ABSTRACT
Woody-Woman tales and Vana-Devi tales are characterised by woman's close proximity with trees. Both women and trees are exploited by the patriarchal consumerist society. When women are in trouble, they find refuge in trees. When the trees are in trouble, women form a group and protect them with Shakthi Consciousness and Ahimsa Consciousness. Human beings get transformed into animals, birds and trees and vice versa, as represented in A Flowering Tree. Vana-Devi tales are tales about the tree goddesses and their worldview of abundance. Bonbibi is the forest goddess of the Sundarbans, worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims. The wood maiden is the goddess of the forest with long golden hair and a wreath of woodland flowers'. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people', said Franklin D. Roosevelt. Forests and soil are inextricably connected to one another.
