Title: Ashade Galpa [Absurd Tales]

Author: Hemendraprasad Ghosh

Publisher: Srikanta Ray; 15, Sarkars’ Lane, Calcutta.

Printer: Kunjabihari De at the Harasundar Machine Press

Date & edition: 1901

Price: 1 rupee

About the book:
The volume is a collection of fifteen fairy stories and folk tales of both foreign and indigenous origins. In the preface the author laments that with the advent of English education children are losing touch with the indigenous folktales that form a part of the cultural history of any nation and draws attention to the immense value of folklore as a literary heritage. In its concern for preservation of the oral folktales the anthology predates the more famous Thakumar Jhuli.
A few of these tales had earlier appeared in Mukul, one of the most popular children’s periodicals at the end of the nineteenth century.

Illustrations: Black and white woodcut illustrations

Note:
The book is dedicated to those little ones whose ‘sweet naughtiness creates a tumult in the house but calms the restless heart’.

Pages: 95

Genre: Fairy and folk tale.

Source: The National Library

Shelfmark: 182.Oc.901.1

Pages from the book:
1. Title page
2. Page 1