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Cautionary Tales (Short Stories by Rabindranath Tagore)
Cautionary Tales contains selected stories by Rabindranath Tagore, translated from Bengali, spanning fifty years of the Nobel laureate’s contributions to the short story genre. The first section (Professions) gathers nine stories, including “Postmaster,” one of the three Tagore tales in Satyajit Ray’s film “Teen Kanya.” The second section (Marriage and Other Tribulations) includes four additional stories and “The Fouled Nest” (Nastanir), the novella that inspired one of Ray’s finest films, “Charulata.”
Complete Table of Contents:
Translator’s Note; Artist, Ascetic, Detective, Editor, Judge, Postmaster, Professor, Thief, and Tutor (stories under 'Professions'), and The Girl in the Middle, A Muslim Girl’s Tale, The Sentence, Superstition, The Nuisance, and The Fouled Nest (under 'Marriage & Other Tribulations').
Author: Rabindranath Tagore; Translator: Carolyn B
Brown’s translation of short stories by revered Bengali author, artist, composer, social leader, and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941) is a commendable effort in bringing Tagore to a contemporary audience. This anthology offers a curated selection of Tagore’s short fiction from across his career, each reflecting the humanism and intricate storytelling for which he has long been celebrated. Brown’s translation is both faithful and refreshing, capturing the essence of Tagore’s prose while making it accessible. This collection is divided into two sections: “Professions” and “Marriage and Other Tribulations,” each containing stories that explore various facets of human life and societal norms. Stories like “Postmaster” and “The Fouled Nest” resonate deeply with themes of love, loss, and the human condition, showcasing Tagore’s ability to weave complex emotions into simple narratives. Including lesser-known works alongside famous pieces like “Postmaster,” Brown provides a fresh understanding of Tagore’s expansive empathy and imagination, while the translator’s note is particularly insightful,
offering context about the challenges and nuances of Tagore’s work and language. Those barriers melt away, though, when reading Brown’s translations, which blend crisp clarity, narrative efficiency, and a sense of poetry: “Charu and Amal sat in the shade of the hog plum elaborating on their impossible dream,” runs one key line in
“The Fouled Nest”, a lively, surprising tale of the child bride of a wealthy man embracing an imaginary garden and the art of writing. “A Muslim Girl’s Tale” and “The Sentence” likewise highlight Tagore’s sensitivity to social issues—plus some heartening views on gender and class—in narratives whose brisk prose does not diminish the depth and richness of his vision. While contemporary readers could benefit from more contextual information, these elegant, evocative
translations preserve Tagore’s lyricism while reaffirming his timeless resonance. The first of several projected volumes, Cautionary Tales is a well-selected and beautifully rendered collection that both introduces and honors the spirit of Tagore›s storytelling.