Cecil Henry Bompas

Born in 1868 and dying in 1956, he is identified in reference sources as a British folklorist and colonial administrator in the Indian Civil Service. He is chiefly remembered for Folklore of the Santal Parganas (1909), a collection of stories from the Santal community presented in English.

That book stands out because it opens a path into a rich oral tradition, with tales of spirits, animals, family life, and moral lessons woven through everyday village experience. In the published text, he is credited specifically as the translator, which suggests his role was not simply to retell the material but to help carry it across languages for a wider audience.

For listeners today, his name is most closely linked with folklore rather than a large body of books. If you enjoy classic collections of traditional tales, his work offers both memorable storytelling and a glimpse of how early twentieth-century readers encountered Santal culture.