NEH INSTITUTE 2011

Folktales & Jataka Stories

Twenty Jataka Tales by Noor Inayat Khan and H. Willebeek Le Mair (Paperback - May 1, 1985) and H. Willebeek Le Mair (Paperback - May 1, 1985) 20 tales drawn from famous legends concerning the former lives of the Buddha.The flavor is often suggestive of Aesop, as are the lessons that are so subtly and keenly conveyed.

Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten and Inspire by Dharmachari Nagaraja ( 2008) 20 retellings of Buddhist tales. Each story highlights a moral or ethical dilemma providing insight that can be used to defuse trying situations. At the conclusion of each story, applicable Buddhist principles are discussed.

Buddhist Animal Wisdom Stories by Mark W. McGinnis (Hardcover - Nov 9, 2004) 44 Jataka tales. Each having a wonderful, full page illustration. Some compare to western tales. (see story connections page)

Fantastic Theater: Puppets and Plays for Young Performers and Young Audiences by Judy Sierra (Hardcover - Jul 1991) Fabulous resourse for short scripts. It has 30 puppet plays adapted from nursery rhymes, folk songs, fables, poetry, folktales, and myths with instructional chapters on making and using rod and shadow puppets and puppet stages. Several of the plays are from Asia.

Folk Tales from the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, The Stolen Image and Other Stories by Kesar Lall (paperback 2000); part of a folklore series. 28 short folk tales. no illustrations. Helpful glossary.

10026. Further Tales From The Jatakas, Amar Chitra Katha, 2003. Comic book format. There are many of these available online.

The Rooster's Horns: A Chinese Puppet Play to Make and Perform (Unicef Storycraft Book) by Ed Young and Hilary Beckett (Apr 1983) This book is a great start as it has a simple story with three charaters and a narrator. The puppet shapes are ready to be traced or copied. Directions included on how to do a shadow puppet perfromance.

Simla Village Tales: Folktales from the Himalayas by Alice Elizabeth Dracott (Dec 15, 2003) First published in 1906. 57 tales. Some relate to western tales (see connections page) Many are quite short and many have morals. Original black & white illustrations.

The Three Boys: And Other Buddhist Folktales from Tibet (Latitude 20 Books) by John S. Major and Yeshi Dorjee (Nov 2006) Jataka tales. One is described on my 5th grade page.

Chinese Shadow Puppet Theater by Pentewa Interactive

Platform: Windows, Mac This is software.Highly recommended for shadow puppets -- if you can find it and use it on your computer. The scenery, animals, and people in this traditional story on promise-keeping are on the CD and can be sent to a printer. There is a brief animation of the story.

Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet by Lotta Carswell Hume and Koon-Chiu Lo (Aug 15, 2004); 18 beautifully illustrated tales with lush illustrations..

Just So. Stories. These stories are available in many formats, including for free on the Internet. The were written by Rudyard Kipling so are not exactly traditional stories from the people of the area. I thought they might work well with some of the other stories. First published in 1902.http://www.boop.org/jan/justso/

Oriental Myths and Legends published in 1932 by George G. Harrap & co. London; about 25 tales. Most of which would not be good for the K-5 level.

Lord Ganesha's Feast of Laughter by Meera Uberoi (May 30, 2007), 23 tales of this elephant headed god with black & white illustrations. From the tales you can appreciate and enjoy his sense of humor and intelligence. A quick, easy, fun read.

Monkey Business: Stories from Around the World by Shirley Climo and Erik Brooks (Apr 14, 2005); 14 stories and some proverbs, trivia, etc. 2 of the tales are from China. Beautifully illustrated.

Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists, Dover Paperback; 1967; by Ananda K. Coomaraswamy (Author), Sister Nivedita (Author); stories of the epics; deeds of Krishna, Shiva, taken from puranas, Vedas, folk tales, more. 32 illustrations.

Riddling Tales from around the World by Marjorie Dundas (May 6, 2002) ; 79 Riddle Tales from around the world; 13 are from India and China with three of those labeled as "ancient India"

Tales of Kathmandu: Folktales from the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal by Karna Sakya and Linda Griffith (1992); 61 tales with some black and white illustrations; comprehensive analysis of folklore in general as well as a thematic and structural study of Nepalese folktales. Comparisons & characteristics of the genres of myths, legends & folktales.

The Snow Lion's turquiose Mane, Wisdom Tales from Tibet by Surya Das, introductions by the Dalai Lama; 1992 Over 150 tales "authentic Buddhist teachings". No illustrations.Author is an American poet, writer, and Tibetan Buddhist lama.

I once was a Monkey, Stories Buddha retellings by Lee, Jeannie M. Lee illustrator, 1999. A retelling of six Jatakas, or birth stories, which illustrate some of the central tenets of Buddha's teachings, such as compassion, honesty, and thinking clearly before acting.

The Prince Who Ran Away: The Story Of Gautama Buddha by Anne Rockwell and Fahimeh Amiri (Nov 13, 2001); the story of the Buddha; well illustrated.Normally scary beings are actually a bit cute in the illustrations.

Picture Book Stories of the Himalayas

Clear Sky, Red Earth: A Himalayan Story by Sienna Craig and Tenzin Norbu (Nov 13, 2004); beautifully illustrated, written by one of the speakers at this NEH Institute

I See the Sun in Nepal (I See the Sun Books) by Dedie King, Judith Inglese and Chij Shrestha (Nov 26, 2010)

Namaste! by Diana Cohn, Amy Cordova and Ang Rita Sherpa (Apr 30, 2009) While walking with her mother, little Nima greets people s.aying "Namaste," which means "the light in me meets the light in you." Includes information on the geography, culture, and people of Nepal.

Resources for Creating Puppets, Props, Scenery, etc.

5000 Designs and Motifs from Indiaby Ajit Mookerjee (Jun 7, 1996) Incredibly rich treasury of authentic royalty-free designs adapted from artifacts of the Harappa culture, coins and pottery from South India, Ajanta and Bagh murals, Muslim monuments, Buddhist temples, textiles from Gujarat, Punjab, other regions, masks and tribal arts, much more.

Buddhist Symbols by Tatjana Blau and Mirabai Blau (May 28, 2002), a great resource for outlined images of Buddhas & Bodhisattvas, divinities, symbols of good fortune, plants, animasl, mandalas, musical instruments and more. Poses and hand gestures are illustrated and explained.

Fantastic Theater: Puppets and Plays for Young Performers and Young Audiences by Judy Sierra (Hardcover - Jul 1991) This book is a fabulous resourse for shadow puppet plays and images to trace for puppets. It has 30 puppet plays adapted from nursery rhymes, folk songs, fables, poetry, folktales, and myths with instructional chapters on making and using rod and shadow puppets and puppet stages. Several of the plays are from Asia.

Worlds of Shadow: Teaching with Shadow Puppetry by David Wisniewski and Donna Wisniewski (Nov 15, 1996) Easy step-by-step guide on how to introduce concepts of light and shadow to students. Stage directions, puppet patterns, scripts, projected scenery ideas, and a full range of astounding but readily achieved special effects

Making Shadow Puppets (Kids Can Do It) by Jill Bryant, Catherine Heard and Laura Watson (Sep 1, 2002) How to create traditional shadow puppets based on designs from around the world. With instructions for nine puppets, portable screen set-ups, scenery and script ideas

Shadow Puppets & Shadow Play by David Currell (Apr 28, 2008) Traditional shadow play techniques are covered, together with modern methods and recent explorations, puppet design, lighting and staging, and even techniques for creating translucent figures.

Chinese Shadow Puppet Theater by Pentewa Interactive

The Dalai Lama Paper Doll by Tom Tierney (Jul 28, 2006) Re-created costumes — yellow benzhida hat, puja worship shirt, and 20 more — this collection features 7 costumed dolls of the revered Buddhist leader and his parents at various periods of their lives.

Mandala Designs (Dover Pictorial Archives) by Martha Bartfeld (Mar 20, 2000); one of many Dover books on mandalas. Others can be found online or at bookstores.

Masks of the Himalayas by Dominique Blanc, Arnaud d'Hauterives, Berenice Geoffroy-Schneiter and FranCois Pannier (Sep 1, 2009) Spanning all religious influences in the Himalayan region—Hindu and Buddhist, animist and shamanic—and covering the entire area from Ladakh to Indian Kashmir, Nepal, Bhutan, Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet.

Tibetan Designs [COLOR BK-TIBETAN DESIGNS] (Mar 31, 2002) A Dover Book.30 designs adapted from authentic scroll paintings and mandalas. Elaborate images depict Buddhas, deities, Tibetan astrology signs, ritual instruments, and other traditional motifs.

Mei-Mei from China Sticker Paper Doll (Dover Little Activity Books) by Yuko Green (Jul 18, 1997); a very tiny, inexpensive book of paper dolls with costumes from different areas of China including Tibet, would be useful for puppets and costume design.

Tibet: Life, Myth, and Art (Stewart, Tabori & Chang's Life, Myth, and Art) by Sandi Leir Shuffrey (Oct 1999) Richly illustrated volume, with a foreword by the Dalai Lama, explores the themes that have piqued the popular imagination about Tibet. In the light of iconography, pattern, motif, symbolism, pattern, as well as historical and spiritual perspectives. Willis is curator of North Indian and Himalayan collections at the British Museum.

The Tibetan Prayer Flag Pack: Wind-Blown Prayers for Peace, Enlightenment, and Spirituality (Wisdom Packs) by Jacky Sachs (Nov 28, 2006); includes a book about the flags & Tibetan symbolism; in cludes 2 sets of flags to hand (one printed and one blank) and 2 markers to use to create designs on the blank flags.

Sugata Saurabha An Epic Poem from Nepal on the Life of the Buddha by Chittadhar Hridaya [Kindle Edition] This work just won the 2011 award for new works in Buddhist studies; written by one of the professors leading this NEH Institute.

Designs and Motifs from India (Dover Pictorial Archives) by Marty Noble (Paperback - Feb 3, 2004);; one of many Dover paperbacks that could be useful.