FolktalesAfrica.com

Browse Tag

Senegalese folklore

A young Wolof girl kneels beside the Senegal River at sunset, listening to a glowing spiral shell as the water shimmers around her

The Shell That Carried the Voice of Ancestors

by Elizabeth Fabowale

African Folktales·Senegalese Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, when the tides still obeyed the songs of the ancestors, there was a small Wolof village by the edge of the Senegal River. The people there lived by the rhythm of water fishing, trading, and offering thanks to the spirits who guarded the flow between land and sea. Every evening, as the sun rested on the horizon, the

a proud man walking away while a lion, a snake, and a tree watch him with sadness in a traditional West African village scene – Wolof folktale

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

The Ungrateful Man

Long ago in the land of the Wolof people of Senegal, there lived a poor hunter who spent most of his days roaming the forest. His bow was worn and his clothes were patched, yet he never lost hope that one day fortune would smile on him. One hot afternoon,

a majestic eagle flying above a hidden savannah filled with peaceful animals, flowing rivers, and trees glowing under a golden sunset

The Eagle and the Secret Savannah

Long ago, when the skies were young and the grasslands of Senegal

a Wolof weaver by the river weaving a glowing dream-filled cloth at sunrise while children watch

The Weaver Who Wove Dreams

In a quiet village near the banks of the Senegal River lived

a Serer boy beside a shimmering lake under two glowing moons reflecting in the water, symbolising purity and selflessness

The Moon’s Forgotten Twin

African Folktales·Senegalese Folktales·West African Folktales

In the quiet times of the world, when the sky still spoke to the earth and every river knew its own song, there lived a boy named Ndeye. His

a young girl gazing at a glowing magical market in the savannah beneath a golden sky, with luminous traders and stalls

The Market That Appeared Only Once a Century

African Folktales·Senegalese Folktales·West African Folktales

In the time of the ancestors, when people still listened to the language of the wind and the spirits of trade walked among the living, there was a tale

The Hyena and the Hare with the Door

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

In a quiet Wolof village, two neighbors, the cunning hare and the stubborn hyena, decided to build new doors for their homes. Each wanted to show who could make

Fatou the midwife holding a newborn in a glowing palace -Wolof folktale.

The Midwife of Dakar: A Wolof Folktale from Senegal

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

Everyone in Dakar knew old Fatou. She was the midwife of the town, the one whose hands had welcomed countless babies into the world. Women trusted her skill, and

Omanhene seated on a wooden stool, surrounded by villagers, as he poses a riddle – Wolof folktales.

The Omanhene Who Loved Riddles

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

In the old days, when chiefs were the keepers of both wisdom and power, there lived an Omanhene, the head of a great village. This ruler had three sons,

Go toTop