Folk-Tales of Kashmir

James Hinton Knowles

• Publisher: Braunfell Books
• Year: 2023
• eBook ISBN: 9781805231257
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Indian & South Asian History
• Index: History

The book is a collection of 40 fables and about 100 odd folktales collected by him during his stay in the Valley as a missionary.
"KASHMÍR as a field of Folk-lore literature is, perhaps, not surpassed in fertility by any other country in the world…
The vocation of a missionary brings one into close and constant "touch" with the people, from whom, as I glide along in the boat, or walk by the way, or squat in the hut, or teach in the school, I have learnt many things. My primary object in collecting these tales was to obtain some knowledge of Kashmírí, which is a purely colloquial language; my secondary object was to ascertain something of the thoughts and ways of the people...
Many of these tales are, probably, purely Kashmírí in origin, while others are undoubtedly variants of popular tales current in India and other parts, which have been adapted and modified to suit the language, style of thought, and social usages of the country. To European Folk-tales, also, several of these stories will be found to have a great resemblance—notably the story of "The Two Brother, " to its counterpart, "St. George and the Dragon;" while many of the little stories mixed up in the tales, and quoted generally to explain the situation of the hero or heroine, will be recognised at once as variants of tales extant in France, Germany, Greece, Russia, England, and other countries."
Rev. James Hinton Knowles was a British Missionary to Kashmir in 19th century. He had visited Kashmir in the 1880s and authored two important books about Kashmiri language and culture. He is the author of books such as -- A Dictionary of Kashmiri Proverbs and Sayings is a detailed collection of Kashmiri proverbs and sayings.

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• PREFACE.
• THE SEVEN-LEGGED BEAST.
• THE CAT WHO BECAME A QUEEN.
• GOOD KING HATAM.
• METEMPSYCHOSIS.
• THE CHARMED RING.
• THE CROW-GIRL.
• A LACH OF RUPEES FOR A BIT OF ADVICE.
• THE OGRESS-QUEEN.
• THE GOLDSMITH AND HIS FRIENDS.
• THE TALE OF A PRINCESS.
• THE TALE OF A PRINCESS.
• THE PRINCE WHO WAS CHANGED INTO A RAM.
• SAIYID AND SAID.
• THE CRUEL MERCHANT.
• THE MAN FROM SHİRÁZ.
• SHABRANG, PRINCE AND THIEF.
• THE TROUBLESOME FRIEND.
• THE WICKED STEPMOTHER .
• TRUE FRIENDSHIP.
• THREE BLIND MEN.
• ALL FOR A PAṄSA.
• PRIDE ABASED.
• THE TWO BROTHERS.
• THE BASE FRIEND
• HÁYA BAND AND ZUHRA KHOTAN.
• THE CLEVER JACKAL.
• A STUPID BOY.
• FOUR PRINCES TURNED INTO STONES.
• THE BRAVE PRINCESS.
• THE THREE PRINCES.
• THE DILIGENT KING.
• THE IVORY CITY AND ITS FAIRY PRINCESS.
• A STRANGE REQUEST.
• THE UNJUST KING AND WICKED GOLDSMITH.
• THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE.
• HOW THE WICKED SONS WERE DUPED.
• A STUPID HUSBAND AND HIS CLEVER WIFE.
• THE PRAYERFUL FAQÍR.
• UNITY IS STRENGTH.
• THE PÍR OF PHATTAPÚR.
• THE SAGACIOUS GOVERNOR.
• THEIR ONLY RUBY.
• THE JACKAL-KING.
• THE BLACK AND WHITE BEARDS.
• THE STORY OF A WEAVER.
• THE ROBBERS ROBBED.
• THE YOUNG GAMBLING MERCHANT.
• THE CUNNING GOLDSMITH.
• HOW THE PRINCESS FOUND HER HUSBAND.
• THE CLEVER PARROT.
• THE MALCONTENT CURED.
• THE STUPID PEASANT.
• KARM YÁ DHARM.
• FOUR WICKED SONS AND THEIR LUCK.
• SHARAF THE THIEF.
• A KING AND HIS TREACHEROUS WAZÌR.
• THE SHIPWRECKED PRINCE.
• GAGAR WOL AND HIS SERVANT RATUN.
• THE WICKED QUEENS.
• THE FOUR PRINCES.
• THE JOGÍ’S DAUGHTER.
• GULLÁLÁ SHÁH .
• WHY THE FISH LAUGHED.
• NÁGRAY AND HÍMÁL.
• GLOSSARY OF SUCH WORDS AS ARE NOT EXPLAINED IN THE BODY OF THIS BOOK.