Mundas are a group of tribes spread across States in Central India, supposedly the earliest settlers in this part of the country with a developed culture and civilization. The Munda society abounds in rich folktales which until a few decades back used to be passed orally from one generation to another. The present book is a collection of some Munda folktales. The elephant stories are real, and the author collected them living with the elephant chasers in deep forest villages.

India is a treasure-trove of folktales born out of the customs and traditions of the country. Sometimes these tales are retold in its different regions, while imparting the local flavour to them. The mobility of the folktales can be attributed to the pilgrims and travellers journeying from one part of the country to another. They rested at night in dharamsalas or inns, often attached to temples, where they mingled among themselves and with the local people. More often than not, folktales are passed on from grandmother to grandchildren so vividly that they are impressed in the listener's memory forever. They are delightful and fascinating to the young as well as the old. The same story even when heard repeatedly does not lose its interest as it appeals to the fantasies, the make-beliefs and the primitiveness in us. These beautiful folktales of India were on the verge of extinction when a project of compilation of 21 volumes consisting of folktales of different regions was launched by Sterling. These folktales have been gleaned from the larger collection.