Fábulas y leyendas de la india

by Joseph Jacobs (Compiler), Eva González (Traductor)

A pesar de las diferencias culturales y en las costumbres entre Oriente y occidente, la esencia de los cuentos populares es la misma en todo el mundo, como demostró el folclorista Joseph Jacobs con esta recopilación de 28 relatos tradicionales de la india, que incluyen algunas de las leyendas más antiguas conocidas. El león y la grulla, el violín mágico, la serpiente de oro, en las no con piel de León y el resto de fábulas son una deliciosa lectura para todos aquellos que están cansados de los clásicos de siempre buscan algo original y diferente. Estas y muchas otras leyendas de magia, amor y traición, valor y orgullo se reúnen en este volumen que inicia una nueva trilogía hemos denominado fábulas y leyendas de Oriente.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Short Stories, India, Folklore

213 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1892

About the author

Joseph Jacobs was an Australian folklorist, literary critic, historian and writer of English literature who became a notable collector and publisher of English Folklore. His work went on to popularize some of the worlds best known versions of English fairy tales including "Jack and the Beanstalk", "Goldilocks and the three bears", "The Three Little Pigs", "Jack the Giant Killer" and "The History of Tom Thumb". He published his English fairy tale collections: English Fairy Tales in 1890 and More English Fairytales in 1894 but also went on after and in between both books to publish fairy tales collected from continental Europe as well as Jewish, Celtic and Indian Fairytales which made him one of the most popular writers of fairytales for the English language. Jacobs was also an editor for journals and books on the subject of folklore which included editing the Fables of Bidpai and the Fables of Aesop, as well as articles on the migration of Jewish folklore. He also edited editions of "The Thousand and One Nights". He went on to join The Folklore Society in England and became an editor of the society journal Folklore. Joseph Jacobs also contributed to the Jewish Encyclopedia.

For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_J...

Reviews

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked these fairy tales! Although there were some strange terms (and also I believe some strange translations; Jogi I assume is Yogi for example), at the heart many of these stories are very similar to European fairy tales. Evil queens using magic or trickery to get rid of innocent children (unsuccessfully), talking animals who return good deeds, princes going on quests; what I think of as the standard fairy tale but in an Indian setting so jungles and tigers instead of forests and bears.

I skipped the Notes at the end but if one is interested in the origins or history of these tales, it would be of interest.

[Sara Jesus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todos os contos de fadas, seja qual for a cultura, agrada-nos tanto porque sempre termina com finais felizes. As figuras maléficas são castigadas e os heróis recompensados. Ao explorar os contos de fadas de cada cultura entende-se melhor os seus valores. Comecei a aprender a ler com os contos de fadas dos irmãos Grimm. Mais tarde conheci as orientais, e hoje as indianas.

Todos abordam jornadas de príncipes para salvar suas princesas. Em todos temos lições de moral. Nestes em especial temos presente a filosofia budista, alguns contos como "Punchkin", "The son of seven queens" e "The Boy who had a Moon on his Forehead and a Star on his Chin" ilustram narrativas belíssimas que nos trazem de volta a nossa idade de ouro.

[Aya Ibrahim · Rating 3 out of 5]

حكايات شعبية هندية متفاوتة بجودتها ولكنها جميلة بشكل عام, ولا تنس وأنت تقرأ أنك في الهند 😜

[Gözde · Rating 2 out of 5]

Öncelikle Hint masalları kesinlikle İran Masallarına fark atar. Daha iyiler mesela, hepsi daha çok hoşuma gitti. Ancak Hint Masallarında da temel sorun benim bazı kelimelerin anlamlarını bilmiyor olmam. Mesela Raca ya da Brahman. Keşke başta bir sözlük olsaydı ya da ilk masallarda altlarda anlamları açıklansaydı. Böyle çok kötü geldi bana. Anlamlarını bilmemi kimse bekleyemez benden. Bir de acaba bu 7 takıntısı neden hintlilerde? 7 prenses, 7 kraliçe, 7 bıdı bıdı... Çoğu masal yine kadın düşmanıydı, çoğunda yine prenses ödüldü. Yine en büyük acıları kadınlar erkekler yüzünden çekti. Yani çok sinirdi. Bir de mesela sübyancı prens 12 yaşındaki Kokilan ile evlenecek bende bu hikayeyi seveceğim öyle mi? Öyle bir paralel evren bile yok bence. Üstelik hikayeyi de başta beğeniyor gibiydim. Sonra seyyar satıcı hayvanı ile insanları kandırıyor ama olan zavallı hayvana oluyor öyle mi? Onu neden dövdünüz sahibini dövseydiniz ya? Bu hikayeyi de sevemedim. Tefeciden kurtulmak için kendini kör eden mal çiftçi. Bir de sonunda gerçek bir öyküdür diyor. Aslında her hikayede isyan ettiğim bir kısım beğenmediğim bir yer mutlaka vardı. O yüzden 2.

[τλιϓλ · Rating 5 out of 5]

كل الشكر لجهود المترجم في تقديم نص جميل بلغة راقية وعبارات سلسة، لقد استمتعتُ بالكتاب كثيراً ودفعني ذلك لمراجعة قوائم المخلوقات الأسطورية في التراث الهندي بعد أن استوقفتني لفظة "سيمرجان" الموصوف بالطائر الأسطوري في التراث الأدبي الهندي..

[Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reprinting of an older book, found in the Kindle library. Originally written back over a hundred years ago, the appendices reflect thoughts of that time period and should be judged by the standards of the day.

Now the Fairy Tales in the book are of interest by themselves. Each tells a story found originally in India as fork lore or oral tradition. They vary in length and depth of story. Some of the terms used in them are foreign to me, but with a little research understandable and make a difference in understanding the tale itself.

The conclusion drawn that almost all fairy tales outside of India and the other eastern countries come from India originally is an interesting idea. The author puts together in the appendices parallels and remarks to prove this point to the reader. I’m unsure of the truth of his argument though. Need more data to make a informed decision of this.

Overall, the stories are interesting and give a sense of morals told in India during the history. Worth reading for that alone. The appendices are interesting, but a little difficult to read at times. Needs a bibliography page for number of references used.

[Abby Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent collection of fairy tales originating in ancient India. Although much seemed to be lost in translation, the notes at the end of the book provided a wealth of information on the research conducted for this book. This made me appreciate the stories much more. The author makes the point in his research that almost all Western European fairy tales, some African tales, and the Arabian Nights can find their origins in these stories, handed down for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

[Beyza · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yarısında bırakıyorum çünkü masallar çok kendini tekrar etmeye başladı. Uyumadan önce birkaç masal okumak iyi geldi bana . Bazı masallar mantığımın asla alamayacağı kadar saçmaydı bu yüzden devam etmeyeceğim. Masallarda mantık aramak da sadece büyüklerin yapacağı bir şey ama artık büyümüşüm ne yapayım 🙆💤

[Evelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first fairy tales were not so interesting, but once the annoying fairy tale "Loving Laili" is over, things become really great. Fairy tales become more intense and with much more pleasant heroes and heroines, and the lessons from them are more meaningful and relevant.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this at the same time as Folk Tales Of Bengal -- some comparisons included.

A number of these will be recognizable to readers familar with European fairy tales as tale types, but little more than that. The differences are plentiful, of which the easiest to note is that the kings habitually have more than one wife, which sometimes goes well and sometimes badly. Indeed, this one has none of the tale types best known in our culture.

Some of the stuff has been translated idiomatically, more than in Day's' fairies, for instance, as the magical women. Both he and Day have a story about The Boy with the Moon on his Forehead, but though you can recognize the common type, it's not the same tale.

[Hal Brodsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

These tales collected from Asia in the early 20th century are quite different from the Grimm's and Aesops tales I grew up with (though in an appendix in the rear of the book the author claims most European Fairy Tales originated in India).
These tales are rich with talking animals and insects that interact with humans, which the author explains (again in the Appendix, so you may want to read that first) fits easily with Hindu and Buddhist ideas of reincarnation. In fact, in many of these tales, the narrator explains that one of the animals is the Buddha in a pre-Buddha incarnation.
This book is free for Kindle Download.

[Tariq Alferis · Rating 4 out of 5]

.حكايات شعبية من أهل السند وبلاد البهارات والعاج، في مقدمة المؤلف يتحدث عن تشابه القصص الشعبية بين اوروبا وبلاد السند ، وفسر الأمر أن أصل أغلب الحكايات كانت من الهند، الفلكلور الهندي مُمتع لأنه قريب جدا من حكايات ألف ليلة وليلة ، وكليلة والدمنة الفارسية، إلاأن الإختلاف في المعتقدات كفارق بسيط.
أجمل الحكايات لحد الأن في السلسلة..بسيطة جدا بطعم التوابل الهندية والبخور..

[Heather Branson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading these collections of fairy tales from other cultures. I think it helps to give some ground work for understanding other people when you can find the commonality in the stories we tell our children.

[Yulia Dibrovska · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you want to approach the Indian culture just read their tales...

[Keith]

“Now Balna's son was a bright, clever boy, so he said, 'Do not fear, dear mother; the first thing to do is to discover how far the Magician's power extends, in order that we may be able to liberate my father and uncles, whom he has imprisoned in the form of rocks and trees. You have spoken to him angrily for twelve long years; now rather speak kindly. Tell him you have given up all hopes of again seeing the husband you have so long mourned, and say you are willing to marry him.’”

[Image: Book Cover]

I listened to Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs over two nights via the Sleepy Bookshelf podcast. As narrated by Elizabeth Grace, it made for a pleasant way to fall asleep.



***************************************************************************
Title: Indian Fairy Tales
Author(s): Joseph Jacobs (editor)
Year: 1892
Genre: Fiction - Short Stories: Fantasy, Children’s Literature
Date(s) read: 4/20/25 - 4/23/25
Book 83 in 2025
***************************************************************************

[Bleda Gençay Sönmez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meryem Şeyda Parlak'ın kitap yorumu sayesinde meraklanarak aldım bu erteki betiği. Hint Ertekileri'nin çoğunluğu fabllerden oluşur. Bazıları ise Buda merkezlidir. Benzer ertekilerden oluştuğu için betikte ara ara sıkıldım. Ayrıca kula yardımcılığı, Hint-Avrupa uluslarının ertekilerinde vazgeçilmez bir kurgu olduğu su götürmez bir gerçektir. "Alnı Aylı ve Çenesi Yıldızlı Çocuk" adlı Hint erteği bana balacalığımda ablamdan dinlediğim İrani erteği anımsattı. Ayrıca bazı ertekilerde karmaşık kurguluydu. "Balık Neden Güldü?" erteğinin kurgusunu hiç anladım. Anlayan olduysa yorumlayabilir mi bana? "Güneş, Ay ve Rüzgar Akşam Yemeğine Çıkar"da insanların Güneş ve Rüzgar'ı neden pek sevmediklerini çok iyi anlatıyor. Ayrıca Ay denilen kehribar tüslü uydumuzu çok seviyorum. Okuyup okumayı sizin takdirinize bırakıyorum...

[Abdel Aziz Amer · Rating 2 out of 5]

مجموعة من الحكايات الهندية مثلها مثل باقي حكايات هذه السلسلة ، لم يؤلفها كُتاب عظام ، ولكنها حكايات من التراث الشعبي ، تناقلتها الأجيال وروتها الجدات حتى انتقلت إلى صفحات الكتب .. وفي تراثنا المصري والعربي الكثير منها ، والتي يحكيها الرجل البسيط الذي يجهل فنون الأدب واللغة.

في هذه الحكايات ستجد قصص مهلهلة ينقصها المنطق والترابط أحياناً .. قد تبدأ بداية ليس لها علاقة بالنهاية أو بالأحداث عموماً .. وكالعادة الأميرة الحسناء تعجب وتتزوج بالشاب الفقير وتكتشف في النهاية أنه أمير ويعيشا معاً في سعادة وهناء .. ستجد الحيوانات تتكلم مع البشر بلا إندهاش .. وتحل روح بوذا في الإنسان والحيوان .. إنك في الهند ولا غرابة !

[Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oldukça heyecan verici ve egzotik bir deneyimdi. Masallar genellikle ödüllendirme ve cezalandırma sistemini anlatıyor. (Şöyle iyi bir adamdı, başına iyi şeyler geldi. Şöyle eşek bir adamdı, cezalandırıldı gibi…) Bu sistem her yerde, her hikayede olsa da aslında bizim anlattığımız masallardan çok farklı. Çünkü bu cezalandırma-ödüllendirme sistemi, “karma” mantığını anlamamız konusunda çok yardımcı oluyor.

İçinde 29 tane masal var. Bazıları eski bazıları daha yeni ama hepsi de doğunun felsefesinden etkilenmiş ve kültürle yoğurulmuş. Masal okumayı seven insanlar kesinlikle bir okumalı. (Çocuklara okutup okutulmaması ise tartışılabilir.)

Teşekkürler Maya Yayınları 🤝

[Vaedehi Rastogi · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a kid, I used to read a lot of folktales from around the world. So feeling nostalgic, I picked it up. But most of the tales were very cliched with the same boring plot and endings. Yes I know they are folktales so I didn't mind the same old boring happy endings, but there was hardly anything about Indian culture. I liked folk tales of different countries as somewhere or the other, I did get to learn about different cultures or their old stories and myths. Nothing of the sort was here. Only a few stories were enjoyable. I did like the addition of poems in a few stories though.

[Olena G · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Indian Fairy Tales” by Joseph Jacobs is honestly such a fun collection. You dive in and suddenly you’re surrounded by clever animals, sneaky tricksters, and all sorts of old-school magic. Every story has its own little lesson or cultural twist, but the vibe stays light and just plain entertaining. Jacobs really nails keeping that authentic Indian folklore feel, but still makes it super easy for English readers. If you like fairy tales—whether you’re a kid or just young at heart—this is such a charming read from start to finish.

[Matt Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is often the case with fairy tale collections, some of the stories are more entertaining than others, and the more bizarre the better, but what fascinates me is a running theme in early stories that kindness and innocence do not ensure survival and therefore cleverness (and even deception) is to be more highly valued. The rest are standard fairy tale fare, but more than not are still a brisk, fun read.

[Adrianne Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me divertí mucho con este libro, las leyendas de la India son historias tan fumadas e ilógicas que resultan graciosas. Se nota también que son la base de muchos de los cuentos clásicos europeos y al parecer de aquí viene esa tendencia de que los personajes sean ingenuos al punto de rayar en la estupidez. Es una lectura recomendada para todas las edades, aunque no hay que esperar mucha calidad en la narrativa (cosa que no es culpa del escritor sino de las leyendas en sí).

[Annegazetesi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kültürlerini yansıtan masallar, her biri birbirini tekrar ediyor ancak benim için son derece sıkıcı oldu. Belki 100 yıl 200 yıl öncesinde bu masallar insanlara eğlenceli gelebilirdi ama günümüzde artık böyle çizgi film bile kalmadı, o derece saçma ve sıkıcıydı. İlk 3-5 masal kültürü anlayabilmek açısından okunabilirdi ancak sonrasını tamamen kitabı bitirmiş olmak için okudum.

[Adarsh Beckhm · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book, when our country was confronting devastating economic crises,as a consequence of corona virus.this book encompasses widely spoken lullaby of from old time, they are even popular as they were to be .

If one seeking to read some of fine fairy tales ,then I will urge you to go through this work of 'Joseph Jacobs'

I really enjoyed a lot, I presume you do be having a same.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Güzeldi masal okumayı sevenler zevk alacaktır. Hint kültürünü öğrenme bakımından da önemli bence. Bir iki masalda sanki kopukluk vardı. Çoğu masaldaki reenkarnasyon atıfı hoştu. İlginç kültürleri var.

[Sheetal Bahl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure whether these tales are imbecilic, or if the author's take on them is plain stupid, or if they are just terribly written, but either way, this collection is insufferable. Actually, let me correct that - everything that I read was insufferable - I didn't bother to read the rest.

[K Sadashiv]

Good for children

Book does not consider wide and deeply rooted stories of India but more of Arabic and mugal era stories which are least known in India. But stories keep children focused and help them like reading

[Robin Mydlak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook, which was very well narrated, and a great way to start the day. The fairy tales themselves did not strike me as fundamentally different from other fairy tales across the world.

[Benjamin Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad collection. The tales could be rather episodic, but certainly rang true as fairy tales with their litanies of brave princes, magical horses, lovely princesses, abusive kings, hidden treasures, and charmed objects.

An edition with John Batten's illustrations is recommended.

[Kat Quezada · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fue interesante y entretenido conocer las bases que formaron cuentos tan clásicos, como los de los hermanos Grimm, Hans Christian Andersen. En el prólogo se menciona que estas leyendo son tan antiguas que han sido el padre de todos los cuentos de fantasía, fábulas, etc.