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West African folklore

Parchment-style illustration of Tortoise hiding fire in shell with Chameleon, Beninese folktale origin.

Stealing Fire from the Creator: The Wisdom of Chameleon and Tortoise in Beninese Folklore

African Folktales·Beninese Folktales·Dahomean (Fon) Folktales·West African Folktales

In the beginning of time, when Mawu, the great Creator, shaped the heavens and the earth, there was no fire among mortals. The world was dark, cold, and damp. Food was eaten raw, nights were long and heavy, and men and animals alike longed for warmth and light. Mawu, who ruled both sky and earth, had lit a great eternal

Tortoise caught stealing from his father-in-law’s farm, tied to a tree, with villagers watching – West African folktale

African Folktales·Nigerian Folktales·West African Folktales

How Tortoise Won by Losing – A Nigerian Folktale

Tortoise and his wife lived in a small hut at the edge of the village. Times were hard, and their storehouse was empty. Not a yam, not a grain of corn, not even a dried pepper remained to cook. Hunger gnawed at them day and night until Tortoise decided to