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Tortoise Trickster Tales

tortoise caught with a basket of stolen yams while the dog runs away, from the Nigerian folktale

The Tortoise, the Dog and the Farmer

African Folktales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

Long ago, in the land of Kurumi in southwestern Nigeria, a famine struck with great force. The villages were dry and lifeless, crops failed, and streams offered little water. People became thin, their faces pale with hunger. Even the animals of the land struggled, searching day and night for food. Among them was the tortoise. His once lively shell now

Tortoise hiding in his shell while Leopard looks frustrated - Gabonese folktale

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

The Tortoise and the Leopard

Deep in the forests of Gabon, where tall trees reached toward the sky and the rustle of leaves whispered ancient secrets, lived Tortoise, slow but wise, and Leopard, fierce and proud. Leopard’s golden coat shone brightly in the filtered sunlight, and his power filled the forest with fear. He believed