Story
Grand father tells the stories which were of an African/Indian folklore in a time without universal radio or television. As a child he heard these bed time stories then was told to go to bed. His bedroom had no nightlight and so in the dark these frightening stories became alive.
In the second segment of this novel, the universal question of “how come there is only earth with such a liveable climate” and “are we really alone or is there a parallel universe where we have different personalities?” This is the basis for these more modern fantasy stories woven with the background of biology and the sciences.
The small island of Trinidad has a rich climate full of moisture, volcanic soil which allows so many crops to grow. In earlier times, the British brought over indentured labourers from India, to make up for the manpower shortage in the cocoa, sugar cane and coffee estates. The Indians and later the Chinese population, all of whom were an industrious group, monopolized the industry of the island. The majority of Indians kept closer to the land and so insured that there were lots of food for the population and as a result dominated the market place. Their toil was hard and every piece of land was used in producing crops for the city folks. Even though “Grandfather” was a goldsmith by trade, he kept a piece of land to grow crops for his own family. His only means of transport was an old Raleigh bicycle. The roads were not more than gravel paths made through the rich but foreboding rainforest. The distances were long and there were no street lamps in the country areas. This ensured an atmosphere where the imagination took over and simple country tales became a reality, for those in the country districts.
Told with dazzling detail and an insight of having lived for a brief time in such an atmosphere, Tales of Myths and Fantasy” is a delightful mingling of fantasy and reality of the magic period of the Colonial Age. It will have the readers enjoying the description of the period and how the peoples settled in these islands.
