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Ethiopian Folktales

Traditional folktales from Ethiopian (Ethiopia), passed down through generations in East African Folktales.

"Painting of an Ethiopian woman gently reaching toward a resting lion in a lush mountain landscape, illustrating a scene from the folktale The Lion’s Whiskers."

The Lion’s Whiskers

by Aimiton Precious

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the highlands of ancient Ethiopia, where the coffee plants first learned to bloom and the morning mist clings to mountain peaks like ancestral spirits, there lived a woman whose heart carried both joy and sorrow. She had recently married a kind man from her village, a widower whose gentle nature had drawn her love like honey draws bees. But

Parchment-style African folktale illustration of clever fox stealing food while two monkeys face lion’s cave.

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

The Cunning Fox and the Monkeys

In the vast African savanna, where acacia trees stretched their thorny branches toward the endless sky and the red earth baked under the scorching sun, there lived two monkeys who had been companions for many seasons. Their friendship had weathered countless adventures, from swinging through the baobab groves to sharing

Parchment-style illustration of Ethiopian Hasseeboo emerging from honey pit to meet giant snake, beginning their unlikely friendship.

The Physician’s Son & the King Snake

In the ancient lands of Ethiopia, there once lived a renowned physician

Parchment-style illustration of Shigosh slipping as daughters attack near a great tree, Ethiopian Gambela folktale scene.

The Song from the Tree: An Ethiopian Folktale from Gambela

Once there was a woman who lived peacefully with her husband and

Parchment-style illustration of East African youth confronting mystical buffalo servant in field, from folktale of love and loss.

The Mystical Buffalo

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

Near the eastern coast of Africa, where the vast ocean meets the land, there once lived a family blessed with two children, a son and a daughter. Like parents

Parchment-style illustration of Middle Eastern lovers fleeing desert ogre’s castle, from folktale of Dschemil and Dschemila.

The Iron Mortar and the Ogre

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In a village where ancient customs still held sway, there lived a young man named Dschemil and his cousin Dschemila. Their parents had promised them to each other when

Parchment-style illustration of three Ethiopian wise men examining camel tracks in dusty market.

The Three Wise Men and the Lost Camel

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the bustling marketplace of an ancient Ethiopian trading town, where the scents of frankincense and berbere spice mingled with the dust kicked up by countless feet, a wealthy

Parchment-style illustration of Half-Boy rescuing brothers from ogre’s cave, Ethiopian folktale of wit and courage.

Half boy and the Seven Brothers

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the rugged mountains of ancient Ethiopia, where cliffs rose like cathedral walls and eagles soared among clouds that brushed the highest peaks, there lived seven brothers in a

Parchment-style illustration of Ethiopian woman telling final story by fire, fading voice at dawn.

The Cost of Tales

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the ancient highlands of Ethiopia, where coffee beans grew wild among the rocky terraces and the air was thin with mountain mist, there lived a woman whose voice

Parchment-style illustration of The Man and the Disguised Goat

The Man and the Disguised Goat

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the highlands of ancient Ethiopia, where the morning mist rolled down from sacred mountains and the scent of wild coffee beans perfumed the air, there lived a farmer

Parchment-style illustration of girl fleeing with baby brother from snarling wolf

The Girl Who Saved Her Brother

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the days when the great forests stretched unbroken across the land, and villages nestled like small islands of warmth in an ocean of ancient trees, there lived a

Parchment-style illustration of Wind Bird singing to tower-bound princess, Middle Eastern folktale scene.

The Captured Princess and the Bird

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the days when the world was younger and magic flowed as freely as water from mountain springs, there stood a kingdom where the golden dome of the royal

African folktale illustration of clever cat watching powerful village woman scold hunter with cooking stick.

Why Cats Choose Women

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the very beginning of time, when the world was young and all creatures were still deciding their places in the great web of life, there lived a small

Parchment-style illustration of handsome African porter pushing wooden barrow through busy marketplace.

The Handsome Porter’s Dream

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In a bustling marketplace where merchants hawked their wares under the scorching sun and dust swirled around wooden stalls, there lived a young man blessed with extraordinary beauty but

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