African Folktales

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Animal folktales

Parchment-style African folktale illustration of tortoise and lizard at hidden yam cave, with OldFolktales.com in corner.

The Tortoise and the Lizard

by Aimiton Precious

African Folktales·Ghanaian Folktales·West African Folktales

In the time when animals walked and talked as freely as humans do today, a terrible famine swept across the land like a merciless wind. The rains had failed for many seasons, and the earth lay parched and barren under the scorching sun. Rivers that once flowed with crystal-clear water now showed only cracked mud beds, and the once-lush forests

Lion and Hyena collide at house doorway, giraffe with red cloth, Wolof folktale from Senegal.

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

The Lion, the Hyena, and the House of Panic | A Senegalese Folktale

In the heart of the African bush, where tall grasses sway in the wind and the air hums with the songs of unseen birds, two creatures, Lion and Hyena, unexpectedly crossed paths without ever realizing it. Each had set their eyes on the same fertile spot of land, a place

A traditional folktale illustration in warm earthy tones shows two granaries side by side. The hare’s granary is solid and well-built, with sealed clay walls and a sloped roof. The hyena’s granary is flimsy, with gaps and green branches. Rain pours down, soaking the hyena’s grain as birds fly in to feast. The hare stands calmly beside his dry granary, while the hyena looks on in dismay. The background features a savanna landscape with rolling hills and a parchment-textured sky. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Wise Hare and the Careless Hyena

In the vast savannas of West Africa, where the rhythm of seasons

Sepia-toned illustration of a wise hare tending a bright fire surrounded by guests, while a weeping hyena sits alone beside a smoky, failed fire made of damp wood. The African savanna is framed by golden grass, acacia trees, and a parchment-textured sky. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Wise Hare and the Unwise Hyena

In the heart of the African savanna, where the vast grasslands stretched

Illustration of a West African folktale scene. A hare paddles smoothly in a well-crafted canoe while a hyena flails in the river beside her crooked, capsized boat. Spectator animals watch from the shore. The river winds through a lush savanna under a parchment-textured sky. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Hare and the Hyena’s Canoe

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

Along the meandering rivers of West Africa, where the waters flow like liquid ribbons through landscapes painted in shades of gold and green, there lived two neighbors whose contrasting

A traditional folktale illustration in warm sepia tones shows an elderly woman seated inside a rustic hut, clutching a magical horn. A hyena leans toward her, pleading with flattery. The background features a textured wall, a ceramic pot, and an open doorway revealing a lone tree and open fields. The art style includes faded ink lines and aged parchment texture. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Old Woman’s Magical Horn

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

In the ancient lands of Senegal, where the Wolof people have weathered countless seasons of both abundance and hardship, there came a time when the earth itself seemed to

A traditional folktale illustration in warm earthy tones shows a lifeless old woman lying on the floor of a rustic room, surrounded by scattered bones. A sinister hyena looms over her, snarling. Outside the open door, two grieving daughters react in horror one covering her mouth, the other clutching her head. The background features a lone tree and rolling hills under a parchment-toned sky. The only text is “OldFolktales.com” in the top right corner.

The Old Woman and the Hyena

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

In the sunbaked villages of Senegal, where the ancient Wolof people have passed down their wisdom through countless generations, there lived a family touched by both love and misfortune.

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