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African animal stories - Page 2

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

by Elizabeth Fabowale

African Folktales·Togolese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago in the forests of Seva, in the Volta Region, the animals gathered for a great feast. The leopard, known for his strength and fierce presence, had invited everyone to celebrate the season of abundance. The air was thick with the scent of roasted fruits and smoked meat, and the trees trembled under the weight of the feasts laid

Parchment-style illustration of fishing eagle watching bird battle in Nigerian folktale of leadership and wisdom.

African Folktales·Inspired Tales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

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 ruled a king named Essiya. Like many of the great Calabar monarchs of bygone eras, King Essiya possessed immense wealth and

Illustration of elephant king, hare councillor, and lizard’s deceit in a traditional Bemba folktale from Zambia.

Suspicion Spreads: The Elephant, the Hare, and the Rise of Distrust | Bemba Folklore

Long ago, when the world was still young and only animals roamed

Tortoise outsmarts Elephant in a Gabonese forest with a rope trick

The Tortoise Tricks the Elephant

In the forests of Gabon, the Elephant was the mightiest of all

Monkey playing a magical fiddle in a Kenyan forest while Lion, Tiger, Wolf, Jackal, and other animals dance wildly around him

How Monkey Outwitted Wolf with Music in Kenya

African Folktales·East African Folktales

In a small clearing in the heart of the Kenyan forest, Monkey’s home had grown barren. The bulbs, wild yams, termites, and insects that had once fed him and

Hare and hyena by river with calabashes – Wolof folktale

The Clever Hare and the Calabash Challenge

African Folktales·Senegalese Folktales·West African Folktales·Wolof Folktales

In a small Wolof village nestled among the rolling fields and whispering baobab trees, the sun rose slowly over the horizon, casting golden light across the dusty paths. Birds

A traditional folktale illustration in warm earthy tones shows a hare kneeling before a divine robed figure seated on a throne. The hare clasps its paws beneath a glowing white mark on its forehead, symbolizing divine judgment. The background features rolling hills, a gnarled tree, and dry grass rendered in faded ink lines and aged parchment texture. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Hare’s Quest for Intelligence

African Folktales·Senegalese Folktales·West African Folktales·Wolof Folktales

In the old days, when animals could speak with God and heaven felt closer to earth, there lived a hare whose wit was known across the wide lands of

a chameleon sitting proudly on a wooden stool while a hare arrives in shock, surrounded by other animals like a lion, goat, elephant, and monkeys – Ashanti folktale

King Chameleon and the Clever Trick of the Animals

African Folktales·Ghanaian Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, when the world was still young, all animals lived together in peace and friendship. They roamed the forests, meadows, and rivers without rulers or laws. At first,

The fish visiting the leopard’s wife in the bush while the leopard is away – Calabar folktale

The Fish and the Leopard’s Wife

African Folktales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in the lush forests of Calabar, the fish did not live in the rivers or streams as it does today. Instead, it roamed the land freely and

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