African Myths and Folk Tales

by Carter Godwin Woodson

Overview

How was the earth formed, and where did animals come from? Why does the hippopotamus live in water, and why do cats chase rats? Imaginative answers to these and other age-old questions can be found among the rich oral traditions of Africa. Generations of listeners have delighted in these fanciful explanations of the natural, moral, and spiritual worlds, which unfold amid a realm of talking animals, magic drums, tricksters, and fairies.
Known as the "Father of Black History," Carter Godwin Woodson was among the first scholars to promote the history and achievements of African-Americans. His compilation of fables about a jealous blind man, a disobedient daughter, a rivalry among brothers, and other timeless predicaments is punctuated with thought-provoking proverbs and gentle humor. Told in simple language, these tales will enchant readers and listeners of all ages. Over sixty evocative illustrations appear throughout the book. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486114286
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	02/06/2012
Series:	Dover Children's Thrift Classics
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	8 MB
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Known as the Father of Black History, Carter Godwin Woodson (1875-1950) was a professor at Howard University and a founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History as well as editor of the Journal of Negro History.

Table of Contents

PrefaceCreationWhy the Sun Shines by Day and the Moon by NightHow Animals Came into the World The Beginning of Death Why Children Belong to the MotherThe Ingratethe Jealousy of the Blind Man The Race for a Wife The Deer and the SnailOhia and his Sorrows Why Some Women Never Eat MuttonThe Fairy Wife The Disobedient Daughter's Marriage Kindness Misunderstood The Dog and the Leopard How the Dog Became the Friend of Man The Cats and Fowls Why Chickens Live with manWhy the Hawk Catches ChickensThe Fox and the Goat Why Goats Live with ManThe Lion, the Leopard, and the Dog The Leopard, the Tortoise, and the Bush Rat The Lioness and the Cow Why the Hippopotamus Lives in the Water Why the Bush Fowl Calls up the DawnWhy the Cat Catches RatsThe Crocodile's RelativesThe Reward for HonestyThe Squirrel and the SpiderThe Toad and the Kitethe Antelope and the Jackal The Leopard and the Hare The Rabbit and the Antelope Beware of Bad Company The Partnership of the Elephant and the RabbitThree Rival Brothers The Legend of Ngurangurane