Myth-Folklore Unit: Georgian Folktales

Overview. Living in the Caucasus mountains of Central Asia, the people of Georgia stand at the meeting place of eastern Europe and western Asia, allied by religion with Orthodox Christianity and the cultural traditions of Byzantium on the one hand (most Georgians belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church), but also very much influenced by Persian and Turkish culture. In this selection of stories from Marjory Wardrop's Georgian Folk Tales, you will find tricksters bold enough to outwit even the devil himself, along with stories of inescapable fate and happy good fortune. There are tales of magic, dervishes, and demis (demons), plus some animal stories, and even a tale of Nasreddin, the "wise fool" whose exploits are famous throughout the Middle East and Central Asia.

Language. This book consists of retellings of Georgian folktales in contemporary English, so the language should not pose any difficulties.

Story Length. This unit contains only single-page stories, along with one page of proverbs.

Navigation. You will find the table of contents below, and you can also use this link to see the story posts displayed on two pages total: Georgian Folktales. Click "Older Posts" at the bottom of that page to see the second page.

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READING A:

1. Master and Pupil
2. Fate
3. The Serpent and the Peasant
4. The Two Brothers
5. The King and the Apple
6. The Three Precepts
7. The Cunning Old Man and the Demi
8. The Shepherd Judge
9. The Priest's Youngest Son
10. Mingrelian Proverbs

READING B:

1. The Strong Man and the Dwarf
2. The Grasshopper and the Ant
3. The King and the Sage
4. Teeth and No-Teeth
5. The Fool's Good Fortune
6. Two Losses
7. The Story of Dervish
8. The Father's Prophecy
9. The King's Counsellor
10. The Hermit Philosopher