Folktales about pride

Monkey laughing from a tree while Leopard growls angrily below in a Gabonese forest

Why Monkey Mocked Leopard

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

Deep in the forests of Gabon, where the tall trees swayed and the rivers whispered through the undergrowth, Leopard ruled as the most feared hunter. His sharp claws and swift leaps brought down antelope and bush pig alike. The animals spoke his name in whispers, for no creature wished to cross his path. Yet among them was Monkey, quick and

Parchment-style illustration of blind Anansi leaping from canoe, Ashanti folktale from Ghana, helpers rowing away.

African Folktales·Ghanaian Folktales·West African Folktales

Anansi the Blind Fisherman

In his old age, the clever but cunning spider Anansi turned to fishing. The rivers and seas had long been a source of life for his people, and though his body was still strong, his eyes began to betray him. At first, it was a blur in the morning light.