Tales from Indochina
This book contains a selection of folktales collected in Viet Nam from 1960 to 1975. Viet Nam's indigenous minority peoples are representative of several language groupings. The focus of this work includes folktales from three language families: Austronesian, Mon-Khmer, and Tai.
The fieldworkers who have collected and studied the oral literature included in this volume are grateful to those who have shared their rich traditions. Studying the present material in the original languages has contributed to a deeper understanding of each culture through its vocabulary as well as its grammar and discourse style. The hope is to contribute towards the preservation of this literature for future generations of the peoples of Indochina. The intent of the authors is to provide the reader with a unique window on cultures whose literatures, despite their richness, are not yet widely known.
Foreword
Introduction
Maps
I. Popular Tales
- The Legend of Kam and Hlok (Eastern Cham)
translated by David Blood - The Youngest Fairy Princess (White Tai)
translated by Jean Donaldson - The Story of the Wing-Wong Vultures (Bahnar)
translated translated by John and Betty Banker - Great Elephant (Roglai)
translated translated by Vurnell Cobbey - The Monkey Midwife (Roglai)
translated translated by Maxwell Cobbey - Master Thuan and the Tiger Fairy (Jeh)
translated by Patrick Cohen - The Cord that Ties People Together (Mnong Rlam)
translated by Evangeline Blood - The Gold Mine (Nung)
translated by Janice Saul - The Story of Phuong Loih (Haroi)
translated by Hella Goschnick - The Monkey Girl (Tho)
translated by Colin Day - Po-ong’s Stolen Rice House (Sedang)
translated by Kenneth Smith - The Story of Teng (Bru)
translated by Carolyn Miller
II. Tiger and Rabbit Stories
- The Tiger and the Rabbit (Chrau)
translated by David Thomas - The Rabbit and the Toad (Chru)
translated by Eugene Fuller - The Rabbit and the Gaur (Chru)
translated by Eugene Fuller - The Tiger and the Snail (Pacoh)
translated by Saundra Watson - Hrit and the Rabbit (Bahnar)
translated by John Banker
III. Lazy/Itchy Man Stories
- Mr. Countless-Warts (Black Tai)
translated by Jay Fippinger - Chot Caniet (Chrau)
translated by Dorothy Thomas - The Laziest Man in the World (Cua)
translated by Eva Burton - The Legend of J’Bong Alah (Eastern Cham)
translated by Doris Blood - ‘Bok’ Blar (Rengao)
translated by Marilyn Gregerson