African Folktales

Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom

A greedy spider tries to hoard the world's wisdom only to find it cannot be contained.

AnansiNtikuma

Anansi and the Tiger's Stories

A tiny spider uses his wits to win the rights to all stories from a powerful tiger.

Anansi the SpiderTiger

How Anansi Got Eight Thin Legs

A greedy spider's plan to attend eight feasts results in his famously long, thin legs.

Anansi the SpiderRabbit

Anansi and the Magic Stick

Anansi steals a magic stick to avoid work, only to find himself drowning in his own shortcut.

Anansi the SpiderHyena

Why Anansi Has a Small Waist

A greedy spider's plan to attend two feasts at once leaves him with a permanently thin waist.

AnansiKweku Tsin

Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

Anansi’s greedy scheme with a magical rock is undone by a clever little deer.

AnansiLion

Anansi the SpiderAnene the River Bird

Anansi Goes Fishing

Anansi the Spider tries to cheat his friend out of work but ends up doing all the fishing himself.

Anansi and the Turtle

A greedy spider learns a lesson in fairness when a turtle uses his own tricks against him.

Anansi the SpiderTurtle

Anansi and the Python

Anansi the spider outsmarts a giant python using a bamboo pole and clever words.

AnansiOnini the Python

Anansi Tries to Steal All the Wisdom

Anansi learns that wisdom belongs to everyone after failing to hoard it in a clay pot.

Anansi the SpiderNtikuma

Anansi the SpiderElephant

Anansi and the Talking Melon

A greedy spider gets stuck in a fruit and uses his wits to trick an elephant and a king.

Anansi the SpiderAnansi's Mother-in-law

Anansi's Hat Shaking Dance

A greedy spider tries to hide stolen beans in his hat, resulting in a painful and bald lesson.

Anansi the SpiderThe Farmer

Anansi and the Gum Baby

A greedy spider's temper lands him in a sticky trap in this classic African trickster tale.

Tortoise and the Wisdom of the World

A greedy tortoise tries to hoard all knowledge but learns that wisdom belongs to everyone.

TortoiseTortoise's Son

Hare and the Hyena

A clever Hare uses a 'fire' ruse to trick a greedy Hyena out of a sweet honey feast.

HareHyena

The Tortoise and the Elephant

A clever tortoise outwits a mighty elephant through cunning and a hidden trap.

TortoiseElephant

How Death Came to the World

A tragic race between two animal messengers brings the permanent shadow of death to humanity.

The CreatorChameleon

Nyame (The Sky God)The Greedy Woman

The Sky Moves Higher

How human greed and a wooden pestle pushed the sky out of reach forever.

Why the Sun and Moon Live in the Sky

A friendly visit from the Water forces the Sun and Moon to find a new home in the heavens.

SunMoon

Nyame (The Sky God)The Old Woman

The Separation of God and Man

A woman's thoughtless actions push God into the high heavens, ending an era of divine harmony.

Unkulunkulu (The Great Spirit)The Chameleon

The Chameleon and the Lizard

A slow messenger costs humanity eternal life in this powerful Zulu creation myth.

OlorunThe Brave Young Man

How Fire Was Given to Man

A brave hero journeys to the sky to bring the gift of fire and warmth to a cold, dark world.

How the Animals Got Their Colors

A vibrant African myth explaining how the Great Spirit painted the world's creatures.

The Great SpiritLeopard

Why the Bat Flies at Night

A jealous trick backfires, forcing the bat to hide from the sun to escape the King's justice.

The BatThe Bush Rat