African Folktales

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Togolese Folktales

Traditional folktales from Togolese (Togo), passed down through generations in West African Folktales.

Parchment-style illustration of Esinam meeting the Serpent Mother, a river spirit from Togolese folklore, in a sacred forest.

The Daughter of the Serpent Mother

by Aimiton Precious

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales

In the old days, when the forests of Togo grew thick and wild and the rivers sang their ancient songs with voices like distant thunder, there lived a poor girl named Esinam. She walked through life as solitary as a single bird in an endless sky, with no brothers or sisters to share her joys and sorrows, no family to

twins striking a magical talking drum as villagers listen in awe, inspired by an Ewe folktale from Seva in the Volta Region

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

The Twins and the Talking Drum

Long ago in the village of Seva in the Volta Region, there were twins who were unlike any other children. From the moment they were born, the elders whispered that they carried a spark of the supernatural. Their cries were in rhythm, their laughter was like music, and when they

a tortoise using cleverness to outwit a powerful leopard at a forest feast, inspired by an Ewe folktale from Seva, Volta Region

The Tortoise and the Leopard’s Feast

Long ago in the forests of Seva, in the Volta Region, the

Discover the Togolese folktale of a shepherd’s daughter who outwits forest witches to save a prince. A myth of courage, wisdom, and ancient magic.

The Shepherd’s Daughter & Lost Prince

In the ancient kingdom of Togo, where the red earth meets endless

Parchment-style illustration of Kokou learning from a wise elder under a tree in a Togolese folktale

Kokou the Scholar

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales

Long ago in the ancient land of Tado, where the rivers wound like silver ribbons through verdant hills and the morning mist clung to towering palm trees, there lived

"Traditional painting of Princess Akoua and her stepmother from a Togolese folktale, showing emotional support and maternal care in a forest setting."

Princess Akoua and the Good Stepmother

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales

In the verdant hills of ancient Togo, where the sacred forests of Ewe land stretched like green blankets across the earth, there ruled a powerful king in the mountain

a spider climbing a tree with a pot of wisdom spilling across the land, inspired by an Ewe folktale from Togo

The Spider Who Tried to Steal Wisdom

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago in the villages of southern Togo there lived the clever spider who was known for his endless tricks. Among all the creatures of the land, no one

a man greedily beating a glowing magical drum while ancestral spirits appear around him, inspired by an Ewe folktale

The Sacred Drum That Called the Ancestors

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago in a village along the Volta River there was a drum unlike any other. It was carved from the heart of a sacred tree and decorated with

a hunter facing glowing forest spirits with twisted shadows and swirling winds, inspired by a Kabye folktale

The Hunter Who Angered the Forest Spirits

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, deep in the forests of Togo, there lived a skilled hunter. He knew every trail, every hidden grove, and every animal’s hiding place. His eyes were sharp,

a girl speaking respectfully to a river with glowing spirits and lush greenery, inspired by an Ewe folktale from the Volta Region

The Girl Who Spoke with the River

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in a small village along the Volta River, there lived a gentle and kind-hearted girl. She loved the land, the trees, and the river that flowed gracefully

a hyena awkwardly attempting to dance among humans while forest animals watch and laugh, inspired by an Ewe folktale from southern Togo

The Hyena Who Wanted to Dance Like a Man

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in the forests of southern Togo, there lived a hyena who was always watching humans from the shadows. He admired the way they moved gracefully, how their

an eagle carrying a child of destiny over the hills of Togo while villagers watch in awe, inspired by an Ewe and Kabye folktale

The Eagle and the Child of Destiny

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in the hills and forests of Togo, a child was born under unusual signs. The villagers whispered that he was destined for greatness, a leader who would

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