Folktales of Mithila

Mithila, the birthplace of Sita, is well known from Vedic times for her learning, scholarship and spirituality. But it is not much known that she is also rich in the traditions of rural culture. Folktales, folk art, folk dance, folk songs, paintings etc. are very much part of a vibrant social life in Mithila. Folktales have been passed from one generation to the next by mostly oral tradition. In the modern society with nuclear families and with the absence of elders, the tradition of telling the tales has been on the decline. People are forgetting the tales altogether. This has necessitated that they be compiled and preserved for the future generation. While there are several good compilations of folktales in Maithili language and a few in Hindi as well about the tales having their origin in Mithilas culture, the English version is almost non-existent. In the modern age of e-books, it is totally absent on that platform. This book attempts to bridge this gap by providing a modest collection of folktales for the benefit of society at large where neither Maithili books are available nor it is possible for people to read them. While I have benefitted from earlier compilations in Maithili and Hindi, I have added several tales which I had heard in my childhood but did not find them in the available compilations. A very brief introduction to Mithila and its culture has been included for the benefit of the readers who cannot find easily accessible material on the subject.