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 Burton's 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 man's 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.