African folktales
Over generations and generations, African folktales have been passed down from one mouth to another. In days gone by, these stories were told after a longs day’s work at night by the fire.
Essentially, folktales are a way of communicating and passing down various customs, traditions and African facts by word of mouth. In Africa, in the grand scheme of things and time, printed material is a fairly new development, so these stories had to survive through generations without being written down. African folktales are intended to teach people, particularly the young people, about life lessons and ways they should conduct themselves in order to succeed in life and love.
Folk tales from Southern Nigeria
Content
The Tortoise with a Pretty Daughter
Of the Pretty Stranger who Killed the King
The Disobedient Daughter who Married a Skull
The King who Married the Cock's Daughter
The Woman, the Ape, and the Child
The Fish and the Leopard's Wife; or, Why the Fish lives in the Water
Why the Bat is Ashamed to be seen in the Daytime
Why the Worms live Underneath the Ground
The Elephant and the Tortoise; or, Why the Worms are Blind and Why the Elephant has Small Eyes
Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky
The Story of the Lightning and the Thunder
Why the Bush Cow and the Elephant are bad Friends
The Cock who caused a Fight between two Towns
The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise; or, Why the Hippopotamus lives in the Water
Of the Fat Woman who Melted Away
Concerning the Leopard, the Squirrel, and the Tortoise
The Story of the Leopard, the Tortoise, and the Bush Rat
How the Tortoise overcame the Elephant and the Hippopotamus
Of the Pretty Girl and the Seven Jealous Women
How the Cannibals drove the People from Insofan Mountain to the Cross River
The Orphan Boy and the Magic Stone
The Slave Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress
Concerning the Fate of Essido and his Evil Companions
Concerning the Hawk and the Owl
The Story of the Drummer and the Alligators
The 'Nsasak Bird and the Odudu Bird
The Election of the King Bird (the black-and-white Fishing Eagle)
Author: Elphinstone Dayrell
Tanzanian folktales
Content
The Monkey, the Shark, and the Washerman’s Donkey
The Lion, the Hyena, and the Rabbit
The Ape, the Snake, and the Lion
Mkaaah Jeechonee, the Boy Hunter
The Magician and the Sultan’s Son
The Physician’s Son and the King of the Snakes
Author: Various
Translator: George W. Bateman
South African folktales Outa Karel's Stories
Content
Why the Heron has a Crooked Neck
Author: Sanni Metelerkamp
South African folktales Old Hendrik's Tales
Content
Why Old Baboon has that Kink in his Tail
Why Old Jackal Danced the War-Dance
Ou' Jackalse takes Ou' Wolf a-Sheep Stealing
When the Birds would choose a King which tells also why the white owl only flies by night
Why Old Jackal slinks his Tail
Why Little Hare has such a Short Tail
The Bargain for the Little Silver Fishes
Why the Tortoise has no Hair on
Why the Ratel is so Keen on Honey
Author: Captain Arthur Owen Vaughan