Folk Tales of the Maldives

by Xavier Romero-Frias

Overview

The Maldives are mainly known as an equatorial tourist paradise to the south of India but some will know the archipelago risks drowning owing to global warming. Far less is known about the people, who have occupied these islands for millennia but whose deep indigenous culture is today under threat from a multitude of external forces.

This volume is a collection of 80 traditional short stories and legends selected from the large corpus of stories in the local oral tradition, and translated and illustrated by the author who is the foremost authority on the language and anthropology of the Maldives. These folk tales offer keen insights both into the history, culture and beliefs of the people of the Maldives and into the world they live in. The close relationship the Maldivians have with their environment is clear, likewise the syncretic nature of their Islamic faith, the tales bustling with spirits, sorcerers and monsters as well as local people, seabirds, etc.
Would-be travellers to the Maldives will find this a unique insight into the real country behind the tourist brochures. For scholars, the folk tales and analytical material offer a wonderful literary/folklore resource as well as fresh perspectives on the effects of globalization.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788776941055
Publisher:	NIAS
Publication date:	12/31/2012
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Names of Maldivians xiv

Glossary xv

Introduction: Maldivian Folklore and Popular Literature in the Divehi Language xxi

1 The First Coconuts 1

2 Makana Kalo 4

3 The Two Traders 7

4 Small Drops of Blood 18

5 Keula Bebe Duña 21

6 The Legend of Koimala 23

7 The Skin Disease 28

8 Safaru Kaidda 33

9 The Sandbank of the Seabirds 35

10 The Fried Breadfruit Chips 38

11 The Demon King 41

12 The Man Who Burned the Mosque 44

13 Havva Didi 47

14 The First Tunas (or Fiyala Bola Odi Duvvi) 52

15 Boat Number Ten 56

16 The Fruits of Greed 59

17 Amboffulu and Damboffulu 63

18 Telabagudi Koe' 65

19 Ukunumana and Limana 72

20 Ranna Mari 74

21 Findanpulu and Bondanpulu 76

22 The Skull below the Tree 80

23 The Stingray 84

24 Herra 89

25 The Island of the Lepers 91

26 Debo Dunige Vahaka (or The Two-headed Bird) 94

27 Don Hiyala and Alifulu 97

28 The White Disk 111

29 Fulu Digu Handi 115

30 The Man on the Whale 118

31 Oditan Kalege and His Wife 120

32 The Doni Given to Mohan 124

33 The Cat and the Broken Jar 126

34 Beri 128

35 Kullavah Falu Rani (Queen of the Mangrove Forest) 134

36 Khalidu and Sitti 141

37 Dombeyya 144

38 Makumbe 152

39 The Monster at the Kitchen Door 159

40 Makana's Treachery 161

41 The Girl in the Shark's Belly 164

42 Delikolu and Alikolu 170

43 Arruffanno Fereta 173

44 The Scarlet Wake 175

45 The Navigator under the Tree 180

46 Findana and the Cat 182

47 Nadalla Takuru 184

48 Hollavai (Folavahi) 190

49 A Heavy Kurumba 195

50 Fandiyaru Crab 197

51 The Honour of the Big Seashell 199

52 The Land Crab in the Kitchen 202

53 The Obstinate Makana 204

54 Sato and the Giant Crab 206

55 Makana and his Brother-in-Law 208

56 The Vigani That Haunted Toshali Takuru 210

57 Handi Don Kamana 212

58 Himiccha' eri Fureta (The Monster of Himiti) 220

59 Santimariyambu 222

60 The Tree at the Island End 224

61 Mameli Daita and Her Seven Children 230

62 The Pride of the Fleet 239

63 The Mud Wasp (or Verehuli) 243

64 The Man Who Learned from Two Books 246

65 The Legend of the Sandara Shell 250

66 The Master Navigator 253

67 The Moon in the Jar 258

68 The Lament 263

69 The Fish That Had More Bones 266

70 Kuda Tuttu Didi's Nails 268

71 The Mullet and the Clam 270

72 Ronu Eduru 272

73 The Cat That Chased Two Rats 274

74 Fanvakkolu and Valikolu 275

75 The Poor Man of Nalafushi and his Cow 276

76 The Awful Giant Fish 279

77 Kalobondage Diye 281

78 The King of the Sea 285

79 The Palace Bedbug 289

80 Muladovi 291

Bibliography 293

Index 298