The Hungry Stones and Other Stories

by Rabindranath Tagore

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, India, Literature, Philosophy, Indian Literature

183 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 "because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West."

Tagore modernised Bengali art by spurning rigid classical forms and resisting linguistic strictures. His novels, stories, songs, dance-dramas, and essays spoke to topics political and personal. Gitanjali (Song Offerings), Gora (Fair-Faced), and Ghare-Baire (The Home and the World) are his best-known works, and his verse, short stories, and novels were acclaimed—or panned—for their lyricism, colloquialism, naturalism, and unnatural contemplation. His compositions were chosen by two nations as national anthems: India's Jana Gana Mana and Bangladesh's Amar Shonar Bangla.

The complete works of Rabindranath Tagore (রবীন্দ্র রচনাবলী) in the original Bengali are now available at these third-party websites:
http://www.tagoreweb.in/
http://www.rabindra-rachanabali.nltr....

Reviews

[Derek Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

These stories are close to perfection, but it's a different kind of perfection than you would find in western tales. Most are immediate, intensely human, unpretentious and told in a straightforward, unadorned style: "This happened and then that happened, which led to the next thing." Yet the real happenings are within the characters – emotional wrenchings, upheavals of the spirit, life-altering changes for both good and bad. These stories read like fairy tales told from inside the mind.

Tagore will speed over decades of a character's life in a sentence of two, then place a single detail or simile that beautifully sums up the personal situation. Interesting, too, to see the cultural differences between the India of the early 20th century and the West of almost any age. Marriage, work, death all have a different weight that they do in the European model, and the rigid pressure of caste influences every major decision in life.

Some of the stories have heart-rending conclusions; others slide into comfort. And in a few, Tagore's wicked social satire would put Jane Austen to shame.

[Aparna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was my first introduction to Tagore, and I first attempted to read it when I was in the fifth standard.. the language was beyond my standard, and I took almost two weeks to read it. The depth of the stories and their beauty was brought home to me only when I read it again at the age of 15.
Its a good book and contains some of the best stories of Tagore.

[Chetana Thakur Chakraborty · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Hungry Stones and Other Stories' is a collection of thirteen soul-stirring short stories by Tagore. Each and every one of the stories is aesthetically appealing, which vividly portrays every small aspect of human life in great detail. 'The Hungry Stones', 'The Victory', 'My Lord, The Baby', 'Living or Dead', and 'The Kabuliwallah' are few of the beautiful short stories that are included in the collection.

[cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Batu-batu Lapar dan 12 cerita pendek lainnya, terkumpul dalam karya Rabindranath yang satu ini. Semuanya kental nuansa Indianya, dalam setting, dalam budaya pengkastaan, dalam pemujaan pada dewa-dewa bahkan dalam ucapan, tindakan dan kematian. Tagore tidak malu-malu memotret satu per satu kejadian kemudian merangkainya menjadi satu dalam kolase kisah, yang sama sekali tidak berhubungan, namun benang merahnya mampu membuka jendela tempat kita mengintip kondisi sosial masyarakat India secara lugas dan jujur.

Tagore mengulik hal kematian pada kisah menggelikan hantu-hantu harem yang membuat orang paling skeptis jadi lari terbirit-birit pada Batu-Batu Lapar sampai tragedi absurd seorang wanita yang tidak yakin dirinya masih hidup hanya karena tradisi menganggapnya telah mati dalam Hidup atau Mati?. Dari penyair yang tewas mendadak sehabis mendapat durian runtuh ala putri raja dalam Kemenangan atau putra Brahmana meregang nyawa gara-gara mencari tahu rahasia istrinya yang ternyata ular berbisa (asli ular, bukan metafora!) pada Tersebutlah Seorang Raja. Wacana kasta diulas jenaka dalam Paduka yang Mulia, Sang Bayi dan kisah sedih Pembuangan. Sedangkan pemujaan mendapat porsi dalam Sang Pemuja dan Penglihatan. Sebagai tambahan, ada kisah pertentangan budaya tradisional dan barat dalam "Kami Nobatkan Paduka Raja" dan kisah kehancuran keteraturan(!!) dalam Kerajaan Kartu.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

These simple tales of village life and governance show in an entertaining way how the pre-industrial world was understood, judged and thought about in India (at least, as understood in translation). Married life, the impulsive and unwise nature of children, duties of people toward each other, the costs of carelessness and misunderstandings and human nature, and the romanticized power of belief in occult mysteries are told by wives, husbands and government officials.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories are almost more poetry than prose. Tagore is an astonishingly fluid writer with a distinctly eastern flair and syntax that is evocative and transportive. This is a fascinating, quick little read that every student of English should undertake.

[Rajat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tagore truly measures upto real noble class. This is one story that needs to be re-read to assimilate its true SPIRIT. Actually this story is all about the spirits only ... amazing truly wonderful ... I am bowled over

[Dhiraj Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Among this collection of short stories "The Cabulliwala", "My Lord the Baby", "The Homecoming" and "Vision" are simply outstanding and touch an emotional chord deep down in your heart.

[Treena Sengupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike fortunate readers who could read in Bengali, and appreciate the Essence of the stories in its original form, I read the English translation. A collage of short stories themed around ghosts, relationships, fairy tale and much more. End of each story is a feeling of what else, what next, not this way, not fair!!

[Janek Izydorczyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bardzo ładne ale męczyłem się czytając to, bo to były takie proste bajki. Więc 3.5 powiedzmy

[Ruchika Pahwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

While a few stories generate nostalgia, some others create a mixed shade of emotions. It's always delightful to read Mr. Rabindranath Tagore, regardless of whether his stories deliver sadness or gladness.

[Aishwarya Rathor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish i had read this book in Bengali.
I just can't rate his writing but sure can tell you what I liked about it.
The emotions portrayed by his stories is just out of the world.
My favourite has to be 'Kabuliwala'.
I am in love with the simplicity of the narration.
The stories are short with variety of characters. The drama and poetry reflects through the pages.
The translation is apt and precise.

[Gusti Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

"because of his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West" - Nobel Prize Org.

I couldn't agree more with Nobel Prize Organization, Tagore's verse is beautiful and fresh. Even though I red it on a translated version its still leave some of the beauty from the original manuscript, that's when you know a short stories is great when the translated version is still good. I almost cried for a couple short stories in this book. Beautiful, just beautiful.

And the main idea in his stories is really deep but he can deliver it with such a fun and easy way. There is one short story that talks about traditionalism and democracy, its a heavy topic yet he succeed to tell it in a fun way. Maybe a kid won't notice it but they would definitely enjoy it.

I recommend this book! (The title of this book is "Hungry Stones and Other Stories").

[Czarny Pies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je recommende fortement "The Hungry Stones" (disponsible à http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2518) qui fournit une excellente introduction au génie de Rabindranath Tagore. La gamme de sujets d'abordés est très large. Il y a des contes bien réussies sur les souffrances des petits gens. Il y a deux contes où Tagore critique séverement le systéme de caste Hindou. En même temps, parce que Tagore étaient bien croyant, il y a des contes ou Tagore parle des voies que l'on emprunte pour percevoir la divinité suprême et de l'importance de la littérature dans la quête spirituelle de l'homme. Finallement, il y a une satire excellent sur les gens haut placés dans la société qui hésitent a s'engager dans le Congress et la lutte pour l'indépendence Indienne.

[Melanie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I became intrigued with Tagore after seeing an exhibit of his paintings at the Art Institute of Chicago. My western-self was painfully unaware of his existence prior to a few weeks ago. This is the first collection of writing that I picked up and will definitely be pursuing more.

[Paul Pellicci · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Indian book. It gave me a tiny insight on the caste system, Indian pride and much more.

[Rohan Shedage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like most of the short-story books this one also has it's lack of consistency...If you must, then read "Once upon a time there was a king" of the lot.

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read these stories long before, but never thought this is from the Master. Good one

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a slim volume of stories, but it contains multitudes. Tagore was one of the most talented and myriad-minded writers of the twentieth century. In this short book, he reveals many sides of his ability. Some stories, like 'The Babus of Nayanjore' and 'The Renunciation', are realistic, satirical, and comical. Others, like 'Living or Dead?' and 'Hungry Stones' are weird and mystical. One of the stories, 'The Kingdom of Cards' is a brilliant allegory.

There are two themes that run through these stories: the search for God, and the evils of caste (in the broadest possible sense). Tagore was a great religious leader. His creed was the universal creed of so many prophets and poets. We are all equal before a higher power, equal both in our weakness and our aspiration. His characters have fragile egos. They are forced to decide who and what they are. To use the popular term of my own generation, I found all his characters 'relatable', even though most of them are Brahmin Bengalis living under British occupation in the late nineteenth century. Tagore evokes this world with clarity. He vividly describes the singing of the papiya, the gurgling of the river, and the bustle of Kolkata. He is a Romantic in the Wordsworthian vein, and bathes all these ordinary things in a cool spiritual light. Only a fraction of his works have been translated into English. This book makes me want to learn Bengali!

[Magdalena Augustyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rabindranath pisał wiersze, które świetnie nadają się na tatuowane sentencje życiowe i właśnie za nie dostał Nobla, ale był prawdziwym człowiekiem renesansu - poza pisaniem wierszy malował, komponował, był filozofem i pedagogiem. Pisał również prozę z takim kunsztem, jakby pisał poezję.

Czytając jego opowiadania zanurzałam się w orientalnym świecie raz po raz otwierając szerzej oczy w zadziwieniu lub podziwie, kiwając w zrozumieniu głową, roniąc kilka łez wzruszenia lub po prostu delektując się pięknem kwiecistych porównań.

Opowiadań jest dwadzieścia i spokojnie starczyłyby na kilka prac magisterskich czy doktoranckich, jakich z pewnością wiele powstało, ale nie podchodzę naukowo do sztuki, a jedynie z otwartym sercem i poza samym pięknem i kunsztem literackim podziwiam walkę "po stronie słabszych i wykluczonych". W swoich krótkich opowiadaniach wnikliwie opisuje społeczeństwo, w których żył, religię, kulturę, obyczaje, system kastowy, sytuację kobiet, dzieci, patriotów i oportunistów, zwykłe codzienne sytuacje, życiowe tragedie i radości, magiczne wierzenia.

Wciąż czuję oszołomienie po lekturze trudne do wysłowienia, gdyż zanurzyłam się w niej po uszy. Z pewnością jeszcze do niej nie raz wrócę, dawkując i powoli się nią delektując.



https://wloczybooka.blogspot.com/2017...

[Bibliocave268 · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Hungry Stones and Other Stories" is a collection of short stories written by Rabindranath Tagore, a renowned Indian writer, poet, and Nobel laureate.

"The Hungry Stones and Other Stories" is a collection of short stories by Rabindranath Tagore. In addition to the title story, it includes other notable tales such as "The Cabuliwallah," which explores friendship and empathy, "The Home-Coming," which reflects on nostalgia and change, "The Postmaster," delving into loneliness and human relationships, "Master Mashai," examining desire and obsession, and "The Castaway," a reflection on resilience and isolation. Each story offers unique perspectives on the human experience, emotions, and societal dynamics, showcasing Tagore's storytelling prowess and his ability to create engaging narratives.

"The Hungry Stones" is the title story of the collection and is often regarded as one of Tagore's most famous and powerful tales. It revolves around a nameless narrator who encounters a mysterious and enigmatic palace while traveling through the Indian state of Rajasthan. The palace is said to be inhabited by the ghosts of the people who had lived there in the past. The story explores themes of desire, illusion, and the human longing for the unattainable.
the collection features other short stories that touch upon a variety of themes such as love, loss, spirituality, and social issues.

[Uday Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before anything else, the author's name speaks for its legend and the book's cover and title just calls out to you. This time, I wasn't even guilty about it. It has been really long since I first read work of Rabindranath Tagore and I still could find it as engaging and interesting as it has been since forever. [Read more…]

The thing I loved even more than the great plots of these stories was how these stories take up to the minds of these amazing characters that are so close to life that me, as a reader could trust them to be real very easily.

Honestly speaking, there was a time when some stories felt like they would be better if I read and understood them in the original Bengali version. But not to forget, these were all stories that can give a sweet taste of nostalgia along with a glimspe of culture that everyone may not relate to but the ones that will, won't be able to part away from them.

Don't expect any spoilers or deep explainations because these are the stories that simply deserve your time and attention. So, get your copy right now

[DKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buku ini membuatku rindu kepada sebuah masa dimana aku belum memahami betul kerasnya hidup, sebuah masa yang kurindukan tapi tidak mungkin untuk kujalani kembali, ya, masa anak-anak. Anak-anak dan segala pikirannya memang selalu menarik untuk ditelisik lebih dalam, dan Tagore menuliskan hal tersebut dengan sempurna. Aku tenggelam di beberapa cerita karena keindahannya berbahasa (Aku jadi ingin membaca karya ini dalam bahasa aslinya), caranya menggambarkan sesuati sangat unik menurutku. Kendati terlalu banyak tokoh yang (mungkin tidak perlu) tertulis hampir di setiap cerpennya, kedalaman cerita tokoh utama sangat menarik untuk diikuti perkembangannya. Dan sialnya, ini adalah sekumpulan cerpen (Aku harus membaca karya Tagore yang berbentuk novel!). Cerpen terakhir membuatku gemetar ketika Si Pedagang Kabul bertanya kepada Si Mini Kecil "Jadi, kau akan pergi ke rumah ayah mertuamu?", air mataku turun saat itu juga 🥲🥲🥲

[Dikshyanta Uprety · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short stories in this book have almost identical scenarios. All of them are set in either the offset of Calcutta or a village far away in India and represent the cultural and religious themes of the contemporary of that time.

Two stories within this book, however, were more interesting and really appealing to me. They are the devotee and the servant. Both of these stories explore the intricate personalities of characters and try to extrapolate the belief of the truly religious and virtuos people.

Another story to mention would be the kingdom of cards where an island of packs of cards, who are bounded and limited by rules is introduced to the chaos and intricacies of the human mind. Overall, the nuggets in this book are highly engaging and brilliantly written.

[Othniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A random collection of short stories from the great Indian writer, translated by various hands (including Tagore's), and first published in 1916.

The stories range from the mystical to the naturalistic, some dealing with issues such as the caste system and earthly ambition; all of them deeply humane, evocative moral fables.

There are some annoying typos in the free version I downloaded, but not in sufficient numbers to detract from the magical fluency of Tagore's story-telling.

[Amaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dalam tuturnya yang puitis, Tagore membicarakan bermacam persoalan India di masa lalu, yang sebagian besarnya terdapat di bangsa mana pun, zaman mana pun: strata sosial, kejujuran, prasangka, keyakinan, moralitas, dan pada akhirnya, identitas serta kemanusiaan. Semua isu itu dikemas dalam cerita-cerita yang sangat sehari-hari, dalam berbagai macam genre. Mulai dari drama, horor, hingga romansa. Namun, kesemuanya itu seringkali bermuara pada satu hal: relijiusitas.

[Frank Strada · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting stories from one of India's most creative writers, who was also a progressive thinker and well regarded educator of the 20th century. His sense of humor is obvious from the very start. Also, though I can't say each story necessarily has a "moral," I felt as if I learned something each time I finished one of his stories. If you're American, I recommend you take a break from today's political turmoil (that is also permeating our educational systems) and read a couple of Tagore's stories. You'll enjoy them and, who knows, you may learn something. You'll also laugh and cry, in your soul if not out loud.

The only negatives I saw in these stories are primarily cultural. I did have difficulty understanding some social interactions and, in some of the stories, figuring out who's who and how they are related. So on occasion I had to go back and reread parts in order to get caught up.

My favorites are "The Hungry Stones," "My Lord, The Baby" and "The Cabuliwallah." One of the more important stories, I think, is "The Land of Cards." Tagore, a pragmatic educator in the tradition of John Dewey, uses this story to teach that true freedom is attained not by acquiring materials for knowledge and possessing other people's ideas, but by our mind forming its own standards of judgement and producing its own thoughts.

[Hanif Nurrahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perkenalan yang cukup apik dengan Tagore, membaca ini seperti melihat dunia dengan sudut pandang anak anak, cerpennya manis, dan imajinatif, rasanya seperti membangunkan imajinasi kita dimasa kecil.

Beberapa cerpen menyenggol sistem feodalisme garis keras di India, beberapa menyenggol dewa dan ketuhanan, tapi tetap dengan sudut pandang anak kecil yang imajinatif yang menentang dogma kebudayaan India.

[Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

"These stories are exquisite. I remember hearing two of them, Kabulliwalla and The Hungry Stones, read on the radio well over 40 years ago. I remembered them vividly. It was great to encounter them again, as well as these other small masterpieces."

[David Sterritt]

Returning to Rabindranath Tagore after several decades, I find “The Hungry Stones and Other Stories” engaging in a folk-literature sort of way. Much of the book is more interesting than exciting, but it sometimes casts very revealing light on colonialism and Indian sociocultural norms. Recommended.