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Fairy Tales of the Orient
In every language there are fairy tales of magic creatures and magic implements which enable the earthbound creatures we are to overcome our limitations. In addition, the fairy tales of all people reflect symbolically their dreams and their fears. The universal dream is sometimes expressed in the longing for children. So precious is the dream that it is accompanied by fears. Finally, in life, good does not always prevail, but in fairy tales, evil is worsted and good triumphs. The true fairy tale always provides this certainty, and perhaps it is right. This book explores those fairy tale paradigms from Japan, Turkey, Persia, India, Russia, China and other countries.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1965
About the author
Pearl S. Buck
791 books3,189 followersPearl Comfort Sydenstricker Buck was an American writer and novelist. She is best known for The Good Earth, the best-selling novel in the United States in 1931 and 1932 and which won her the Pulitzer Prize in 1932. In 1938, Buck became the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature "for her rich and truly epic descriptions of peasant life in China" and for her "masterpieces", two memoir-biographies of her missionary parents.
Buck was born in West Virginia, but in October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. As the daughter of missionaries and later as a missionary herself, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, with her parents, and in Nanjing, with her first husband. She and her parents spent their summers in a villa in Kuling, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, and it was during this annual pilgrimage that the young girl decided to become a writer. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, then returned to China. From 1914 to 1932, after marrying John Lossing Buck she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but she came to doubt the need for foreign missions. Her views became controversial during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, leading to her resignation. After returning to the United States in 1935, she married the publisher Richard J. Walsh and continued writing prolifically. She became an activist and prominent advocate of the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.
Buck was born in West Virginia, but in October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. As the daughter of missionaries and later as a missionary herself, Buck spent most of her life before 1934 in Zhenjiang, with her parents, and in Nanjing, with her first husband. She and her parents spent their summers in a villa in Kuling, Mount Lu, Jiujiang, and it was during this annual pilgrimage that the young girl decided to become a writer. She graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Lynchburg, Virginia, then returned to China. From 1914 to 1932, after marrying John Lossing Buck she served as a Presbyterian missionary, but she came to doubt the need for foreign missions. Her views became controversial during the Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy, leading to her resignation. After returning to the United States in 1935, she married the publisher Richard J. Walsh and continued writing prolifically. She became an activist and prominent advocate of the rights of women and racial equality, and wrote widely on Chinese and Asian cultures, becoming particularly well known for her efforts on behalf of Asian and mixed-race adoption.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 27, 2020
I do not think there will ever be a Pearl S Buck book I don't like. This book, of which is a collection of various fairy tales from Russia to China, is by far one of her best. I've only ever encountered 2 of the stories featured here before, so these tales are by far a very original collection. This book was written with respect to the cultures she was depicting, of which we can also learn much through these tales.
There are some very gruesome details. Fairy tales have a tendency to do so, so don't think this is any worse than the Brother's Grimm of Hans Christian Anderson, because it is not. Notably, not all the stories are that way. Also, remember that these are tales form various different cultures, so they often have cultural norms that may be considered shocking to some!
My favourite story in this collection was the one with the badger and the monk. I cannot remember its title, but it was just terribly precious.
There are some very gruesome details. Fairy tales have a tendency to do so, so don't think this is any worse than the Brother's Grimm of Hans Christian Anderson, because it is not. Notably, not all the stories are that way. Also, remember that these are tales form various different cultures, so they often have cultural norms that may be considered shocking to some!
My favourite story in this collection was the one with the badger and the monk. I cannot remember its title, but it was just terribly precious.
March 20, 2013
One of my favorite childhood fairy tale books. It's fun to read stories different from the usual Anderson, Grimm, or Perralt. I love the imagery in this book and I think the pictures helped with the overall good experience. Each story is introduced with a paragraph about the story's origin, moral, or history. It's a good way to learn about different cultures and what was important to them.
January 12, 2013
A edição Livros do Brasil apresenta inúmeros erros e gralhas.
January 22, 2024
I honestly expected more from this author, but agreed she just conveyed old legends, that don't exactly hold up to today's standards anymore. One could say this tales are for children but I argue that they are too mysoginistic to be directed at them; all protagonists are male save one (brother and sister) and the females are all beautiful princesses to be won (save one, the egyptian tale was actually the only one I liked, along with the japanese ones who focused less on love). Women's value lies in their beauty and little more. Of course these tales are hundreds of years old but I do think there are much more beautiful and valuable tales to be told in actuality. Some of the heroes were noble and wise, others punished for their foolishness, but overall it was not a memorable read.
March 10, 2022
3.5 stars
December 3, 2025
gostei desta coletânea de contos
March 16, 2017
This book has no awards
I would use it for children in k-2
This book has a variety of different old time stories. There are not very many pictures through out the book. Most of the stories are 2-3pages long.
This book would be a fun read aloud to younger classrooms. You could also use for short stories for older classrooms. Because there is no pictures, it is focused on the words.
I would use this in the classroom for pulling stories for what a classroom community should be.
I would also use to work on thinking about reading comprehension and the main idea.
I would use it for children in k-2
This book has a variety of different old time stories. There are not very many pictures through out the book. Most of the stories are 2-3pages long.
This book would be a fun read aloud to younger classrooms. You could also use for short stories for older classrooms. Because there is no pictures, it is focused on the words.
I would use this in the classroom for pulling stories for what a classroom community should be.
I would also use to work on thinking about reading comprehension and the main idea.
Read
March 9, 2017The maiden with the wooden helmet
1. N/a
2. k-3
3. In ancient Japan there was a maiden who was more beautiful than anyone around her. Her family became ill and died but not before warning her that people usually only take beautiful women a little seriously. So under her mothers orders she wears a wooden helmet to hide her head.
4. The story was fun to read. It's a little dated, but that's what you get with traditional folk tales. All in all I'd recommend it to a class that wants to learn about folk tales that are not the traditional European affair.
5. It can be used to demonstrate different cultural values and norms. It can also be used to build their vocabulary.
1. N/a
2. k-3
3. In ancient Japan there was a maiden who was more beautiful than anyone around her. Her family became ill and died but not before warning her that people usually only take beautiful women a little seriously. So under her mothers orders she wears a wooden helmet to hide her head.
4. The story was fun to read. It's a little dated, but that's what you get with traditional folk tales. All in all I'd recommend it to a class that wants to learn about folk tales that are not the traditional European affair.
5. It can be used to demonstrate different cultural values and norms. It can also be used to build their vocabulary.
March 9, 2015
the translation is not to my taste.
October 25, 2019
A good book to read if you like fairy tales.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews