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Beastly Tales from Here and There
'Because it was very hot in my house one day and I could not concentrate on my work, I decided to write a summer story involving mangoes and a river. By the time I had finished writing 'The Crocodile and the Monkey' (in a cool room lent to me by a friend), another story and other animals had begun stirring in my mind. And so it went on until all ten of these beastly tales were born - or re-born. Of the ten tales told here, the first two come from India, the next two from China, the next two from Greece, and the next two from the Ukraine. The final two came directly from the Land of Gup. I hope you enjoy them and have a beastly time.' Vikram Seth.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Vikram Seth
60 books1,710 followersVikram Seth is an Indian poet, novelist, travel writer, librettist, children's writer, biographer and memoirist.
During the course of his doctorate studies at Stanford, he did his field work in China and translated Hindi and Chinese poetry into English. He returned to Delhi via Xinjiang and Tibet which led to a travel narrative From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983) which won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.
The Golden Gate: A Novel in Verse (1986) was his first novel describing the experiences of a group of friends who live in California. A Suitable Boy (1993), an epic of Indian life set in the 1950s, got him the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
His poetry includes The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985) and All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990). His Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) is children's book consisting of ten stories in verse about animals.
In 2005, he published Two Lives, a family memoir written at the suggestion of his mother, which focuses on the lives of his great-uncle (Shanti Behari Seth) and German-Jewish great aunt (Henny Caro) who met in Berlin in the early 1930s while Shanti was a student there and with whom Seth stayed extensively on going to England at age 17 for school. As with From Heaven Lake, Two Lives contains much autobiography.
An unusually forthcoming writer whose published material is replete with un- or thinly-disguised details as to the personal lives of himself and his intimates related in a highly engaging narrative voice, Seth has said that he is somewhat perplexed that his readers often in consequence presume to an unwelcome degree of personal familiarity with him.
During the course of his doctorate studies at Stanford, he did his field work in China and translated Hindi and Chinese poetry into English. He returned to Delhi via Xinjiang and Tibet which led to a travel narrative From Heaven Lake: Travels Through Sinkiang and Tibet (1983) which won the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award.
The Golden Gate: A Novel in Verse (1986) was his first novel describing the experiences of a group of friends who live in California. A Suitable Boy (1993), an epic of Indian life set in the 1950s, got him the WH Smith Literary Award and the Commonwealth Writers Prize.
His poetry includes The Humble Administrator's Garden (1985) and All You Who Sleep Tonight (1990). His Beastly Tales from Here and There (1992) is children's book consisting of ten stories in verse about animals.
In 2005, he published Two Lives, a family memoir written at the suggestion of his mother, which focuses on the lives of his great-uncle (Shanti Behari Seth) and German-Jewish great aunt (Henny Caro) who met in Berlin in the early 1930s while Shanti was a student there and with whom Seth stayed extensively on going to England at age 17 for school. As with From Heaven Lake, Two Lives contains much autobiography.
An unusually forthcoming writer whose published material is replete with un- or thinly-disguised details as to the personal lives of himself and his intimates related in a highly engaging narrative voice, Seth has said that he is somewhat perplexed that his readers often in consequence presume to an unwelcome degree of personal familiarity with him.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
October 24, 2014
DISCLAIMER: By the time she finished the book, the reviewer was so deeply influenced by the rhymes in this little book of tales that she couldn't keep the wannabe poet inside her from casting forth the following lines.
In world of beasts and that of men,
There have been a few occasions when
Such good books have been created
Which can be read and appreciated
By both the old and the young
And which leave a musical note on one's tongue
Whose rhythmic pattern tends to stay
With the Reader day after day
Yes, such a book is seldom read
That makes one travel through one's head
To shores of Greece, lands of Ukraine
And feel the Chinese wind and Indian rain
And then again, very rarely
Does one stumble upon such poetry
That gives the animals a voice
And leaves the Reader with no choice
But to admire the versatility
Of the person who so effortlessly
Turns Aesop's fables into rhymes
And revives the good old times
Of Grandma's winter Fairy-tales
Stories of doves and parrots, ducks and quails
Indeed much like a box of sweets
Anyone can enjoy the rhythmic beats
Of these poems where Mr Seth
Turned tales into poems much like 'The Golden Gate'.
In world of beasts and that of men,
There have been a few occasions when
Such good books have been created
Which can be read and appreciated
By both the old and the young
And which leave a musical note on one's tongue
Whose rhythmic pattern tends to stay
With the Reader day after day
Yes, such a book is seldom read
That makes one travel through one's head
To shores of Greece, lands of Ukraine
And feel the Chinese wind and Indian rain
And then again, very rarely
Does one stumble upon such poetry
That gives the animals a voice
And leaves the Reader with no choice
But to admire the versatility
Of the person who so effortlessly
Turns Aesop's fables into rhymes
And revives the good old times
Of Grandma's winter Fairy-tales
Stories of doves and parrots, ducks and quails
Indeed much like a box of sweets
Anyone can enjoy the rhythmic beats
Of these poems where Mr Seth
Turned tales into poems much like 'The Golden Gate'.
July 5, 2021
One afternoon, in post-prandial daze,
A slender fare caught my gaze.
It promised me a beastly time,
With ten fables retold in rhyme.
2 each from China, Greece, Ukraine,
India, and Land of Gup's terrain.
Tales of greedy crocs and wide-eyed lice,
Of venomous snakes and spiteful mice.
The tortoise wins -- plain, slow and steady,
Praised is the hare, she is Instagram-ready.
Faces from the Chinese Zodiac,
Rat, ox, dragon and the entire pack.
Living in homes, forests, and barns,
Beasts of burden, spinners of yarns.
For an eight course meal of Vikram Seth,
My entree before 'The Golden Gate'.
It's a witty, pithy, crafty respite,
Capricious, dripping with delight.
A slender fare caught my gaze.
It promised me a beastly time,
With ten fables retold in rhyme.
2 each from China, Greece, Ukraine,
India, and Land of Gup's terrain.
Tales of greedy crocs and wide-eyed lice,
Of venomous snakes and spiteful mice.
The tortoise wins -- plain, slow and steady,
Praised is the hare, she is Instagram-ready.
Faces from the Chinese Zodiac,
Rat, ox, dragon and the entire pack.
Living in homes, forests, and barns,
Beasts of burden, spinners of yarns.
For an eight course meal of Vikram Seth,
My entree before 'The Golden Gate'.
It's a witty, pithy, crafty respite,
Capricious, dripping with delight.
March 26, 2014
Alright, I know what I'm gonna do here will probably in no way justify the brilliance of "Beastly Tales", but I'm gonna try nevertheless (coz I'm one arrogant show-off) to review this book in verse, using a rhyme scheme similar to the one used by Seth in this book. It's not just about what I felt about this book but also about how I chanced upon it & well, yeah that's about it.
My friends, as you may see
I did not read much poetry
But one fine evening at the Victoria
Not the falls, but the Memoria'
When I walked in through the gate
And saw Shri Vikram Seth
Who sat and talked about his prose
As well as verse, in generous dose
Then as he recited from Beastly Tales
I dropped all thoughts of beers and ales
How I wished my hands were paws
And nails on them were rather claws
While I looked for this one book
By hook or crook, in hole and nook
At last I found it on a site
Which sells all things, be day or night
Tales from China, Greece and Gup
Ukraine and India, held close up
I read all ten with childlike wonder
At times on the bed, at times under
All of them left me mesmerised
I bet you too will be surprised
To see yourself grinning like a kid
And forget being some Nancy or Sid
So read this one at your leisure
For if not this, then what is treasure?
[For a better review in verse, do read Shriya's review of the same.]
My friends, as you may see
I did not read much poetry
But one fine evening at the Victoria
Not the falls, but the Memoria'
When I walked in through the gate
And saw Shri Vikram Seth
Who sat and talked about his prose
As well as verse, in generous dose
Then as he recited from Beastly Tales
I dropped all thoughts of beers and ales
How I wished my hands were paws
And nails on them were rather claws
While I looked for this one book
By hook or crook, in hole and nook
At last I found it on a site
Which sells all things, be day or night
Tales from China, Greece and Gup
Ukraine and India, held close up
I read all ten with childlike wonder
At times on the bed, at times under
All of them left me mesmerised
I bet you too will be surprised
To see yourself grinning like a kid
And forget being some Nancy or Sid
So read this one at your leisure
For if not this, then what is treasure?
[For a better review in verse, do read Shriya's review of the same.]
February 9, 2019
The goat and the ram ... now that's a ragtime song ... couldn't help sing it all the way through...
June 16, 2019
Following in the footsteps of Aesop, Indian writer Vikram Seth brings us ten modern-day animal fables in verse. Eight are reworkings of traditional tales - two each from India, China, Greece and the Ukraine - and two are the author's own original creations. Ravi Shankar's gorgeous line drawings make a perfect accompaniment to the collection.
Whilst fables have existed for over two thousand years, Seth succeeds in bringing a fresh perspective (and vocabulary) to some well-worn subject matter. He introduces some familiar characters along the way - Peter Rabbit and Pigling Bland have cameo roles in 'The Hare and the Tortoise'. There's even a mention for the BBC in this tale, although it turns out to be the 'Beastly Broadcast Company'.
The tales are all set in rhyming couplets, but the poetic form doesn't detract from the storytelling; if anything, it often helps keep the writing taught and pithy. The author displays a wicked sense humour throughout, making the tales great fun to read.
I read this collection purely for pleasure, but these stories could also provide an interesting route into the more classic tales if you have a bored teenager to persuade.
Whilst fables have existed for over two thousand years, Seth succeeds in bringing a fresh perspective (and vocabulary) to some well-worn subject matter. He introduces some familiar characters along the way - Peter Rabbit and Pigling Bland have cameo roles in 'The Hare and the Tortoise'. There's even a mention for the BBC in this tale, although it turns out to be the 'Beastly Broadcast Company'.
The tales are all set in rhyming couplets, but the poetic form doesn't detract from the storytelling; if anything, it often helps keep the writing taught and pithy. The author displays a wicked sense humour throughout, making the tales great fun to read.
I read this collection purely for pleasure, but these stories could also provide an interesting route into the more classic tales if you have a bored teenager to persuade.
August 2, 2007
Fun with fables
I've never been much into verse, if you exclude that brilliant satire by Alaxander Pope, The Rape Of The Lock or Milton's Paradise Lost.
Barring these classic works, I haven't really bothered with verse, especially when it comes to modern writers. Which is why, this quite simply escaped me and in any case, I'm yet to really sink my teeth into any of Vikram Seth's works.
But a very heavy recommendation by a friend, who insisted that there was possibly no better writer of verse in India than Seth prompted me to check it out.
The book is a compilation of ten fables, retold and reinterpreted in the author's own inimitable style, lending it a lot wit and some clever twists. While two of the stories come from India, there are other fables taken from China, Ukraine and Greece. (The fact that Vikram Seth learnt Chinese poetry during his stay in the country might have had some bearing here).
Quite obviously, as Seth himself says, his decision to write this Jungle book fable was an impulsive one, prompted by a hot, sleepy day. He says."I decided to write a summer story involving mangoes and a river. By the time I had finished writing 'The Crocodile And the Monkey', another story and other animals had begun stirring in my mind. And so it went on until all ten of these beastly tales were born"
Among all the stories, at least four of them are extremely entertaining and Seth's rhyming scheme is a delight. I especially enjoyed The Hare And The Tortoise, which the author writes with much chutzpah and there's a nice little twist in the end.
Sample this:
"After the announcer’s gun
Had pronounced that he had won,
And the cheering if the crowd
Died at last, the tortoise bowed,
Clasped the cup with quiet pride,
And sat down, self-satisfied.
And he thought:: That silly hare!
So much for her charm and flair.
So much for her idle boast.
In her cup I’ll raise a toast
To hard work and regularity.
Silly creature! Such vulgarity!
Now she’ll learn that sure and slow
Is the only way to go---
That you can’t rise to the top
With a skip, a jump, a hop
But it was in fact the hare,
With a calm insouciant air
Like an unrepentant bounder,
Who allured the pressmen round her.
“Oh Miss Hare, you’re so appealing
When you’re sweating,” said one, squealing.
“You have tendered gold and booty
To the shrine of sleep and beauty,”
Or check out his verse in The Elephant and the Tragopan, where the animals describe mankind :
“He grasps our substance as of right
To quench and spur his appetite,
Nor will he grant us truce or grace
To rest secure in any place.”
Two other wonderfully told stories are, The Frog And The Nightingale and the first one, The Crocodile And the Monkey. I didn't care much for many of the other fables in the middle portion, which I thought were sort of violent and also repetitive. Make no mistake, this is not necessarily a lighthearted, feel-good read. Some of its stories are very much in the vein of George Orwell's Animal Farm, which we know was a hard-hitting political allegory.
Of course, there are fables here which offer plenty of personal lessons. If The Crocodile And The Monkey talks about the ugliness of greed, The Frog And The Nightingale (a personal favourite from the book) is a particularly moving story about a nightingale, who loses her voice and her audience, by heeding to the selfish frog's advice.
Vikram Seth displays mastery in poetry and this is especially a good book to read out aloud to children or anyone, so that the lyrical and rhyming quality of the words are effectively brought out.
It's not like a MUST read but it's a good one if you're in a mood for something different. And yes, there's great repeat value.
Keep this for one of those rainy days (literally! if you must!). :-)
-Sandhya Iyer
sandyi.blogspot.com
I've never been much into verse, if you exclude that brilliant satire by Alaxander Pope, The Rape Of The Lock or Milton's Paradise Lost.
Barring these classic works, I haven't really bothered with verse, especially when it comes to modern writers. Which is why, this quite simply escaped me and in any case, I'm yet to really sink my teeth into any of Vikram Seth's works.
But a very heavy recommendation by a friend, who insisted that there was possibly no better writer of verse in India than Seth prompted me to check it out.
The book is a compilation of ten fables, retold and reinterpreted in the author's own inimitable style, lending it a lot wit and some clever twists. While two of the stories come from India, there are other fables taken from China, Ukraine and Greece. (The fact that Vikram Seth learnt Chinese poetry during his stay in the country might have had some bearing here).
Quite obviously, as Seth himself says, his decision to write this Jungle book fable was an impulsive one, prompted by a hot, sleepy day. He says."I decided to write a summer story involving mangoes and a river. By the time I had finished writing 'The Crocodile And the Monkey', another story and other animals had begun stirring in my mind. And so it went on until all ten of these beastly tales were born"
Among all the stories, at least four of them are extremely entertaining and Seth's rhyming scheme is a delight. I especially enjoyed The Hare And The Tortoise, which the author writes with much chutzpah and there's a nice little twist in the end.
Sample this:
"After the announcer’s gun
Had pronounced that he had won,
And the cheering if the crowd
Died at last, the tortoise bowed,
Clasped the cup with quiet pride,
And sat down, self-satisfied.
And he thought:: That silly hare!
So much for her charm and flair.
So much for her idle boast.
In her cup I’ll raise a toast
To hard work and regularity.
Silly creature! Such vulgarity!
Now she’ll learn that sure and slow
Is the only way to go---
That you can’t rise to the top
With a skip, a jump, a hop
But it was in fact the hare,
With a calm insouciant air
Like an unrepentant bounder,
Who allured the pressmen round her.
“Oh Miss Hare, you’re so appealing
When you’re sweating,” said one, squealing.
“You have tendered gold and booty
To the shrine of sleep and beauty,”
Or check out his verse in The Elephant and the Tragopan, where the animals describe mankind :
“He grasps our substance as of right
To quench and spur his appetite,
Nor will he grant us truce or grace
To rest secure in any place.”
Two other wonderfully told stories are, The Frog And The Nightingale and the first one, The Crocodile And the Monkey. I didn't care much for many of the other fables in the middle portion, which I thought were sort of violent and also repetitive. Make no mistake, this is not necessarily a lighthearted, feel-good read. Some of its stories are very much in the vein of George Orwell's Animal Farm, which we know was a hard-hitting political allegory.
Of course, there are fables here which offer plenty of personal lessons. If The Crocodile And The Monkey talks about the ugliness of greed, The Frog And The Nightingale (a personal favourite from the book) is a particularly moving story about a nightingale, who loses her voice and her audience, by heeding to the selfish frog's advice.
Vikram Seth displays mastery in poetry and this is especially a good book to read out aloud to children or anyone, so that the lyrical and rhyming quality of the words are effectively brought out.
It's not like a MUST read but it's a good one if you're in a mood for something different. And yes, there's great repeat value.
Keep this for one of those rainy days (literally! if you must!). :-)
-Sandhya Iyer
sandyi.blogspot.com
June 17, 2019
Even though all the poems were brilliant retellings of popular fables, I would not recommend this book to a younger audience, as the underlying themes and references paint too sordid a picture of the harsh realities of society in general.
February 26, 2023
Beastly Tales from here and there. - Vikram Seth
Rating - 4/5
This is my first book of Vikram Seth which I completed, the other books, I am still midway or the others which I am contemplating to be read someday soon.
There are ten tales in this book, each involving wildlife or animals. Each of the tale is told in verse. Yes it's poetry. Poetry involving plants, animals and humans, which is infact fun. It is refreshing.
There are many things which I liked about the tales and about the book as such. I shall write about them, but there is one thing which I did not like about the book.
The book gets over way too soon. You will be wondering if there could be anymore wordplay.
The good bits about the book being, its very simple to read, yet there is a part which I found difficult. Difficult due to the fact involving my own ignorance about the wildlife.
I really have not had a chance to equip myself with the awareness of so many animals in the wild. I fall short of imagining how the mentioned animal looks or behaves and which is nothing short of embarrassment.
The best part of some of the tales couple to be precise is the way Seth has dealt with sensitivity. You know its a tale, you know its or it could be imaginary, yet Seth writes in a way, where you are moved. You feel sad when the central character is sad. You wish they deserve better. In return the tales teach you to start appreciating everything you got.
Seth makes it look so simple and beautiful, yet, when you try your hand at a similar prose, it turns out to be obnoxious and silly.
Awareness, knowledge and observation of Vikram Seth are beyond excellence. And putting them into practice via simple, subtle, yet powerful and rhyming verse makes all the effort look magical.
Quick, effortless, yet an enriching and rewarding read.
Cheers,
Rating - 4/5
This is my first book of Vikram Seth which I completed, the other books, I am still midway or the others which I am contemplating to be read someday soon.
There are ten tales in this book, each involving wildlife or animals. Each of the tale is told in verse. Yes it's poetry. Poetry involving plants, animals and humans, which is infact fun. It is refreshing.
There are many things which I liked about the tales and about the book as such. I shall write about them, but there is one thing which I did not like about the book.
The book gets over way too soon. You will be wondering if there could be anymore wordplay.
The good bits about the book being, its very simple to read, yet there is a part which I found difficult. Difficult due to the fact involving my own ignorance about the wildlife.
I really have not had a chance to equip myself with the awareness of so many animals in the wild. I fall short of imagining how the mentioned animal looks or behaves and which is nothing short of embarrassment.
The best part of some of the tales couple to be precise is the way Seth has dealt with sensitivity. You know its a tale, you know its or it could be imaginary, yet Seth writes in a way, where you are moved. You feel sad when the central character is sad. You wish they deserve better. In return the tales teach you to start appreciating everything you got.
Seth makes it look so simple and beautiful, yet, when you try your hand at a similar prose, it turns out to be obnoxious and silly.
Awareness, knowledge and observation of Vikram Seth are beyond excellence. And putting them into practice via simple, subtle, yet powerful and rhyming verse makes all the effort look magical.
Quick, effortless, yet an enriching and rewarding read.
Cheers,
October 3, 2025
Like a modern Aesop's Fables, these animal tales in verse are a treat and can be enjoyed by young and old alike. Familiar characters in a new and magical form, such as the greedy crocodile who was outwitted by the monkey or the steady tortoise who out-ran the hare, take their place beside a newly minted gallery of characters who are quirky, witty and fun. Here is further proof that Vikram Seth can try on the most unusual clothes without in the least losing his unique identity.
Of the ten tales told here, the first two come from India, the next two from China, the next two from Greece, and the next two from the Ukraine. The final two come directly from Seth's magical imagination. The last one named 'The Elephant and the Tragopan' is a fitting climax as the author leaves the question open of the fight between man and nature.
'And so I'll end the story here.
What is to come is still unclear.
Whether the fates will smile or frown,
And Bingle Vale survive or drown,
I do not know and cannot say;
Indeed, perhaps, I never may.
I hope, of course, the beasts we've met
Will save their hidden valley, yet
The resolution of their plight
Is for the world, not me, to write.'
Of the ten tales told here, the first two come from India, the next two from China, the next two from Greece, and the next two from the Ukraine. The final two come directly from Seth's magical imagination. The last one named 'The Elephant and the Tragopan' is a fitting climax as the author leaves the question open of the fight between man and nature.
'And so I'll end the story here.
What is to come is still unclear.
Whether the fates will smile or frown,
And Bingle Vale survive or drown,
I do not know and cannot say;
Indeed, perhaps, I never may.
I hope, of course, the beasts we've met
Will save their hidden valley, yet
The resolution of their plight
Is for the world, not me, to write.'
December 31, 2020
It felt like reading a smooth, well-written version of Panchatantra Tales that many of us in India grew up with. Vikram Seth presents known animal folklore in poetic form with his unique evocative sorcery, which makes it really difficult to put down once one starts reading it.
A must for all who enjoy poems on nature, animals and folklore packed in a lyrical form!
A must for all who enjoy poems on nature, animals and folklore packed in a lyrical form!
December 6, 2020
This was me after reading every single poem in this book --> 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
June 10, 2021
I laughed and cried,
and had a really good time.
and had a really good time.
August 6, 2015
Review @ A Lot of Pages: http://tinyurl.com/qghyqm5
Reading these beautiful stories in verse, I can’t help but fall in love with poetry again, and with those fables as well. It brings magic with it. No matter what the mood, I feel these tales in verse will leave you with a smile. No. I don’t think they’ll leave you that easily either. They took me down memory lane.
Reading these beautiful stories in verse, I can’t help but fall in love with poetry again, and with those fables as well. It brings magic with it. No matter what the mood, I feel these tales in verse will leave you with a smile. No. I don’t think they’ll leave you that easily either. They took me down memory lane.
October 16, 2023
I can't think of anything bad to say about this book, except, maybe that it's too slim. And makes me want to go back and once again begin, what I have finished. And that which I waited far too long to get started. I think it deserves another star, but that might be going a touch too far.
January 21, 2010
Such humour, such wit, such beauty !
February 29, 2016
Fun, fun, fun.
December 23, 2019
Childhood revisited. Such a sweet and funny collection of poetry.
August 17, 2023
Vikram Seth needs no introduction to poetry lovers. He is the master of rhymed verse, constructing a whole novel (The Golden Gate) out of sonnets. Of the poems of his collection, All You Who Sleep Tonight: Poems, each one is a gem.
Beastly Tales (from Here and There) finds him in a lighter mood, retelling popular folktales from India, China, Greece, Ukraine and the "Land of Gup" (a nod to Rushdie here - though the tales, I am sure, are Seth's own). Well known stories are given modern twists to make them weirder and funnier.
The last poem, 'The Elephant and the Tragopan', the longest one in the collection, stands out from others because of the very real issue of habitat destruction it handles. The elephant's speech to his fellow animals is worth quoting.
Beastly Tales (from Here and There) finds him in a lighter mood, retelling popular folktales from India, China, Greece, Ukraine and the "Land of Gup" (a nod to Rushdie here - though the tales, I am sure, are Seth's own). Well known stories are given modern twists to make them weirder and funnier.
The last poem, 'The Elephant and the Tragopan', the longest one in the collection, stands out from others because of the very real issue of habitat destruction it handles. The elephant's speech to his fellow animals is worth quoting.
'O Beasts of Bingle gathered round,An enjoyable, lighthearted poetry collection.
Though in our search for common ground
I would not dream of unanimity
I hope our views may reach proximity.
I speak to you as one whose clan
Has served and therefore studied man.
He is a creature mild and vicious,
Practical-minded and capricious,
Loving and brutal, sane and mad,
The good as puzzling as the bad.
The sticky centre of this mess
Is an uneasy selfishness.
He rips our flesh and tears our skin
For cloth without, for food within.
The leopard's spots are his to wear.
Our ivory unknots his hair.
The tragopan falls to his gun.
He shoots the flying fox for fun.
The black bear dances to his whim.
My own tame cousins slave for him.
Yet we who give him work and food
Have never earned his gratitude.
He grasps our substance as of right
To quench and spur his appetite,
Nor will he grant us truce or grace
To rest secure in any place.
Sometimes he worships us as Gods
Or sings of us at Eisteddfods,
Or fashions fables, myths, and stories
To celebrate our deeds and glories.
And yet, despite this fertile fuss,
When has he truly cared for us?
He sees the planet as his fief
Where every hair or drop or leaf
Or seed or blade or grain of sand
Is destined for his mouth or hand.
If he is thirsty, we must thirst
For of all creatures, man comes first.
If he needs room, then we must fly;
And if he hungers, we must die.'
March 2, 2025
Vikram Seth's lyrical fables are furnished for the modern world. He draws from the classic fables from various cultures (India, China, Greek, Ukraine and completely original) and reinvents them into some much more punchy and flavorful. They impress and entertain the modern senses. The Crocodile and the Monkey tells us to be wary of friendships as they can turn into betrayals. The Louse and the Mosquito warns us to not be gullible. The Mouse and the Snake tells us to conquer our enemies when they least expect it. The Rat and the Ox reveals that evil can be stubborn as well, where a moment of mercy can be taken advantage of to get ahead. The Eagle and the Beetle is a disclaimer about the insatiability of vengeance. The Hare and the Tortoise, the wonderful classic, also does not escape Seth's climactic adaptation - how fame, money and attention can easily escape the rightful in order to favor those who deserve it the least. The Cat and the Cock is a warning about the dangers of ignoring the caution from worldly wisdoms. The Goat and the Ram shows us how offense is sometimes the best defense, how to fight fear with fear. The Frog and the Nightingale, a feature from my high school years, was a nice reminder of how validation from unworthy leaders can ruin even the most talented people. And finally, The Elephant and the Tragopan is a reminder of the susceptibility of larger good to others' selfishness. All these ten verses will definitely strike as cynical outlook towards one's fellow creatures. Rather than pampering with the usual victory of good over evil (even when it actually happens in the poems), the morals are tinged with realistic unfairness of how tables can turn cruelly against anyone, how goodness is vulnerable to corruption and being taken advantage of, or how even the most loving relationships are threatened by outsiders. These contrast very much with the lightness and playfulness of the rhymes. However, Seth is very clever is not just handing over these morals on a platter. The ambiguous allegiance of their lessons is their ultimate charm.
January 18, 2025
Who doesn’t love talking animals? Who doesn’t love folktales similar to the ones your grandmother told you when you were a kid? Who doesn't love verse that is made for the purpose of being read aloud? Unless you are any of those, this collection of poems is for you.
The book features ten "beastly tales", two each from India, China, Ukraine, Greece and from what Vikram Seth calls the "Land of Gup". These are stories with a moral if you want to look for a moral, but even without moral, they stories that make you smile, that make you think and that make you want to read them aloud one more time. The poems are so enticing that even if you want to read the book silently, you end up muttering the words softly because that is the best way they can be enjoyed.
While the stories are retellings of popular folk tales, the author has added his own twist to them. In the hare and the tortoise, for example, while the plot remains true to the original, the end is still something that reflects the reality of our social media age.
The last story, particularly, is a retelling of what is happening around the world, but particularly in India, where habitats are being destroyed in the name of development. Told like a folk tale, it could just as easily be something taken from the newspaper. More than anything else, that tale shows us how folk tales emerged, and how they are universally relevant. Added an additional 1/2 star just for that story.
Vikram Seth, after The Golden Gate has been universally acknowledged as someone who uses poetry masterfully to tell a tale; reading these stories, you know that the reputation is well deserved. Whether you are 6 or 96, as long as the child in you is alive, you will love this book. There may be people who argue that the themes are too dark for younger children, but children always process as much as they can, and it is best to let them be.
The book features ten "beastly tales", two each from India, China, Ukraine, Greece and from what Vikram Seth calls the "Land of Gup". These are stories with a moral if you want to look for a moral, but even without moral, they stories that make you smile, that make you think and that make you want to read them aloud one more time. The poems are so enticing that even if you want to read the book silently, you end up muttering the words softly because that is the best way they can be enjoyed.
While the stories are retellings of popular folk tales, the author has added his own twist to them. In the hare and the tortoise, for example, while the plot remains true to the original, the end is still something that reflects the reality of our social media age.
The last story, particularly, is a retelling of what is happening around the world, but particularly in India, where habitats are being destroyed in the name of development. Told like a folk tale, it could just as easily be something taken from the newspaper. More than anything else, that tale shows us how folk tales emerged, and how they are universally relevant. Added an additional 1/2 star just for that story.
Vikram Seth, after The Golden Gate has been universally acknowledged as someone who uses poetry masterfully to tell a tale; reading these stories, you know that the reputation is well deserved. Whether you are 6 or 96, as long as the child in you is alive, you will love this book. There may be people who argue that the themes are too dark for younger children, but children always process as much as they can, and it is best to let them be.
December 11, 2018
Once or Twice upon a time
In the land of RunnyRhyme
Lived a hare both hot and ready
And a tortoise slow and steady.
Yes, you guessed it right. This is the same story of the Hare who lost to the slow and steady Tortoise. But with a twist. Vikram Seth's Beastly Tales from Here and There is a collection of Tales from around the world . This is no story book but a poetic narration of some of the bedtime Tales we have heard as kids. His simple vocabulary and the interesting dialogues makes this a jolly read. And the best part is, it's a short read - and a really delighting one at that!
It was so much fun to re-read these Tales - with all the rhyming words and the conversations between animals. And like every other children themed tale, this is full of morals to pick up. So, if you are looking for a light hearted read, pick this one. You won't regret it!
In the land of RunnyRhyme
Lived a hare both hot and ready
And a tortoise slow and steady.
Yes, you guessed it right. This is the same story of the Hare who lost to the slow and steady Tortoise. But with a twist. Vikram Seth's Beastly Tales from Here and There is a collection of Tales from around the world . This is no story book but a poetic narration of some of the bedtime Tales we have heard as kids. His simple vocabulary and the interesting dialogues makes this a jolly read. And the best part is, it's a short read - and a really delighting one at that!
It was so much fun to re-read these Tales - with all the rhyming words and the conversations between animals. And like every other children themed tale, this is full of morals to pick up. So, if you are looking for a light hearted read, pick this one. You won't regret it!
January 1, 2024
Vikram Seth has trust issues. Most of these tales prop up the need for distrust and the inability for animals to change their ways. Only the last tale suggests that maybe there is a way out but even then it is a faint hope.
Oh well. Disaster, I guess. What do you expect from an economist? Economics is called the dismal science as it is predicated on best interest. I mean, now with the advent of game theory, a better argument that there will be a general move towards inclusion and liberalization. That isn't broached here, probably because it wasn't super in vogue at the time.
Depressing this is but a good read also.
Oh well. Disaster, I guess. What do you expect from an economist? Economics is called the dismal science as it is predicated on best interest. I mean, now with the advent of game theory, a better argument that there will be a general move towards inclusion and liberalization. That isn't broached here, probably because it wasn't super in vogue at the time.
Depressing this is but a good read also.
November 21, 2023
I was randomly scrolling through one of the old bookstores in town, and I found this book. I have never read any Vikram Seth book before.
This book has 10 stories from India, China, Greece, Ukraine, and 2 from the author himself. I remember the first 2 stories from my childhood and but didn't know much about the other stories. It was such a beautiful experience to read the other stories. the author wrote these stories in the form of poems.
But I must say that the last poem written by the author himself was very moving and truly represents today's political scenario.
This book has 10 stories from India, China, Greece, Ukraine, and 2 from the author himself. I remember the first 2 stories from my childhood and but didn't know much about the other stories. It was such a beautiful experience to read the other stories. the author wrote these stories in the form of poems.
But I must say that the last poem written by the author himself was very moving and truly represents today's political scenario.
April 29, 2024
Two from India,
Two from China,
Another two from Greece,
Other two from Ukraine,
And the author said,
The last two came directly
From the Land of Gup!
Which became the
"Beastly Tales from Here and There" The fables are timeless for all ages
A blend of witty and versatility.
Each tale is a masterpiece,
Put together humor, wisdom,
and social commentary.
Whether one loves fables
Or adores the art of story telling
Vikram Seth's "Beastly Tales"
Imprints the mind with pondering lessons
Long after the final page is turned.
Two from China,
Another two from Greece,
Other two from Ukraine,
And the author said,
The last two came directly
From the Land of Gup!
Which became the
"Beastly Tales from Here and There" The fables are timeless for all ages
A blend of witty and versatility.
Each tale is a masterpiece,
Put together humor, wisdom,
and social commentary.
Whether one loves fables
Or adores the art of story telling
Vikram Seth's "Beastly Tales"
Imprints the mind with pondering lessons
Long after the final page is turned.
November 2, 2020
Delightful retelling of fables with addictive rhymes, modern metaphors, and much more nuance than the moralistic versions. Beautifully illustrated with a desi touch; perfect bedtime reading for it's musicality.
Especially loved 'The Frog and the Nightingale' - this is the audience at the Nightingale's concert:
"Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,
Mallard and Milady Trent,
Martin Cardinal Mephisto,
And the Coot of Monte Cristo"
Especially loved 'The Frog and the Nightingale' - this is the audience at the Nightingale's concert:
"Owl of Sandwich, Duck of Kent,
Mallard and Milady Trent,
Martin Cardinal Mephisto,
And the Coot of Monte Cristo"
October 5, 2017
Young & old alike - as well as poetry lovers or haters! - should enjoy these reworks of fables. The rhythm & cadence makes them perfect for reading out loud.
I particularly enjoyed the last two verses of "The Hare & the Tortoise"....very apt in todays celebrity mad, media obsessed world :o)
I particularly enjoyed the last two verses of "The Hare & the Tortoise"....very apt in todays celebrity mad, media obsessed world :o)
April 25, 2018
I never get the hype around the Indian poets, though I am an Indian myself. Poetry is not my cup of tea, but still, one needs to try everything. That's what I am doing. I liked the frog and the nightingale, but apart from that, all the poems sound monotonous. I have millions of times heard about the monkey and the crocodile. Elephant and the Tragopan was bearable.
October 14, 2019
It doesn't take much to make the association with Dahl's Beasty Creatures and Revolting Rhymes but, while there are similarities in tone and intention, Vikram Seth's book of Beastly Tales From Here and There is a very different piece of work and very good in its own way. Comparisons on the level of comedy and ridiculousness would be unfair anywhere; Dahl stands almost entirely alone in that respect, at least in the consistency and quantity of his comic verses. Vikram Seth's poems share some intentions; these are gruesome and humourous rhymes which will appeal to adults as well as children with a dispostion for the grizzly and macabre, they involve personified members of the animal kingdom and various sinister endings, as well as the occasional victory for the clever, sly and morally sound. They are a lot of fun to read and are full of satisfying rhythm and rhyme.
The tales are based on folk stories from all over the world (from Greece, to the Ukraine, to China) as well as a couple of stories directly from Vikram Seth's imagination. They are little known stories, but the feel of them is familiar. In the Crocodile and the Monkey the vile predator tries to trick the monkey into becoming his wife's dinner. The thoughtless Mosquito causes fatal problems for the poor Louse family. The Mouse and the Snake tells the sad story of a particularly fersome kung-fu mouse who sticks up for his friend. The Rat and the Ox is another story of the small and the wily overcoming a big bully with its wits. The Eagle and the Beetle is a Greece fable about how the beetle uses the great Zeus to get his revenge. The Cat and the Cock is a repetitive warning fable of caution and friendship. Most follow in the same vein except for the longest story, the The Elephant and the Tragopan, a socio-political fable, again pitting the weak against the strong, the small against the bully, and it's a roaring success, complimenting the other, shorter, more traditional tales very nicely.
But what makes the Beastly Tales great to read is the witty, smooth, fluent language, full of puns and jokes and wonderful descriptions. They make you laugh but there is a serious edge to the poems, like there should be to any good fable. They are full of morals and righteousness, balanced between satisfying victories and terrible tragedies. The ancient mixes very well with the contemporary in both language and tone. The resulting recipe is a collection of great poetry for young and old. 7
The tales are based on folk stories from all over the world (from Greece, to the Ukraine, to China) as well as a couple of stories directly from Vikram Seth's imagination. They are little known stories, but the feel of them is familiar. In the Crocodile and the Monkey the vile predator tries to trick the monkey into becoming his wife's dinner. The thoughtless Mosquito causes fatal problems for the poor Louse family. The Mouse and the Snake tells the sad story of a particularly fersome kung-fu mouse who sticks up for his friend. The Rat and the Ox is another story of the small and the wily overcoming a big bully with its wits. The Eagle and the Beetle is a Greece fable about how the beetle uses the great Zeus to get his revenge. The Cat and the Cock is a repetitive warning fable of caution and friendship. Most follow in the same vein except for the longest story, the The Elephant and the Tragopan, a socio-political fable, again pitting the weak against the strong, the small against the bully, and it's a roaring success, complimenting the other, shorter, more traditional tales very nicely.
But what makes the Beastly Tales great to read is the witty, smooth, fluent language, full of puns and jokes and wonderful descriptions. They make you laugh but there is a serious edge to the poems, like there should be to any good fable. They are full of morals and righteousness, balanced between satisfying victories and terrible tragedies. The ancient mixes very well with the contemporary in both language and tone. The resulting recipe is a collection of great poetry for young and old. 7
Read
June 19, 2021I wasn't a big fan. I still want to read Vikram Seth's other book (the huge one) but this didn't work for me. I liked the last story okey, nice message though a bit heavy handed. SOme of the others were fine, some I outright disliked (looking at you the Hare and the Rabbit). MOstly I was just kind of bored through out.
February 10, 2017
A review I write in the books own rhyme..
'Age-old animal fables and tales;
Weaved and coated in a poetic language to engage,
and attempted to woo and re-sale;
Holds stories that may be read once or twice,
With each of them giving the reader a mild little surprise.'
'Age-old animal fables and tales;
Weaved and coated in a poetic language to engage,
and attempted to woo and re-sale;
Holds stories that may be read once or twice,
With each of them giving the reader a mild little surprise.'
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