Vikram and the Vampire or Tales of Hindu Devilry

Soldier explorer and adventurer British author CAPTAIN SIR RICHARD FRANCIS BURTON (1821-1890) is perhaps best remembered for his notoriously unexpurgated translations of The Arabian Nights and the Kama Sutra which scandalized-and titillated-Victorian readers. Lesser known however is his intriguing collection of classic Hindu tales of adventure magic and romance first published in 1870. Enlivened by Burtons own imagination-he was the first to translate them from Sanskrit-these stories purport to demonstrate the exceeding folly of many wise fools the use and misuse of magic pills that a mans wife belongs not to his body but to his head the marvellous delicacy of three queens and more. This obscure delightful work is a fascinating look at both Indian mythology and Victorian cultural anthropology.