"Old Deccan Days" is a fascinating collection of Indian folktales and legends authored by using Mary Frere, a British author and folklorist. This book gives readers a satisfying glimpse into the wealthy cultural background and storytelling traditions of the Deccan location in India. Mary Frere, who spent an enormous a part of her existence in India because the daughter of a British colonial administrator, had a deep appreciation for the local culture and its oral traditions. In "Old Deccan Days," she brings to existence the mesmerizing narratives and folklore she encountered during her time in India. The book is a treasure trove of tales that variety from myths and legends to ethical stories and anecdotes, ready towards the backdrop of the Deccan plateau. Through those stories, Frere introduces readers to a diverse array of characters, inclusive of kings, sages, animals, and everyday human beings. The stories regularly carry valuable lifestyles lessons and cultural insights, making them no longer only unique however additionally instructional. "Old Deccan Days" is a testament to Mary Frere's dedication to retaining the wealthy background of Indian storytelling.
Mary Eliza Isabella Frere (nicknamed May) was an English author who wrote about India. Frere released Old Deccan Days, the first English-language field-collected book of Indian storytales, in 1868. On August 11, 1845, Frere was born at the rectory of Bitton in Gloucestershire, England. She was the eldest of five children (the others were Catherine, Georgina, Eliza, and Bartle) of Henry Bartle Frere and Catherine (died 1899), the daughter of Lieutenant-General Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet. Mary's father had worked in Bombay's colonial administration since 1834, and he was appointed Governor of Bombay in 1862. The family lived in Wimbledon's Parish of St Mary, where Mary was educated privately. Frere wrote several poems as well as a drama. Old Deccan Days; or, Hindoo Fairy Legends, Current in Southern India was her most popular work. Collected from Oral Tradition, illustrated by her sister Catherine Frances Frere, was published in 1868. According to Frere's preface, she began collecting Indian mythology while traveling with her father on long journeys. Anna Liberata de Souza, a local ayah, was her only female friend. She was a Christian descendant of the Mahratta's Lingaet caste.
