Like a Yeti Catching Marmots

Subtitle: A Little Treasury of Tibetan Proverbs
Author: Pema Tsewang Shastri
Softcover ~ 158 pages

The Yeti, or Dremo in Tibetan, is a dim-witted mythical beast said to feed only on marmots. It sees a marmot, grabs the hapless creature, and then sits on it ~ saving the delicious morsel for later. And then the Yeti sees another marmot and leaps up to snatch it while the first marmot makes a quick break for freedom. An image of bumbling, foolish effort.

This enchanting little book contains 108 traditional Tibetan proverbs - conveying the wit and wisdom of one of the world's most unique cultures. The proverbs appear in English and Tibetan script, along with a brief explanation of how and when to use each saying. Often funny and wise, these proverbs always remind us of our experiences in a natural and meaningful way.

Pema Tsewang Shastri, a former Fulbright scholar at Harvard University, has served as the chairman of the board of directors for the Tibetan Association of Boston; in various capacities-as principal, headmaster, and teacher of Tibetan language, literature, and history-at schools in the Tibetan Children's Village in Dharamsala, India; and as principal and administrator at the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics Dolmaling, also in Dharamsala. He has published many books in Tibetan, including poetry, fiction and nonfiction, and translations of works by Dr. Gene Sharp and Charles Dickens. He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts, with his family.