Timeless African folktales retold for a new generation
Mabel and the Witch
Once upon a time, in a place not so very far away, there lived a girl named Mabel and her mother, who was also named Mabel. This created quite a bit of confusion at the post office and the doctor’s office, so most folks simply called them Mabel and Mom,
How Eshu Tested the Village
Long ago, before men knew all the ways of the gods, Eshu
The Ostrich and the Fire
The Ostrich and the Fire — A traditional Nama Folktales from Namibia
The Women and Wolves
On opposite sides of a dark forest lived two girls named Olga and Lidia, bound by a friendship as old as their earliest memories. Throughout spring, summer, and autumn,
The Wood-Burning Stove
The blizzard raged outside, spinning snow into thick white curtains that obscured everything beyond the windowpane. Little Maya pressed her face against the cold glass, watching the storm, when
The Foolish Man and the Thief
Long ago, in a time when travelers walked dusty roads between scattered villages and strangers were met with both curiosity and caution, there lived a man whose lack of
The Election of the King Bird
In the ancient city of Old Town, Calabar, where the mighty Cross River flows toward the Atlantic Ocean and palm trees sway in the humid coastal breeze, there once
The King of the Cats
In the quaint riverside village of Tabby-on-Thames, where cobblestone streets wound between thatched-roof cottages and the ancient church bell tower cast long shadows across the town square, there lived
The ʿAd Takles: An Eritrean Tigrean Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Unity and Division
Long ago, in the rugged highlands of Eritrea, there lived a proud lineage known as the ʿAd Takles. They traced their bloodline to Galaydos, whose descendants gave birth to
The Enchanted Rooster King
In the vast expanse of ancient Africa, where golden grasslands stretched endlessly beneath the scorching sun and mighty rivers carved their paths through untamed wilderness, there ruled a king
How the Dog Lost Her Voice: Ethiopian Folktale
Long ago, when the world was still young and fresh, the dog was not only the companion of man but also his equal in speech. She lived among men,
Lip Tattooing: An Ethiopian Folktale of Silence and Beauty
There was once a little girl who lived in a village where every tradition carried deep meaning. Among the most important customs was the tattooing of the lips, a
The Hyena and Hare with the Millstone
In the golden expanse of the African savanna, where the ancient rhythms of life had been followed for countless generations, lived a wise hare and a restless hyena. The
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