Favorite African Folktales (Paperback)

by Nelson Mandela (Editor) "This East African story about the innocence and power that children possess was recorded at the beginning of the twentieth century in Benaland, Tanganyika (now..." (more)
Key Phrases: motlopi tree, oldest crow, finest creature, Sannie Langtand, Van Hunks, Windy Mountain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"It is my wish that the voice of the storyteller never die in Africa."—Nelson Mandela, from the foreword

The vibrant tradition of African folktales—an oral heritage that predates Ovid and Aesop—is long and varied, but to date it has been largely overlooked in the West. Aware of this gap, Nelson Mandela selected thirty-two stories, many of them translated from their original tongues, to show the seminal role of African folklore in world literature. We meet tricksters from Zulu folklore; we hear the voices of the scheming hyena and learn from a Khoi fable how animals acquired their tails and horns. These fables present a veritable bible of stories "universal in their portrayal of humanity, beasts and the mystical." Winner of the NAACP Image Award.

About the Author
Nelson Mandela, now eighty-six years old, lives in Johannesburg and was South Africa's first democratically elected president.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (November 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393326241
• ISBN-13: 978-0393326246
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #536,772 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great stories for your grandchildren and students, January 17, 2009

By	Ralph Shattuck (Eugene, OR & Surprise AZ) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

These stories are folk tales edited by Nelson Mendela who compiled these for his grandchildren. I used this book for plays and readings when teaching in Namibia. The tenth thru twelveth gradel class loved these stories and it helped them to enjoy Animal Farm. Fellow Fulbrighters' children also expressed an interest, so I provided them with chapters from the book. I also e-mailed them to my grandchildren in Scottsdale Arizona and they loved them. The talking animals often lead us to a morality play conclusion that is not specific to any culture. Further, each story, while written for children up to the age of 10, uses words unique to southern african cultures. A few of the these unique words are not easily found in a dictionary, but one can guess the nature of the meaning of the mysterious word from the context of the story. It is a wonderful window into village life in Africa and provides an important and different world view and explanation of how things came to be the way they are. It is also a fun book to read to younger children who are not yet reading on their own.