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Tunisian Folktale

a majestic golden lion standing before the gates of Kairouan, its glowing mane shining as enemy soldiers flee in fear across the desert

How the legendary Lion Defended the Holy City of Kairouan

by Elizabeth Fabowale

African Folktales·North African Folktales·Tunisian Folktales

In the heart of Tunisia lies the ancient city of Kairouan, long regarded as a holy place and a center of Islamic scholarship and devotion. Its mosques, courtyards, and winding streets carry centuries of faith and history. Yet among the stones and stories of this city, one legend has endured above all others, the tale of the Lion of Kairouan.

a poor fisherman on a small boat in the Gulf of Gabès, holding a sealed brass jar as smoke rises into the shape of a furious jinn above the sea

African Folktales·North African folktales·Tunisian Folktales

The Fisherman and the Jinn of the Gulf of Gabès

Along the shimmering waters of the Gulf of Gabès, where the Mediterranean meets the Tunisian coast, generations of fishermen have cast their nets and told stories under the stars. Among these tales, one stands out for its warning about greed, its praise of cleverness, and its reminder that wisdom can

a young woman transforming into a tall palm tree in the Tunisian desert at sunset, with wide fronds providing shade and dates hanging from the branches

How Leila Became the Legendary Palm Tree Bride of Tunisia

In the vast, sun-scorched deserts of Tunisia, where golden sands stretch endlessly

magical talking camel standing beside a poor Bedouin herder in the golden dunes of the Tunisian Sahara

The Talking Camel of the Sahara

In the endless sands of the southern Tunisian Sahara, where the sun

seven young men sleeping inside a cave in the Tunisian desert, with soft golden light shining through the entrance

The Seven Sleepers of Gafsa

African Folktales·North African Folktales·Tunisian Folktales

In the ancient town of Gafsa, surrounded by palm groves and desert springs, stories of faith and wonder have been told for generations. Among them is one of the

a young Berber shepherd standing at the entrance of a dark cave in the Tunisian mountains with treasure glowing inside.

The Ogre of the Cave

African Folktales·North African Folktales·Tunisian Folktales

High in the rugged mountains of Tunisia, where the sunlight turned rocky slopes into golden cliffs, there lived a young shepherd named Youssef. Every morning he guided his flock

a beautiful and mysterious spirit-woman standing at the edge of a desert oasis at twilight, her eyes glowing faintly.

Aisha Kandisha of Tunisia

African Folktales·North African folktales·Tunisian Folktales

In the lush oases and winding rivers of Tunisia, where date palms cast long shadows over the golden sands, stories of spirits and enchantments have whispered through generations. Among

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