Traditional Ethiopian storytelling

Parchment-style illustration of Fatuma dancing before the king and wives in an Ethiopian folktale.

Fatuma: The Son Who Was Changed into a Girl

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

In the highlands of Ethiopia, where the morning mist often clings to the rugged escarpments and the call of herders echoes across the valleys, there lived a woman blessed with sons. She bore many, one after another, until at last she gave birth to her youngest child. Yet, for reasons only she knew, this mother concealed the truth of her

Parchment-style illustration of woman crossing river on hippopotamus with bird nearby, Ethiopian folktale scene.

African Folktales·East African Folktales·Ethiopian Folktales

The River Crossing and the Hippopotamus

In a quiet village along the banks of a wide river, there lived a woman who needed to make her way across the waters. The river was deep and swift, with currents that could pull even the strongest swimmer beneath its surface. Crossing it was no simple task, and the

Parchment-style illustration of Penda with her shining children on cloth mats, Ethiopian folktale scene.

Penda Who Could Not Be Shamed

Long ago, in the highlands of Ethiopia where the mountains rise like

Traditional Ethiopian storytelling

Fatuma: The Son Who Was Changed into a Girl

The River Crossing and the Hippopotamus

Penda Who Could Not Be Shamed

Banner