Folktales are Oral stories that are passed down by the elders to the younger generation. For centuries, folktales have been a crucial medium for preserving cultural traditions and teaching the youth to understand the world around them.

This Folktale from Assam was told to me by a Man in Guwahati, whose house was in front of the great river Brahmaputra. I was staying at his home for not known number of days for a very strange reason but that is another mysterious story. I remember that man because of the many flutes he played each night after drinking Black Dog, his favourite Whiskey and later in the night spoke of the times gone by.

Also Read: The Untold Tantric Secrets of the Yoginis of Kamakhya Temple

When a Black Dog Dies- An Assamese Folk Tale

A rich land owner- a zamindar was known for his short temper. He also had a weak heart. Therefore his household had a strict criteria for interviewing servants and once selected for work, his servants were under orders that they should be very careful about how they speak to him.

Once, the landowner was visiting the city when a servant was dispatched immediately towards him with the news.

The master asked him, ‘You come from my house? How is everybody?’

‘Very well sir, said the Servant. ‘Only the black dog died.’

‘Poor thing, why did it die? It seemed quite well when I left.’

‘It died of indigestion, sir. How could it help dying when it eats so much horse meat?’

Horse meat? Where did it get horse meat?

Where else but our stables, sir.

What, did our horses die?

How could they live when there was no grooms to feed them?

Why, what happened to the grooms?

‘Only what happens to people when they starve, sir, when there is no one to pay them.’

‘What are you saying? Why were they not paid? What happened to the steward, what happened to my wife?’

‘How could they live when there is no cook to give them food?

Why what happened to the cook?

What will happen to the cook sir, he will die when the kitchen caught fire and the fire spread to the whole house and killed everyone?’

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Thank you

If today is the first time you have arrived on The Road To Nara, you are heartily welcome ~ Namaste

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ROAD TO NARA is an Ethnographic Blog of History, Stories of Culture, Art, People, Rivers, Folk, Mysticism, Meditation, Mountains, Trees and Tantra Yoga- Science of Ancient India and the Indigenous World that brings World’s Most Important Stories to your mailbox.

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I will take this opportunity to introduce you to About me and importantly

As a co-traveller, will take you through the Ten Lessons I learnt from several years on the road, before you coarse on your own Road to Nara.

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You might also like to know about My Little School Project.

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If you have anything to share, or feel like saying a hello, please feel free to write to me at lotusofnara@gmail.com

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Cover Image is of the Owner’s Black dog at his roof.