This Indian folktale is depicted by a silk cloth and hand lettered font that runs across the book. The reader needs to cross the river several times to get the plot of the story. Which incidentally is about sixteen not-so-wise, wise men trying to cross the river.

Legend has it that this folktale was created to convert locals into Christianity in the early 17th century. It is attributed to the Italian Jesuit missionary priest Fr Constantine Joseph Beschi (8 November 1680 – 4 February 1747) from Tamil Nadu also called Veeramamunivar which means father of Tamil prose. He was honoured on his 339th birth anniversary in November 2019.

© 2005 by Priya Pereira