The Broken Tusk

Everyone makes mistakes, but it is the lessons we learn that are important.



What better a character to introduce children to Hindu mythology than Ganesha, the god of new beginnings? Often impulsive, forever generous, the elephant-headed god with the fat belly makes mistakes but learns from them. He fills the world around him with laughter. These stories deliver up a pantheon of Hindu deities and support such concepts as nonviolence, respect for life, and the folly of vanity.

This collection of Hindu folktales for middle readers features stories about the Hindu god, Ganesha, who is easily recognized because of his elephant head. Author, Uma Krishnaswami introduces the stories by recalling her own introduction to Ganesha and goes on to offer a mythological context for the tales.

Included among these classic stories are "Ganesha's Head", "The Broken Tusk", and "Why Ganesha Never Married". Most of the stories come from Hindu legend; one comes from Mongolia, where Ganesha made his way into the Buddhist tradition. The simple pen-and-ink illustrations support the themes and a helpful pronunciation guide and glossary are also included.