African Folktales

Elizabeth Fabowale

Fabowale Elizabeth is a storyteller, cultural historian, and author who brings Africa’s rich folklore to life. Through her work with Folktales.Africa, she transforms oral traditions into immersive, culturally grounded stories that entertain, teach, and inspire. Guided by a passion for heritage, language, and education, Fabowale blends meticulous research with imagination to revive myths, legends, and moral tales, offering readers a vivid window into Africa’s diverse cultures and timeless wisdom.

Beyond writing, she is an advocate for literacy and cultural preservation, creating content that sparks curiosity, nurtures critical thinking, and celebrates the continent’s history and traditions.

A clever tortoise carrying a huge pile of yams on his back as his shell begins to crack, while birds and forest animals scatter in surprise – Igbo folktales

How the Tortoise Broke His Shell

by Elizabeth Fabowale

Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

Come closer, for this tale is older than the hills, older than the tallest trees in the forest. Long ago, in a lush village beside the great river, there lived a tortoise whose cunning and greed were known far and wide. His shell shone like polished ebony, smooth and strong, and all the animals admired him for his cleverness and

Hyena attempting to play drum in Kikuyu village Kenya folklore

African Folktales·Kenyan Folktales·Swahili coastal folktale

The Hyena and the Drum

The Hyena and the Drum — A traditional Kikuyu Folktales from Kenya

Crowned snake before Maasai warrior in savanna Kenya folklore

The Snake Chief

The Snake Chief — A traditional Maasai Folktales from Kenya

Shimmering river maiden meeting young man Xhosa folklore South Africa

The River Maiden

In the heart of Yorubaland, where the Oṣun River winds like a

a proud hunter failing to catch a tortoise in the forest as animals watch and laugh - Gabonese folktale

How Tortoise Humbled the Boasting Hunter

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

In the forests of Gabon, hunters and animals lived in constant watchfulness of one another. The hunter needed the forest to survive, while the animals depended on their wits

Crocodile judging a quarrel between Monkey and Antelope over bananas as Tortoise speaks wisely - Gabonese Folktale

The Crocodile’s Judgment

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

In the heart of Gabon’s lush forests, the animals lived in a fragile balance of peace and quarrel. When disagreements arose, they often sought the wisdom of the strongest

Monkey laughing from a tree while Leopard growls angrily below in a Gabonese forest

Why Monkey Mocked Leopard

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

Deep in the forests of Gabon, where the tall trees swayed and the rivers whispered through the undergrowth, Leopard ruled as the most feared hunter. His sharp claws and

Tortoise outsmarts Elephant in a Gabonese forest with a rope trick

The Tortoise Tricks the Elephant

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

In the forests of Gabon, the Elephant was the mightiest of all animals. His tusks gleamed like ivory spears, his great ears flapped like sails, and his footsteps shook

Tortoise speaking to Crocodile on a Gabonese riverbank

Why the Crocodile Does Not Eat the Tortoise

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

Long ago, when the great rivers of Gabon flowed quietly under the sun and the forest animals gathered at the water’s edge, the Crocodile ruled the streams. He was

Tortoise hiding in his shell while Leopard looks frustrated - Gabonese folktale

The Tortoise and the Leopard

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

Deep in the forests of Gabon, where tall trees reached toward the sky and the rustle of leaves whispered ancient secrets, lived Tortoise, slow but wise, and Leopard, fierce

Leopard standing proudly in a Gabonese forest clearing as smaller animals gather with their prey - Gabonese folktale

Fairness in the Forest: Leopard’s Hunting Camp

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

In the deep forests of Gabon, where sunlight barely reached the forest floor and the sounds of animals echoed endlessly, Leopard was known as the strongest and most feared

A clever rat cautiously watches a large leopard pretending to be sick - Gabonese folktale

How Rat Outsmarted Leopard

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales

In the heart of the Gabonese forest, where the trees towered and the air was filled with the scent of damp earth and the calls of wild animals, lived

A brave Somali girl sitting on a tree branch near a lake with a mortar in her hands, while a lion and wild animals search below - Somali folktale

The Girl and the Lion

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somalian folktales

Once upon a time, in a village by the vast Somali plains, there lived a young girl named Fatima. She was engaged to a man, and her family awaited

A cannibal woman disguised in a villager's clothes standing at a village doorway at night - Somali folktale

The Cannibal Woman

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Somalian folktales

Long ago, in a Somali village, there lived a terrifying woman who ate people. The villagers feared her. They whispered warnings to their children and told travelers to be

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