Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales

Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project Gutenberg (This file was produced from images generously made avai...

After all the carcasses had been cut up, came the time to divide the meat between the two companies. So, Leopard said, "As I am your Uncle, I precede; I will choose first, and w...

Next, Gorilla stood up; he went. And the merchant told him, in the same way as to Elephant, that he was to do certain tasks. Gorilla tried, and failed, and came back disgusted.

When they approached the town, the inhabitants, with great politeness, ran out to welcome them, shouting, "Agenda! Saleni, Saleni!" (Strangers! Welcome ye! welcome ye!) Rat turn...

One day, they were discussing together on the question, "Who is King of the Birds?" They all, each one, named himself, e.g., the Chicken said, "I!;" the Parrot, "I!" the Eagle "...

What the young woman thought of the loss of her graceful lovers, the Antelopes and others, is not known. For, when Telinga advanced to take her, Leopard and others dashed at him...

Two children were bathing in a river; and a crocodile came where they were. It seized one, and, grasping it with its teeth, went with it to its hole in the river bank. It did no...

Leopard boiled the kettle. It was cooked; and he said to Gazelle, "Go, cut down a bunch of plantains, out there in the back-yard." (This he said, hoping that Gazelle would fall...

On another day, Leopard and Igwana began a journey together to a place about forty miles distant. Before he started, Igwana closed his house, and said to his children, "Njâ and...

Tortoise came that day from the forest where he had been searching for the loved mushrooms for his family. He said to himself, "Before going into the town, I will first go to th...

As the Man started homeward carrying his load of animals, Tortoise in the bag, mourning over his fate, said to the dead Igwana and the others, "I told you to call to Kâ to warn...

One of the children ran out into the street, with the fruit grasped in his hand. Just then, Dog happened to meet the child in the street, and asked him, "Who gave you this fruit...

Leopard and Tortoise built together a large town. Leopard said to Tortoise, "I will live with you, but I shall not be able to eat with you; for, I am a great man, and I eat alone."

Then Bat called the Birds to come. They came, big and little; Pelicans, Eagles, Herons and all the others. When they all had come together, they said to Bat, "Show us the dead b...

As time passed on, the child grew in size, and strength, and skill. Because of this, his mother was treated by Ukanakâdi with special favor. This aroused the jealousy of one of...

Next morning, he fastened the Spear handle. Elephants in the plantation shouted, "We have come!" The man stood up, and snatched his Spear. The Elephants stood waiting. The man s...

One day, the sister of Leopard began to give Gazelle some impertinence. Gazelle said to her, "Shut your mouth!" She replied, "I won't shut it!" Gazelle threatened, "Lest I beat...

On his journey still, till he came to a large river. There he stood, and listened, as he heard a boat-song, "Ayehe! âhe! âyehe! e!" There passed by the sound of paddles, wom'! w...

He went on his journey, on, on, on, on, until the town of the Tooth. Said he, "Here's your Hova!" The Tooth requested, "Tell me the news from there." The Gourd whispered to Toot...

On another day, he went to set his snare. He found there a dwarf child of a Human Being; and, in anger, he said, "You are the one who has caused me to send away the beasts? Is i...