FolktalesAfrica.com

Browse Category

Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Traditional folktales from Equatorial Guinean (Equatorial Guinea), passed down through generations in Central African Folktales.

Goat eating cassava peels near a human village while children watch - Benga folktale

Why Goats Became Domestic

by Elizabeth Fabowale

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, when the world was still young and the forests stretched wide across Corisco Island, all animals lived freely beneath the sky. Goat was among them, wild and untamed, his horns sharp and his beard swaying proudly as he wandered the hills. At that time, goats roamed in herds, feeding on fresh leaves and grasses, climbing rocks and leaping

a majestic elephant with wide ears and strong legs – Benga folktale

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

The Origin of the Elephant

In the time when the earth was young and the world still searched for balance, the forest of Corisco Island was alive with birds, beasts, and streams. Antelopes leaped like arrows through the grass, crocodiles ruled the rivers, and leopards stalked the shadows. Yet in those early days there was

The King’s daughter facing the devil in a Benga folktale from Equatorial Guinea.

The King’s Daughter and the Devil

Long ago in a coastal kingdom of the Benga people, there lived

• Tortoise plays the magic drum in Equatorial Guinea folktale as Leopard, King Maseni, and villagers watch in wonder.

The Magic Drum: Tortoise, Leopard, and King Maseni (Equatorial Guinea Folktale)

Long ago, in the time when both humans and animals lived together

Iguana with a forked tongue facing judgment from Lion and other animals under a baobab tree - Benga folktale

The Iguana’s Forked Tongue

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, when the animals of the forest spoke as men and held councils together, Iguana was known for his cleverness. He was smooth in his words, able to

Goat charging at Tortoise during a tournament as animals watch under a baobab tree - Benga folktale

The Goat’s Grand Tournament

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, in the villages of the Benga people on Corisco Island, the animals often quarreled about strength and honor. Among them, none was more boastful than Goat. With

Tortoise and Deer racing on an African plain while animals cheer near a baobab tree - Benga folktale

Tortoise in a Race

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, on the sunlit shores of Corisco Island, the animals of the Benga people gathered for a contest. They had often argued about who among them was the

a proud leopard with faded paint, bent feathers, and scattered beads – Benga folktale

The Leopard’s Quest for Marriage

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, when animals lived as people and spoke with voices full of pride, Leopard was the fiercest hunter in the forest. His golden coat was marked with black

A leopard challenging a ram in a Benga folktale from Equatorial Guinea.

The Leopard and the Ram

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

In the deep forests of Equatorial Guinea, where tall trees brushed the sky and rivers wound like silver snakes, lived a leopard who was feared by all the animals.

The tortoise outwitting the elephant in a Benga folktale from Equatorial Guinea.

The Elephant and the Tortoise

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, in the villages of the Benga people, the animals of the forest lived under the shadow of the mighty elephant. He was strong, towering above all others,

swine trying to speak in a Benga folktale from Equatorial Guinea, surrounded by animals in a forest clearing.

Why Swine Lost Their Speech

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, when the world was young and the forest had not yet settled into silence, animals and people shared one common tongue. Their voices echoed through the villages,

Bokeli at the smithy surprises Etungi, proving he lives; Fang folktale scene from Equatorial Guinea with moral lesson.

A Snake’s Skin Looks Like a Snake: Fang Folktale of Bokeli and Jamba

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Bokeli, son of Njambe-of-the-Sea-Coast, was compared to a snake. Just as a snake sheds its skin, leaving behind something that looks almost as frightening as the creature itself, so

Tortoise and Leopard inside the mythical Giant Goat, Fang folktale from Equatorial Guinea, symbolizing greed and consequences.

The Giant Goat of Njambe: A Fang Folktale of Cunning and Greed

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, in the time when animals built towns and shared the earth with gifts from the Creator, two unlikely companions, Tortoise and Leopard, lived together in peace. They

Tortoise and Leopard inside giant Goat Mbodi, Fang folktale from Equatorial Guinea, villagers nearby in earthy illustration.

The Giant Goat and the Fate of Tortoise and Leopard: A Fang Folktale on Greed and Betrayal

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

Long ago, in a small town built by Tortoise (Kudu) and Leopard (Nja), peace and cooperation defined their early lives. Together, they cleared plantations, cultivated food, and raised families.

Go toTop