When Ravens Speak and Horses Fly: Odia folktales in this book have been retold by Mona Lisa Jena, author, poet and translator. They have been chosen for their diverse cultural significance. Odisha is an ancient civilization. Oral literature flourished in the form of folk literature, by women, sowing the seeds of a literary tradition of individualism. Folk elements lived and continue to live in villages, which are yet to undergo urbanization. The more inaccessible and unaffected the land, the stronger its folk elements. Odia folktales revolved around seafarers, kings and princes, princesses and village idylls, and yet-to-be explored tribal tales. The tribals wove stories about the creation of the world, gods, and totems like how the sun and moon came into being, and how the tallest hill in the village was the tutelary deity with the most power. Rural tales included trees, animals and birds, with the addition of magic, witchcraft and ghosts. All these makes the folktales irresistible.