African Folktales

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African trickster tales

A clever hare tricking a snarling hyena

How the Hare Fooled the Hyena

by Aimiton Precious

Southern Africa-Inspired Tales

Gather round, little ones, gather like the fireflies dancing in the evening light! Let your laughter bubble up like the spring waters of our mountains, for tonight I bring you a tale of cunning and mischief that will make your bellies shake with joy. This is the story of Mmutla, the clever hare, and Phiri, the foolish hyena, a tale

Parchment-style illustration of Jackal lying dead in road as wagon of fish

African Folktales·Southern African Folktales

The Jackal and the Wolf

In the wide, open lands of South Africa, near the colony’s borders, lived a sly creature known to all as Jackal. He was sharp-eyed, quick-thinking, and always searching for ways to fill his belly without too much effort. Jackal relied not on strength but on wit, and wherever he went,

Parchment-style illustration of Jackal, Hyena in cowhide, Lion, and ants, Southern African folktale.

Jackal’s Bride

The tale of Jackal’s Bride comes from the oral traditions of Southern Africa,

Kwaku Ananse the spider carrying a single shining grain of corn through a village with curious villagers watching – Ashanti folktale

How Kwaku Ananse Won a Kingdom With a Grain of Corn

In the land of the Akan people, long before great kingdoms rose

Parchment-style drawing of feathered Tortoise claiming feast from birds; African folktale about deception and greed.

Why Tortoise Has a Cracked Shell

African Folktales·Cameroonian Folktales

In ancient times, when the world pulsed with magic and animals spoke the languages of wisdom, there lived a grand tradition that marked the turning of seasons and the

Parchment-style drawing of Tortoise luring Leopard and Boa toward trap; African folktale about deception and rivalry.

The Treachery of Tortoise

African Folktales·Cameroonian Folktales

In the deep heart of the African wilderness, where ancient trees formed a canopy so thick that sunlight reached the forest floor in scattered golden coins, there lived creatures

Parchment-style drawing of Dove warning Crocodile as Leopard approaches; African folktale about betrayal and oaths.

The Dove’s Double Oath

African Folktales·Cameroonian Folktales

Along the banks of a winding African river where the water flowed dark and deep between sandy shores, there lived Ibembe the Dove in the days when animals spoke

Tortoise hides at palm wine tree base as Leopard threatens Rat in Equatorial Guinea folktale.

The Lies of Tortoise: An Equatorial Guinea Folktale.

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Equatorial Guinean Folktales

In the days when animals and humans shared the forests and rivers of Equatorial Guinea, cunning was often a weapon sharper than claws or teeth. Among all creatures, none

A sly hyena with a crooked smile sitting beside a large pile of food, while monkey, antelope, tortoise, and birds glare at their small portions

The Hyena’s Trick

African Folktales·Central African Folktales·Gabonese Folktales·Mpongwe Folktales

In the forests of Gabon, where the tall trees spread wide branches and the earth smelled of fresh rain, the animals often gathered together to share food. They hunted,

Parchment-style drawing of Tortoise and Leopard in forest; African folktale about deception and forgotten vine.

Tortoise Covers His Ignorance

African Folktales·Cameroonian Folktales

In the heart of the African wilderness, where ancient customs governed the relationships between families and the bonds of marriage extended far beyond the couple themselves, there lived Kudu

Parchment-style illustration of Ananse dropping the magical drum before villagers and chief, Ashanti folktale from Ghana.

Ananse and the Talking Drum: Ashanti Folktale from Ghana

African Folktales·Ghanaian Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in a sunlit village of Ghana, there lived Ananse, the clever spider whose name was known in every household. He was no ordinary creature. Ananse thrived on boasting,

the clever Jackal tricking the Lion into holding up the rocks in a rocky pass, from the Kenya folktale.

Clever Jackal Story from Kenya

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Kenyan Folktales

“Hawu, hawu, hawu, my children,” began Gogo one evening as her grandchildren gathered around her. “Cleverness is a very important gift to own. It has helped Nogwaja escape the

Parchment-style illustration of tortoise tricking elephant and hippopotamus with a rope, West African folktale.

How the Tortoise Overcame the Elephant and the Hippopotamus

African Folktales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

In the vast African wilderness, where rivers wound through thick forests and great beasts ruled the land, two mighty creatures often clashed, Elephant, king of the land, and Hippopotamus,

Monkey tricking wolf in a pit while lion watches, Wolof folktale from Senegal.

The Shrewdness of the Monkey and the Naivety of the Wolf – A Wolof Folktale from Senegal

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

The bush was quiet that morning, filled only with the rustling of leaves and the distant cry of birds. Then came the sound of heavy footsteps. The lion was

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