Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/15



"" contains tales gathered from the folklore of Far Eastern countries—India, China, Japan, the Philippine Islands and Persia. Most of those from India are adapted from "The Hitopadesa," which is also known as "The Book of Good Counsels," and "The Criterion of Wisdom." It may also be called "The Father of All Fables."

These Fables were originally compiled in Sanscrit, and later, many centuries later, (about the year 600 ), they were rendered into Persic. About two hundred and fifty years afterwards they were translated into the Arabic, Hebrew and Greek languages. They are perhaps best known in India today under the title of "Anvari Suhaili." The translation from which these particular stories are adapted is that from the original Sanscrit made by Sir Edwin Arnold.