Read Indian folk tales and fairy stories collected by Flora Annie Steel, Ms. Howard Kingscote, Joseph Jacobs and more. Go to full list of Indian folk tales.

“Princess Labrum.” Illustration by John D. Batten. Published in Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, David Nutt.

About: The rich culture and vast landscape of India come alive in their ancient folk tales and folklore. Indian folklore and fairy tales have entertained and enlightened generations, since the dawn of language to modern time, with ballads of heroes, so beloved, they are deified and worshiped around the continent, and with epic poetry that strengthens and heralds a community’s shared values.

Influenced by Hinduism, Indian folk tales are robust with central religious figures and moral lessons; they were used to preserve history, important people and places, as well as the religious rites and ceremonies of various Indian regions. Most Sanskrit fables were written as children’s stories to teach youth important life philosophies, so they would grow up to be wise and responsible adults. This was especially true for the Hitopadesha stories written by Narayana, whose title literally translates as “to counsel or advise with benevolence.” Collections of the region’s folk tales include Tales of the Punjab: Folklore of India by Flora Annie Steel, Tales of the Sun or Folklore of Southern India by Ms. Howard Kingscote, and Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs.

From turtles who talk too much, jackals and mangos, to tigers and laughing fish, Indian folk tales delight people of all ages with beautiful narratives on friendship, morality and philosophy. Clever tricksters, nefarious villains and brave heroes make up the compelling and enduring folk history of India.