Snake Prince and Other Stories: Burmese Folk Tales (International Folk Tale Series) - Softcover

Edna Ledgard was raised in Burma by missionary parents, and educated at Mandalay's American-run mission school for girls. Ledgard remembers the stories of her "Amah," the young Karen woman who watched over her and her brother and sister when they were small. After her father died, Ledgard found a small English primer he had purchased in Rangoon in 1920. It contained several retellings of familiar and loved Burmese legends, and became the inspiration for this collection. Ledgard now lives in Connecticut.

Collector and storyteller Ledgard was raised in Burma (now Myanmar) in the 1930s by missionary parents. Although she now lives in Connecticut, it is clear that the Burma of her childhood is a much-loved memory. In addition to the 25 tales collected here, the author has provided an extensive introduction to Burmese history, religion, and culture, as well as a chronology, a glossary, and a suggested reading list. These materials add considerably to the reader's understanding of the collected stories. The tales themselves are told with forthright simplicity, and the author neither hides nor makes excuses for the contradictions that are a part of any folk culture. Many of the stories will be instantly recognizable for the parallels they have within the Western folklore tradition; others will help illuminate an ancient culture facing the perils of modernization. The stories are ripe for telling, and this book is recommended for all folklore collections.DKatherine Kaigler-Koenig, Ellis Sch., Pittsburgh
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