Indian Tales

We can enjoy the authentic Indian tales published in this book thanks to the English orientalist William Crooke (1848-1923), who was one of the leading specialists in Indian folklore. Crooke graduated from Trinity College in Dublin and then held an administrative position in British-occupied India for a quarter of a century. He wrote extensively about Indians, their religions, beliefs, and customs. Understanding how much folklore means in the lives of each people, Crooke began to record Indian tales. Often, he was assisted in this task by Indian Pandit Ramgarib Chaube, who graduated from the Presidency College in Calcutta. The tales conveyed by Crooke in English amounted to more than seventy; they were published in Great Britain as a separate book. William returned to England in 1910 and was soon elected president of the Folklore Society, of which he had been a member for a long time. Crooke held this honorary position until the end of his life.

The edition is adorned with illustrations by William Heath Robinson (1872-1944). Fate had destined him to become a wonderful draftsman, as his grandfather, father, and even his own uncle were artists. William's older brothers - Thomas and Richard - eventually became illustrators as well. From early childhood, William was surrounded by a creative atmosphere; he grew up among paints, paintings, and books about art. It is not surprising that he took to pencils and pens at an early age. By the beginning of the 20th century, William Robinson was already known for his caricatures as well as his illustrations for Andersen's fairy tales, the works of William Shakespeare, and François Rabelais. The illustrations for Indian tales in this book reflect his love for the Art Deco style. However, Robinson Jr. had another passion. He adored inventing and depicting completely absurd mechanisms such as an "automated dousing device for soaking howling cats" or a "chair for removing warts from the top of the head." These constructions in his drawings, often powered by peculiar "steam boilers" - kettles heated by candles or alcohol lamps - were so unique that they entered the English lexicon.