মণির পাহাড়

by Unknown, Noni Bhowmik (Translator), Supriya Ghosh (Translator)

Fairy tales (several from some, at least one from all) rendered into English from the Russian, Ukrainian, Byelorussian, Lithuanian, Latvian, Karelian, Estonian, Moldavian, Azerbaijan, Armenian, Georgian, Bashkir, Kalmyk, Turkmen, Uzbek, Tajik, Altai, Zazahk, Yakut, Buryat, Nenets, and Chukchi.

The Soviet Union was a huge country, the largest in the world. Its neighbors were Alaska in the East and Scandinavia in the West. In the south it stretched as far as the Caucasus and Pamir mountain ranges, and in the North reached out into the Arctic Ocean.

When the rays of dawn light up the sky of Khabarovsk in the Far East, the sun is only just beginning to set in Minsk, Kiev and other cities in the west; and while icy winds blow in Yakutia, roses bloom in Tashkent and vacationers enjoy the sun on the pebbly beaches of the Black Sea.

Many different peoples live in this huge country, each with its own habits and traditions, its own language. The Uzbek language, for instance, bears as little resemblance to the Russian or, say, the Moldavian as the Arabic does to the English or the Chinese.

And each of the peoples of the former Soviet Union has its own fairytales.

The Chuckchi and Nenets tales as well as the tales of other peoples of Russia's North transport us into the snowy tundra, a realm of fierce frosts and howling blizzards, where the dog and the reindeer are man's best friends. In the tales of the peoples of Central Asia caravans of camels plod slowly over the scorching sands, and the ceaseless murmur of water comes from the numerous canals that feed the ever thirsty fields. Other scenes and images rise up before us when we read Russian fairy-tales. The stout-hearted young heroes of these tales gallop on horseback over hills and dales which are green in summer and carpeted with snow in winter, while their lovely tsarevnas sit patiently waiting for them in their log towers with windows of mica.

Open the book, and you will find yourselves in a world of magic. None of your old friends will be there -neither Jack the Giant Killer, nor Little Red Riding Hood, nor Cinderella or any of the others. Instead, together with Ivan the Peasant's Son you will cross swords with Chudo-Yudo, the fire-breathing monster; follow Pokati-Goroshek the Rolling Pea into the underground kingdom and return from there on the back of an eagle; marvel at the cleverness of Zarniyar who outwitted the sly and cruel Shah; be filled with admiration at Boroldoi-Mergen, the brave hunter of the Altai Mountains who risked the life of his own son in order to save his people; delight in the resourcefulness of a simple weaver who surpassed in wisdom the wisest councillors of the tsar.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Folklore, Russia

295 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Unknown" when the author or editor (as applicable) is not known and cannot be discovered. If at all possible, list at least one actual author or editor for a book instead of using "Unknown".

Books whose authorship is purposefully withheld should be attributed instead to Anonymous.

Reviews

[Debashish Chakrabarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

সফেদ বইটা রূপকথার গল্পগুলো জড়িয়ে নিজেই একটা স্নিগ্ধতা। এইটাই তার গুণ। বিশাল-বিপুল সোভিয়েত অঞ্চলের বৈচিত্র্যময় সংস্কৃতির মানুষ-জমিনের স্বচ্ছ কাঁচের মতো শত-শত ছবি চোখে ভাসে । এতসব অঞ্চলের মানুষের জীবনের অভিজ্ঞতার নির্যাস, আমাদের দাড় করায় মানুষের চিরায়ত সব আদিম-অকৃত্রিম প্রবৃত্তিগুলোর সামনে। গল্পগুলোর গায়ে লেগে আছে তার জমিনের কাঁচা গন্ধ, আর অনুবাদের জোরে ওম-ওম বিরল অভিজ্ঞতার সামনে এসে দাঁড়াই। বিরল আজকের এই অস্থির-পাশবিক-স্বার্থপর সময়ের প্রেক্ষাপটে। এমন বাস্তবতা থেকে পালাবার জন্য নয় বরং মানুষের আদিম প্রবৃত্তিগুলোর রকমফের বুঝতে, তার সাথে মোকাবেলার এক বিশেষ ধাঁচের - যা কিনা আপাত দৃষ্টিতে সরল অতচ গভীর জীবনদৃষ্টির সাথে আবার পরিচিত হবার উপলক্ষ এই বই।

[Aparna Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an integral part of my childhood. I have lost count of how many times I have read it . Absolutely magical and fantastic. It used to take me to a different world. I still remember this story of a woman called Anaiyat who was very clever and firm in her opinions. I liked that story a lot. There are some stories that are a lot similar to Indian folklores. To me that discovery just showed how different yet similar we are and that's beautiful!

[Daina Chakma · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My Dear Lucy,
I wrote this story for you, but when I began it I had not realized that girls grow quicker than books. As a result you are already too old for fairy tales, and by the time it is printed and bound you will be older still. But some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again."

শিশুসাহিত্য অসম্ভব পছন্দের একটা জনরা। এই জায়গার প্রতি ভালোবাসা কখনো ফুরোবে না। আর তাইতো সোভিয়েত দেশের নানা জাতির রূপকথা পড়ে বুড়ো বয়সেও আনন্দে কুটিকুটি হই!

[Sowmya CJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book picked out at a used book store and what became a treasure trove of my memories all the while introducing a young Indian girl in the early 90's to a world so far removed from what her reality was. A world filled with Tsar's and boys named Ivan and tales that began in places named Ukraine, Armenia, Uzbek, Byeloruss and the like. Places I could not even pronounce let alone imagine.

[Meeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was little girl when i first started reading and this was gift by my fathers boss to me i was so so excited about the book and my imagination started to work from there.... I can't stop reading from that day.... I love reading books ❤️


For Some situation i lost my book if anyone have it i want it please

[Sameer.s Amr · Rating 5 out of 5]

ഗംഭീരം

[Shubhendra]

I am looking for its Hindi version called " Heere Moti". Used to read when I was a kid. Can anyone help where I can buy. No luck so far.

[Ashik Hasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

সত্যি বলতে ৩.৫ তারা। বইটা অনেক উপভোগ্য। কিন্তু অনেক জায়গায় বানান ভুল আছে। আশা করি পরের সংস্করণ এ প্রুফ রিডিং আরো ভাল মত করে এই ভুল শুধরে নেয়া হবে

[Ravi John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I inherited a copy from my Grandfather and cherished it while I preserved it got stolen

[Bob Breckwoldt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My edition has stamped number 27. It is the original 1963 edition from the foreign languages publishing house Moscow. Some of the English is now archaic but it has a wealth of fantastic stories that will entertain and inform any child. I loved it as a child and still children who I read it to find these stories enthralling, scary and thoughtful. Get a copy if you can.

[Shalini M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the Hindi translation (titled Heere-Moti). Beautiful stories.

[Amila Wickramage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! My daughter enjoyed it. These are folk stories from the regions far away from the big cities and modern lifestyle. wonderfully written.