile became friends, and the crocodile took to visiting the monkey every day to eat the fruit of that wonderful tree and to talk in its shade. One day the crocodile went home and took some of the fruit to his wife. "These are wonderful. They taste like nectar. Where did you get them?' asked the wife. He said, 'From a tree on the banks of the Ganges.' 'But you can't climb the tree. Did you pick them up from the sands?" 'No, I've a new friend who lives in the tree, a monkey. He throws them down for me and we talk.' 'Oh, that's w...

As a fisherwoman passed by the palace hawking her fish, the queen appeared at one of the windows and beckoned her to come near and show her what she had. At that moment a very big fish jumped about in the bottom of the basket. 'Is it a male or a female?' asked the queen. 'I'd like to buy a female fish.' On hearing this, the fish laughed aloud. 'It's a male,' replied the fisherwoman, and continued on her rounds. The queen returned to her room in a great rage. When the king came to see her that evening, he could tell that something was wrong. "What's the matter?' he asked. 'Are you not well?' 'I'm quite well, thank you. But I'm very much annoyed at the strange behavior of a fish. A woman showed me one today, and when I asked whether it was male or female, the fish laughed most rudely.' 'A fish laugh? Impossible! You must be dreaming.' 'I'm not a fool. I saw it with my own eyes and heard it laugh with my ...

Once there lived a barber who was very idle. He would do no work and devoted his time to preening himself with an old mirror and a broken comb. His old mother rebuked him all day for this, but it didn't touch him. At last, one day in a fit of anger, she struck him with her broom. The young barber felt humiliated by this and left home, determined never to return till he had amassed some wealth. He walked far till he reached a forest and thought of praying to the gods for help. But as he entered the forest, he met with a brahmarakshasa , a demon, dancing wildly. He was terrified but he kept his wits about him. So he mustered all his courage and began to dance too, keeping time with the demon. After a while, he asked the demon, 'Why are you dancing? What has made you so happy? The demon laughed and said, 'I was waiting for your question because I knew you were a fool and didn't know the reason. It's simply because I want to feast on your delicate flesh. That's why....

One day, the Nawab (Mughal Governor) sent word to Maharaja Krishnachandra (Hindu ruler that paid tribute to Mughals) that he wanted the whole earth measured, from side to side and from end to end, and that he would greatly appreciate it if the Maharaja would take it upon himself to count the stars in the sky as well. The Maharaja was astounded and said, 'I don't want to seem uncooperative, but you have commanded me to do the impossible.' And the Nawab said, 'But do it you will.' So the Maharaja fell into a brown study and brooded over how he might fulfill the demands of the Nawab. It was not long before Gopal Bhar passed by, and seeing the Maharaja in such a state of despair, he tugged gently at the ends of his mustache and said, 'Maharaj, what is this I see? If you have troubles, you need only tell your Gopal, and all will be well.' The king was not so easily consoled. He said, 'No, Gopal, this is a problem even you cannot solve. The Nawab has commanded...