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Oyebode Ayoola

Parchment-style illustration of Anansi tricking Ant into carrying a heavy box, Ashanti folktale from Ghana.

Why Ants Carry Bundles as Big as Themselves

by Oyebode Ayoola

African Folktales·Ghanaian Folktales·West African Folktales

Kweku Anansi, the trickster spider of Ashanti tales, was well known for his cunning ways. He and his son, Kweku Tsin, were both skilled farmers who usually enjoyed plentiful harvests. Their farms had always been fruitful, with yams, beans, and maize ripening under their care. But one year misfortune struck. They had sown their seeds as usual, waiting for the

Parchment-style illustration of Bat fleeing into night sky as animals watch angrily, Nigerian folktale explaining his flight.

African Folktales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

Why the Bat Flies by Night

Long ago, when animals still lived in harmony and often spoke together, there was a great friendship between the Bat and the Squirrel. They were inseparable companions, always seen together in the forest. The Bat, clever and quick-witted, admired the Squirrel’s playful energy, while the Squirrel trusted the Bat’s wisdom

Parchment-style African folktale illustration showing clever Jackal outwitting mighty Lion on a rocky cliff.

The Clever Little Jackal and the Lion

Long ago, when animals lived, spoke, and hunted much like people, there

Parchment-style illustration of sly Jackal tricking angry Lion near cave, African folktale about wit over strength.

The Lion and the Jackal

In the wild and open plains of South Africa, where the sun

The Clever Goat and the Greedy Hyena: Tales of the Chaga People

African Folktales

Come closer, little ones, and listen, for the night wind carries the old voices of our ancestors. This is a tale from the Chaga people, who live where the

Sudanese folktale scene of a boy climbing rope ladder toward the Moon’s horns, symbolizing curiosity and respect.

The Horns of the Moon: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Curiosity and Respect for the Heavens

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, in a quiet village on the open plains of Sudan, the children would gather around the fire to hear the words of an old herdsman. His voice

Illustration of villagers pleading to a vanished river, water returning in distance, Sudanese folktale of respect for nature.

The River That Moved: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Respect and Gratitude

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, in the heart of a fertile land, there was a river whose waters nourished the life of a thriving village. Day after day, its current sparkled under the

Young girl strikes a magical spirit drum in Sudanese folktale, spirits appear with gifts, sister watches jealously

The Girl and the Spirit Drum: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Greed and Gratitude

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

A long time ago, in a village resting at the edge of a wide and whispering forest, there lived two sisters whose lives could not have been more different. The

Illustration of a Leopard judging two men over a stolen goat, Sudanese Dinka folktale origin.

Leopard and the Stolen Goat: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Truth and Justice

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, in the heart of the savanna, a quarrel erupted between two men. They lived in the same village, and though they were neighbors, jealousy often burned between them.

The Man Who Married a Star: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Longing and Belonging

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, under the wide and endless skies of Sudan, a solitary man often sat outside his hut, gazing upward at the stars. While others in his village gathered around

The Crocodile’s Bride: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Freedom and Belonging

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Once, in a quiet riverside village, there lived a maiden who rose early each morning to fetch water from the wide, flowing river. The river was the lifeblood of the

Illustration of Sudanese elder striking a magical drum that warns villagers to live in peace and harmony.

The Talking Drum: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Peace and Harmony

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, in a village nestled among wide plains and tall trees, quarrels broke out almost every day. Neighbors argued over grazing lands, brothers clashed about inheritance, and even friends

Illustration of a Sudanese boy riding an ostrich across vast plains, symbolizing freedom and wild nature.

The Boy Who Rode the Ostrich: An Angolan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Freedom and Respect for Nature

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

Long ago, in the wide and sunlit plains of the Sudan, a restless boy dreamed of journeys beyond the reach of his village. Each day, as he watched the horizon

The Hyena and the Fisherman: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Honesty and Deceit

African Folktales·East African Folktales·South Sudanese Folktales

In a quiet village by the banks of a wide river, there lived a fisherman whose life depended on the strength of his nets and the rhythm of the

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