The author ranks as one of the foremost living traditional African storytellers - as recognised by the acclaim of his first book, The Palmvine Drinkard. This book includes seven folktales especially for young adults, but of universal appeal. Beautiful black and white ink drawings illustrate the tales whose cast of characters include humans, a goddess, an elephant woman, a boa constrictor and a shell-man.

Step into the magical world of Yoruba folklore with Ajantala and other Yoruba Folktales, a captivating collection of stories that will transport you to another time and place. In this book, you'll discover a rich tapestry of tales that have been passed down through generations of Yoruba storytellers. Some of the stories are as old as the art of storytelling itself, while others are relatively newer. Some of the stories are familiar to those who grew up with Yoruba culture, while others are unique to the author's own imagination. But regardless of their origin, all of the stories in this collection share one thing in common - they're filled with magic, wonder, and the timeless wisdom of Yoruba culture. You'll meet a cast of colorful characters, from wily tricksters to wise elders, and journey through the lush landscapes and mystical realms of Yoruba mythology. With its vivid prose, vibrant imagery, and timeless wisdom, Ajantala and other Yoruba Folktales is a must-read for anyone interested in the art of storytelling, folklore, or African culture. So sit back, relax, and prepare to be transported to a world of magic and wonder that you'll never forget.

The Kini-Kini Bird and more Yoruba Folktales is a selection of folklore thought to have originated from the Yoruba people. The Yoruba are native to the western part of Nigeria. A few centuries ago, the cultural influence of this ethnic group stretched much further out into the West Africa region. Folk tales of the Yoruba are often severely fantastic, the themes generally underscoring the largely agrarian occupation and also the great reverence accorded the gods and the traditional rulers of the communities.

A collection of twenty-three tales involving Aj'ap'a, a tortoise with human traits who has relationships with an assortment of animal and human characters

This mysterious, poetic and often amusing collection of myths illustrates the religion and thought of the West African Yoruba People.

Encyclopedic in its coverage, this one-of-a-kind reference is ideal for students, scholars, and others who need reliable, up-to-date information on folk and fairy tales, past and present. Folktales and fairy tales have long played an important role in cultures around the world. They pass customs and lore from generation to generation, provide insights into the peoples who created them, and offer inspiration to creative artists working in media that now include television, film, manga, photography, and computer games. This second, expanded edition of an award-winning reference will help students and teachers as well as storytellers, writers, and creative artists delve into this enchanting world and keep pace with its past and its many new facets. Alphabetically organized and global in scope, the work is the only multivolume reference in English to offer encyclopedic coverage of this subject matter. The four-volume collection covers national, cultural, regional, and linguistic traditions from around the world as well as motifs, themes, characters, and tale types. Writers and illustrators are included as are filmmakers and composers—and, of course, the tales themselves. The expert entries within volumes 1 through 3 are based on the latest research and developments while the contents of volume 4 comprises tales and texts. While most books either present readers with tales from certain countries or cultures or with thematic entries, this encyclopedia stands alone in that it does both, making it a truly unique, one-stop resource.

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts, Amos Tutuola's second novel, was first published in 1954. It tells the tale of a small boy who wanders into the heart of a fantastical African forest, the dwelling place of innumerable wild, grotesque and terrifying beings. He is captured by ghosts, buried alive and wrapped up in spider webs, but after several years he marries and accepts his new existence. With the appearance of the television-handed ghostess, however, comes a possible route of escape.'Tutuola ... has the immediate intuition of a creative artist working by spell and incantation.' V. S. Pritchett, New Statesman

"The sacred texts of Ifa, repository of the accumulated wisdom of countless generations of Yoruba people, are an invaluable source not only for all students of African oral literature and Yoruba civilization, but also for future generations interested in the continuing vitality of Ifa divination and a Yoruba way of life and thought." —Henry Drewal This landmark study of Ifa, the most important and elaborate system of divination of the Yoruba people of Nigeria, remains a monumental contribution to scholarship in anthropology, folklore, religion, philosophy, linguistics, and African and African-American studies.

Orature and Yorùbá Riddles takes readers into the hitherto unexplored undercurrents of riddles in Africa. Because of its oral and all too often ephemeral nature, riddles have escaped close scrutiny from scholars. The strength of the Yorùbá as the focus of this study is impressive indeed: a major ethnic group in Africa, with established connections with the black diaspora in North America and the Caribean; a rich oral and written culture; a large and diverse population; and an integrated rural-urban society. The book is divided into six chapters for readers' convenience. When read in sequence, the book provides a comprehensive, holistic sense of Yorùbá creativity where riddles are concerned. At the same time, the book is conceived in a way that each chapter could be read individually. Therefore, those readers seeking understanding of a specific type of riddle may target a single chapter appearing most relevant to her/his curiosity.