Timeless African folktales retold for a new generation
The Rope Between Heaven and Earth
In the earliest days of the world, when the earth was fresh and the sky hung close above, there was no great distance between humans and Nhialic, the supreme god of the Dinka people. A long rope stretched from the ground to the heavens, and it was said that men
Nyikang, the Spirit King of the Shilluk
Long ago when the Shilluk people lived close to the banks of
Why the Hyena Howls at Night
Long ago, when animals still spoke to one another and lived close
Atoc and the Rope to Heaven
In the time before death walked among humanity, the world existed in a state of wonder that modern hearts can scarcely imagine. When illness crept into a person’s body,
The Owl Who Pretended to Have Horns
Once upon a time, in a land where birds lived among the branches and built their homes in the safety of the trees, there existed a neighborhood where many
The Advent of Death
In the time before death became permanent, in the days when the world was still young and malleable, there existed an evil entity known as Jok. This dark force
The Origin of Hunger
Long, long ago, in the time before time had fully settled into its rhythm, the world was a very different place. People lived without the gnawing sensation we now
The Horns of the Moon: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Curiosity and Respect for the Heavens
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
The River That Moved: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Respect and Gratitude
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
The Girl and the Spirit Drum: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Greed and Gratitude
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
Leopard and the Stolen Goat: A Sudanese Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Truth and Justice
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
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
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
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