Tales from Africa — Kathleen Arnott

Drawn from all parts of Africa, these stories convey the fierce sense of justice inherent in African peoples, their powers of patience and endurance, and their supreme ability as storytellers. A greedy spider, an evil shark, flying horses, a cruel baboon, a scheming tortoise, and a cunning hare are among the many animal characters in this riveting collection. Yet even though animals feature prominently in most of the stories, humans are not neglected either. Meet blacksmiths, kings, chiefs, peasants, and even an African Superman. There are also answers to such important questions as why the crab has no head, why the sun and moon live in the sky, and why flies buzz. The tales are collected from all across the continent--from Nigeria to Congo to South Africa--and translated from over a dozen languages like Swahili, Bantu, Fulani, Zulu, and Yoruba.