Madagascar legends

Snake lunges at frog by pond reeds in a Malagasy folktale about pride, deceit, and revenge.

Why Snakes Eat Frogs: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Pride and Revenge

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

Long ago, in the time when animals still made pacts and spoke with voices like our own, a snake met a frog on the edge of a quiet pond. The sun was high, the reeds swayed in the wind, and the water shimmered in the light. It was there, in the meeting of shadow and reflection, that the two creatures

Merina folktale scene of Kotofetsy’s death, Mahaka’s spear, and an old woman with her child.

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Madagascan Folktales

Kotofetsy and Mahaka’s Death: A Merina Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Patience

In the highlands of Madagascar, where the terraced rice fields glitter under the sun and rivers wind their way through the valleys, two names stirred both fear and awe: Kotofetsy and Mahaka. Known far and wide as tricksters without equal, they lived by deceit, surviving on the misfortunes of others.

Dog glaring at rat on tree branch with meat strips, ox bones below, Malagasy folktale scene.

The Dog and the Rat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Distrust

One day, a dog and a rat walked side by side, speaking

The Hedgehog and the Wild Cat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Deception and Consequences

It is told among the Betsileo people of Madagascar that once, long

Why Snakes Eat Frogs: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Pride and Revenge

Kotofetsy and Mahaka’s Death: A Merina Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Patience

The Dog and the Rat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Betrayal and Distrust

The Hedgehog and the Wild Cat: A Madagascan Folktale That Teaches Lessons on Deception and Consequences

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