Produced by Justin Kerk, Janet Blenkinship and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net TALES FROM THE HINDU DRAMATISTS. BY R. N. DUTTA, B.A., B.L., _Late Officiating Head-Master, Metropolitan Institution, Bowbazar Branch, Calcutta;_ AUTHOR OF "THE BOY'S RAMAYANA." REVISED BY J. S. ZEMIN, _Professor of English Literature, Bishop's College, and Central College, Calcutta; Late Principal, Doveton College, Calcutta; Hon. Fellow and Examiner, University of Calcutta_. Calcutta. B. BANERJEE & Co., 26, Cornwallis Street, and 54, College Street. 1912. [_All Rights Reserved._] Ans. 12. CALCUTTA, PRINTED BY K.C. DATTA AT THE VICTORIA PRINTING WORKS 203/2 CORNWALLIS STREET. PUBLISHED BY B. BANERJEE & Co., 25, Cornwallis Street, and 54, College Street. To The Hon'ble Sir Justice ASHUTOSH MOOKERJEE, SARASWATI, Kt. C.S.I., M.A., D.L., D.S.C., F.R.A.S., F.R.S.E. _Vice-Chancellor of the University of CALCUTTA._ THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED as a sincere token of the esteem and admiration of the AUTHOR for his eminent services to the cause of the ADVANCEMENT OF LEARNING. +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Transcriber's Note: There are some inconsistencies in spelling and| |punctuation which have been left as the original. | +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ PREFACE. Many educationists think that our Indian boys should be encouraged to read the stories of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the two great Epics of India and Tales from the Sanskrit Dramatists when they are recommended to read "The Boy's Odyssey," "Legends of Greece and Rome," "Arabian Nights' Tales" and Lamb's "Tales from Shakespeare." It was perhaps from this view of the matter that the University of Calcutta recommended "The Boy's Ramayana" and "Tales from the Hindu Dramatists" for the Matriculation Examination. As no books were published in time, the University had to issue an amended notice omitting the books from the list. To supply the want, I have ventured to write the "Boy's Ramayana" and this humble book. I have tried my best to narrate briefly, in simple and idiomatic English, the stories on which the chief Sanskrit dramas are based. I hope that the University will be pleased to re-insert "The Boy's Ramayana" and this book in the list of books recommended for the Matriculation Examination. BALARAMADHAM, } 4, Madan Mitter's Lane, } RAMA NATH DUTT. Calcutta } _1911--December._ } TALES FROM THE HINDU DRAMATISTS. SAKUNTALA OR THE LOST RING.