The Ocean of Story: 10 Volumes

Norman Mosley Penzer, The Ocean of Story, Being C H Tawney's Translation of Somadeva's Katha Sarit Sagara (or The Ocean of Streams of Story), London: Chas J Sawyer Ltd., 1924-28

Volume 1 to 10
Approximately 350 pages in each volume; deckled edge paper, top edges gilt, original decorated black buckram cloth boards, with Natarja on upper cover and Greek border in gilt, gold ribbon marker, silk-textured endpapers (each)
10.4 x 7.2 in (26 x 18 cm) (each)

This is the 99th from a limited edition of 1500 copies. Private print for subscribers only.

The Katha Sarita Sagara ("Ocean of Streams of Stories") is a famous 11th-century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold in Sanskrit by Somadeva Bhatta.

According to the introductory text, it is considered the "earliest collection of stories extant in the world." Tawney's translation, first published in 1880-84, was the first complete translation in English. Penzer's edition is greatly expanded with detailed notes and commentary.

Tawney's is the only complete translation into English from the Sanskrit. The translation was originally published by the Asiatic Society of Bengal in their series "Bibliotheca Indica" in two volumes, 1880-1884 (with an index published in 1887). This 1924-1928 edition edited by Penzer includes many additional notes. Somadeva's Ocean of Story includes extended tales-within-tales, making it difficult to keep track of the original story (c.f. the Hitopadesa). Somadeva assembled the collection in the 11th Century from earlier sources. No earlier collection of stories as large as Somadeva's Ocean of Story has survived through to the present day.

(Set of ten)