Erick Berry

Parchment-style illustration of a tearful hartebeest on the Northern Nigerian savannah in a traditional Hausa folktale.

Why the Hartebeest Always Has Tears in His Eyes

Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

The wide grasslands of Northern Nigeria were home to many animals that lived according to customs passed down from one generation to the next. Each creature had its own place in the great plains, and every elder taught the young that wisdom was just as important as strength or speed. Among these animals lived the graceful Hartebeest, admired for his

Parchment-style illustration of Ladi sharing water with an elderly traveler beside a spring in a Hausa folktale from Northern Nigeria.

Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

The Water of Ladi

In the sun-baked lands of Northern Nigeria, where wells and streams were treasured more than gold during the long dry season, the people often spoke of a place known as Ladi’s Spring. Its water was said to be pure, cool, and life-giving, flowing quietly even when nearby rivers had begun

Parchment-style illustration of a Hausa maiden beside a giant magical pumpkin in Northern Nigeria.

The Maiden and the Sarakin Pumpkin

Across the fertile plains of Northern Nigeria, farming was more than a

Why the Hartebeest Always Has Tears in His Eyes

The Water of Ladi

The Maiden and the Sarakin Pumpkin

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