On the shelf

FINALLY Puffin moves from the safe, tried and tested triad of Ramayana-Mahabharata-Panchatantra stories and offers an anthology of little-known folktales from all over the country. Selected and edited by Eunice de Souza, who has written several books for children, the tales are quirky, funny, poignant and, of course, they have a moral.

Some of the stories are known 8212; from the treasure trove of Akbar-Birbal and Vikram-Betal. But there are many from Himalayan folklore, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and even tales from tribal lore.

Written in de Souza8217;s inimitable style, the stories are simple, short and recounted with gentle humour. They explain why it is the cock that is the first to welcome the sun, why people lost the tails they once had, just like animals, and more.

The illustrations have been done by Sujata Singh, and although they have none of the exuberant and bright colours of earlier Puffin books on the epics, they are detailed and vivid. Definitely a recommended read.