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Old tales retold The Rupa Book of Favourite Fairy Tales Ruskin Bond is a great appreciator of fairy tales. He rationalises
his fondness at the outset: "So such contemporary fiction is ephemeral,
quickly forgotten, while the works of yesteryear’s prize-winning novelists
gather dust. But the great stories of folk and fairy lore are still with us,
alive and ready to be told again, for they have stood the test of generations
of readers and listeners." He has a strong faith in the power of fairy
tales to portray the general nature and shared values of humanity, which are
not specific to any culture. Fairy literally means a creature who possesses
magic powers. In the introduction, he gives his own definition of
fairies: "They are an invisible presence made up of our sweetest thoughts
and deepest emotions. The fleeting moments of happiness that come our way, and
the delight that comes to us in a beautiful garden—nature’s garden or your
very own—are conjured up by the magic words of colour and fragrance. For the
flowers themselves are fairies." Jivaka the Boy Wonder, a tale
from Ancient India, an inspirational story of perseverance, tenacity and
adventure leading to vast treasure of knowledge and fame, initiate the book.
Jivakas spirit of travel for learning recalls Ulysses’s passion for learning.
His magical powers of observations surely rub off on us. The Story of Bird
Feng is a romantic tale of love. Ta-Khai, Prince of Tartary, makes an
intense search for a dream-beauty, a subtle thief of his heart. His desperate
and restless spirit laments his helplessness. The strong response of human soul
to the beckoning of love is the essential theme of this story. The Bird Feng,
famed for assuming various shapes, solves the mystery and unites the Prince
with his beloved. The Red Spring recalls the story of Rama and his
devoted wife Sita, her abduction by the demon and Rama’s struggle to recover
her with the succor of Hanuman. The Friendship of Heera and Lal is a
touching story of Heera and Lal’s profound love with a sad finality. On
account of her folly and lack of insight, Heera falls a victim to the evil
designs of her jealous friend and deprives herself of her true love Lal. The
diabolical Blue Beard, in the story Blue Beard, makes a harsh attack on
women folk’s inquisitiveness, which he holds responsible for pathos of
humanity. Seven Brides for Seven Princes celebrates values of sincerity
and commitment as the parameters of genuine affection in an amusing manner. The
Dance of the Goblins is a fable with a practical message. "It is good
for a man to be cheerful, even when in trouble, for, if he is, he will get
sympathy and find friends who will be ready to help him. A spiteful and jealous
man like Tametomo always makes enemies." The tragedy of El-Kedir in The
Green Man of Senai, a tale from ancient Egypt, brings out the idea
emphatically that death is the natural and inevitable end of life. Escape from
death is neither desirable nor possible.
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This book brings for readers a body of picturesque and
quaint fairy stories, chosen and edited by the famed writer Ruskin Bond. Ruskin
Bond’s favourite fairy tales incorporate tales from allover the world, while
tales from India dominate in number. They delight both the children and the
adult tickling their imagination. They combine the past and the present, the
individual and the society, the human and the divine and the natural and the
supernatural world. Each story inspires the reader embodying some useful
lesson. The atmosphere of mystery and magic adds to the appeal of the
stories.