M. R. James was born in Kent, England in 1862. James came to writing fiction relatively late, not publishing his first collection of short stories - Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904) - until the age of 42. Modern scholars now see James as having redefined the ghost story for the 20th century and he is seen as the founder of the 'antiquarian ghost story'. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions with a brand new introductory biography of the author.

A bowl of water must be carried thousands of miles without a drop spilling A man is to be hanged for having a 'bad-luck' face The king’s well is getting married and all the kingdom’s wells must attend Ten year-old Sulekha meets the cocky TJ on her trip to Hampi, who claims to be a descendant of Tenali Raman, the jester of the Vijayanagar court. Tenali had a solution to every problem that befell King Krishnadevaraya’s kingdom—from the mundane to the bizarre. Through the comic tales of Tenali Raman, Sulekha and her friends explore the rich history of the majestic empire and life in sixteenth-century south India. Wonderfully witty and bubbling with fun and facts, this book is a peep into a vibrant period in Indian history and into one of India's sharpest minds.

King Krishnadevaraya has grown too proud of his own power and fame. It now falls upon Tenali Raman to show him that his power too changes with situations.