Twenty-Two Goblins

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 209K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Twenty-Two Goblins by Arthur W. RyderAuthor: ,Language: English, Class: PK: Language and Literatures: Indo-Iranian literatures, Release Date: Aug 1, 2000

Editor's review

This book is Arthur W. Ryder's translation of the classical Indian story collection Twenty-Two Goblins (also commonly known as The Twenty-Five Tales of the Vampire or Twenty-Two Goblins), a classic English rendering of the Sanskrit framed-narrative tradition. The stories are structured around a question-and-answer exchange between a king and a goblin, with each night introducing an independent tale that tests the listener's judgment and wisdom. Its reading value lies in being both an introductory text for understanding Indian folk narrative and fable traditions, and a window into how the ancient story-within-a-story structure unfolds layer by layer. Ryder's translation is clear in language and brisk in rhythm, suitable for reading one piece at a time in spare moments as well as for reading aloud or storytelling. For readers studying narratology, comparative literature, and folklore, this book offers source material; for general readers, it is more like a collection of wisdom tales to dip into at leisure, after which one gains an intuitive sense of South Asian narrative traditions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in classical Indian literature and folk tales
Literature students studying narrative frames and embedded story structures
Teachers and storytellers in need of short read-aloud material
Casual readers who enjoy fables and wisdom-question formats

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting a long continuous plot novel
Readers unaccustomed to English translations of classical texts or archaic expressions
Readers seeking systematic exposition of Indian religious philosophy

Reading tips

Read one or two tales each night, treating it as a short bedtime story.
While reading, pay attention to the question-and-answer logic between the king and the goblin, and reflect on the judgment dilemmas in each tale.
Keep pen and paper handy to note the layers of stories-within-stories and observe how the frame narrative links the individual pieces.
If the English translation proves difficult, first read a Chinese summary of one tale, then return to the original.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Are the stories in this book one continuous long narrative?

No. The book consists of more than twenty relatively independent stories, each unfolding within the frame of the king-goblin question-and-answer exchange. They can be read separately and need not be read in order from beginning to end.

Can I understand it without a background in Indian literature?

Yes. The stories are driven mainly by plot and wisdom questions and do not rely on complex prior religious or philosophical knowledge. A few culturally specific terms can be checked in notes; overall the barrier to reading is low.

Is it suitable for reading aloud or telling to children?

Some stories lend themselves to oral telling, but certain episodes involve death and judgment tests. Adults should read through first, then choose pieces whose tone and content suit children.

Comments

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