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

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

Dog glaring at rat on tree branch with meat strips, ox bones below, Malagasy folktale scene.

The Dog and the Rat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Distrust

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

One day, a dog and a rat walked side by side, speaking warmly about the sweetness of companionship. Their affection grew so strong that they decided to seal it

Cat tricking rat at hedge during twilight, Merina folktale from Madagascar, illustrated in old storybook style.

The Cat and the Rat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Trust and Betrayal

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

One evening, as twilight dimmed the Malagasy countryside, a weary rat scurried along the edge of a thick hedge, seeking safety before night fully claimed the land. The air was

Illustration of two rats sinking a canoe with thieves and an ox, from a Merina Madagascar folktale.

The Two Thieves and the Two Rats: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Wisdom and Deception

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

Long ago, in the highlands of Madagascar, two clever rats walked proudly along a narrow path, leading four sturdy oxen by rope. Their tiny paws gripped the reins with

Merina folktale scene of Kotofetsy’s death, Mahaka’s spear, and an old woman with her child.

Kotofetsy and Mahaka’s Death: A Merina Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Patience

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

In the highlands of Madagascar, where the terraced rice fields glitter under the sun and rivers wind their way through the valleys, two names stirred both fear and awe:

Tricksters Kotofetsy and Mahaka deceive an old shepherdess with sheep tails in this Merina folktale from Madagascar.

Kotofetsy, Mahaka and the Old Shepherdess: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Trust and Deception

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

On a quiet evening in the highlands of Madagascar, two tricksters named Kotofetsy and Mahaka wandered across the countryside in search of mischief. Their eyes roamed restlessly over the land,

Tricksters Kotofetsy and Mahaka leaving with a limping sheep as villagers laugh, from Merina folklore of Madagascar.

Kotofetsy, Mahaka and the Old Woman’s Rice Field: A Merina Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Trust and Deception

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

One bright morning in the highlands of Imerina, Madagascar, two notorious tricksters, Kotofetsy and Mahaka, wandered past a rice field where an old woman bent low among the weeds. Her

Merina folktale scene showing two tricksters deceiving an old woman into holding a stone, Madagascar origin.

Kotofetsy, Mahaka, and the Old Woman with the Sheep: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Gullibility and Deception

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

On a dusty road in the Merina highlands of Madagascar, two infamous tricksters, Kotofetsy and Mahaka, wandered in search of mischief. Their reputation preceded them, sharp-tongued, quick-witted, and forever

Merina folktale scene of Kotofetsy and Mahaka deceiving a proud man of his clothes in Madagascar.

Kotofetsy, Mahaka, and the Proud Man: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Arrogance and Humility

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

There was once a man among the Merina who had heard whispers of two names that carried both awe and dread: Kotofetsy and Mahaka. These tricksters were renowned throughout the

Merina folktale scene of Kotofetsy and Mahaka deceiving a king and prince with a crab claw trap.

Kotofetsy,Mahaka, and The King: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Greed and Deception

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

In the highlands of Madagascar, where the Merina people built their kingdoms of stone and earth, lived two infamous companions known throughout the land: Kotofetsy and Mahaka. Their names

Kotofetsy tricks a proud man near a tomb as villagers approach with sticks, Merina folktale from Madagascar.

The Man Who Thought He Was Cunninger Than Kotofetsy and Mahaka: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Pride and Humility

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

Long ago, in the highlands of the Merina people of Madagascar, there lived a man who thought himself cleverer than anyone alive. He carried pride in his chest as

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