India in Myths, Legends and Fairy Tales: From the Creation of the World to the End of the World

Indian culture is one of the oldest in human history. Many of its achievements have had a significant influence on the Western world. For example, the plots of a considerable number of European fairy tales trace back to Indian originals.... At the same time, the image of a distant fairy-tale country has inspired European authors for centuries to create amazing stories that captivate with their originality and colorfulness. This edition collects retellings of myths and legends, adaptations of fables and fairy tales, as well as summaries of what the ancient Greeks wrote about India. In the pages of this book, young readers will get acquainted with the diversity of Indian mythology and also meet famous ancient heroes such as Alexander the Great. The text is accompanied by illustrations of ancient sculptures, medieval Indian miniatures, and paintings by artists. All unfamiliar names and terms are explained with comments and margin notes to make the acquaintance with new material easy, engaging, and comfortable.