Exotic, clever, and poignant, Asian-Pacific Folktales andLegends invites you into a magically distinctive world. Originating from the far corners of the globe--China, Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia--these tales teach us about morality and mysticism in enchanting ways. Organized by universal folkloric themes, Asian-Pacific Folktales and Legends features animal stories, tales of magical skill, explanations of how things came to be the way they are, delightful depictions of the clever and the foolish, ghosts and supernatural beings, and legends about heroes and gods. From "The Supernatural Crossbow," a Vietnamese tale, to the Malaysian story of "The Man in the Moon," each piece in this collection explores a self-contained, dreamlike universe that both delights and transports the reader. Shaped by the geographical and cultural influences of a people, these stories offer us an introduction to the complex oral traditions of the varied civilizations of one of the world's most fascinating regions.
It is an excelent option for any adult who want to be a child again.
stories to tell over tea
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 22 years ago
On sleepless nights I would grab this book and read a few stories and it never failed to whisk me away to faraway lands and times of long ago. My mom always told me Chinese fairy tales when I was growing up and I would always be enchanted by the lady who lived in the moon, felt the sorrow of the weaver maiden and pranced around jumping on furniture pretending to be the Monkey King, in my case Queen. This book brought back childhood fantasies that are lost when one grows up and helped create new fantasies with tales from countries I had never known as a child. Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, all have rich cultural heritages and the many legends and fairy tales retold in this book bridged a connection to these distant lands.I recommend this book for younger audiences so they have more variety in their readings and knowledge of other cultures.This is also recommended for adults because you're never too old to run around like Mulan and defending your furniture as if it were people, fighting for the good of China or your apartment.
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