The White Elephant And Other Tales from Old India

Abstract

This book is identical with another in the collection except that it has a green cloth cover with a strong weave, as against the blue cloth of the other copy without a significant weave. This book has captured my fancy. I find three fables: The Timid Little Rabbit (22), Singh Rajah and the Cunning Little Jackals (29, patterned after the story of the hare, lion, and well), and The Brahmin and the Tiger (67). Besides those there are three wonderfully told stories. The Kingdom of Mouseland (35) tells of the mice's revenge upon the camel-stealing woodcutters. The Bear's Bad Bargain (75) rewards a couple with all the good breaks while the poor bear gets all the bad breaks. The Man Who Rode a Tiger (84) has an unlikely hero who gets very lucky. Note the misprint where for were in the bottom line on 65.