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Dahomean (Fon) Folktales

The Dahomean (Fon) folktales come from the historic Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, West Africa. Rooted in the traditions of the Fon people, these stories preserve the ancient wisdom of the vodun religion, where gods, spirits, and ancestors shape the world and human destiny.Central to Dahomean mythology is Mawu-Lisa, the Creator with two faces — Mawu, the Moon, and Lisa, the Sun. From them were born powerful deities such as Sagbata (god of the earth and disease), Sogbo/Hevioso (god of thunder, fire, and the sky), Gu (iron and technology), and Legba (the divine trickster and messenger). Each myth explains the division of the universe, the origin of natural forces like rain, fire, and earthquakes, and the sacred rules that guide humanity.These folktales carry deep cultural and spiritual meaning:They explain cosmic order: why gods rule the sky, the sea, or the bush.They teach human limitations: why death exists, why men must work the land, and why humans must respect spirits.They preserve the ritual origins of sacrifices, shrines, and ceremonies still practiced in vodun today.Dahomean (Fon) folktales are not just myths but the foundation of Vodun belief and a window into how the Fon people understood life, nature, and the unseen world.

Sepia-toned illustration of two travelers walking a dusty path at sunset, with a divine figure hovering in the clouds above. The background features rolling hills, a gnarled tree, and parchment-style texture. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

Mawu’s Divine Justice

by Aimiton Precious

African Folktales·Beninese Folktales·Dahomean (Fon) Folktales·West African Folktales

In the ancient days when the gods walked closely with mortals and divine wisdom governed the affairs of earth, the great goddess Mawu maintained perfect order over all creation through her mysterious ways. Each dawn brought with it a sacred ritual that had continued unchanged for countless years: Mawu would dispatch her divine messenger to travel across the world from

Sagbata on dry earth as villagers beg for rain under an empty sky - Dahomean folktale

African Folktales·Beninese Folktales·Dahomean (Fon) Folktales·West African Folktales

Sagbata and the Battle for Rain: A Dahomean Fon Folktale

The world was young, and the children of the great mother Mawu awaited their destiny. She was the creator, the one who balanced the heavens with the earth, the waters with the winds, and the fire with the rain. Among her children were Sagbata, the eldest son, and Hevioso, the