Mary Frere facts for kids
Mary Eliza Isabella Frere (1845–1911) was an English writer. People often called her May. She was known for her books about India. In 1868, Mary Frere published a very special book. It was called Old Deccan Days. This book was the first English collection of Indian folktales. She gathered these stories herself in India.
Contents
Mary Frere's Early Life
Mary Frere was born in Bitton, England. Her birthday was August 11, 1845. She was the oldest of five children. Her parents were Henry Bartle Frere and Catherine.
Family in India
Mary's father, Henry Bartle Frere, worked in India. He worked for the British government there. In 1862, he became the Governor of Bombay. Bombay is now known as Mumbai.
Growing Up and Learning
Mary grew up in Wimbledon, England. She was taught at home. This private education helped her become a writer.
Mary Frere's Published Works
Mary Frere wrote several poems. She also wrote a play. But her most famous work was a book of stories.
Old Deccan Days: A Special Book
Her most popular book was Old Deccan Days. The full title was Old Deccan Days; or, Hindoo Fairy Legends, Current in Southern India. Collected From Oral Tradition. It was printed in 1868. Mary's sister, Catherine Frances Frere, drew pictures for the book.
How the Stories Were Collected
Mary Frere explained how she collected the stories. She traveled a lot with her father in India. Her only female friend was a local helper. This helper was named Anna Liberata de Souza. Anna told Mary many old Indian stories.
Learning About Indian Culture
What started as simple talks grew into a deep study. Mary began to write down these Indian stories. She learned a lot about Indian culture.
A Book for the World
A famous German scholar, Max Müller, reviewed her book. He said her stories sounded like real ancient Sanskrit texts. Mary's father helped her edit the book. He also wrote an introduction for it.
The book was a big success. It was printed in many languages. These included German, Hungarian, and Danish. It was also translated into Indian languages. These were Marathi and Hindi. The book was republished in 2002.
Mary Frere's Impact on Storytelling
Another writer, Joseph Jacobs, praised Mary Frere. In 1892, he wrote about Indian fairy tales. He said Mary Frere started the modern way of collecting Indian folk tales. He called her book "charming."
Sister's Contribution
Mary's sister, Catherine, also helped publish a cookbook. It was called The Cookery Book of Lady Clark of Tillypronie. This book was published in 1909. Famous writers like Virginia Woolf liked it.
Mary Frere's Later Life
Mary Frere passed away in Sussex, England. She died on March 26, 1911. She is buried at Brookwood cemetery.
See also
In Spanish: Mary Frere para niños
