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Classic

Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa

by Elphinstone Dayrell

Forty traditional tales from southern Nigeria, with animals, rulers and family life. Recorded by a colonial administrator, the collection retains its historical language and perspectives.

Chapters
41
Language
English
First published
1910
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About 3 hr 16 min of reading

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Contents

41 chapters

Opening page

  1. 01Introduction — Andrew Lang12 min
  2. 02I — The Tortoise with a Pretty Daughter8 min
  3. 03II — How a Hunter obtained Money from his Friends the Leopard, Goat, Bush Cat, and Cock, and how he got out of repaying them7 min
  4. 04III — The Woman with Two Skins13 min
  5. 05IV — The King's Magic Drum12 min
  6. 06V — Ituen and the King's Wife5 min
  7. 07VI — Of the Pretty Stranger who Killed the King4 min
  8. 08VII — Why the Bat flies by Night2 min
  9. 09VIII — The Disobedient Daughter who Married a Skull5 min
  10. 10IX — The King who Married the Cock's Daughter6 min
  11. 11X — The Woman, the Ape, and the Child5 min
  12. 12XI — The Fish and the Leopard's Wife; or, Why the Fish lives in the Water2 min
  13. 13XII — Why the Bat is Ashamed to be seen in the Daytime6 min
  14. 14XIII — Why the Worms live Underneath the Ground2 min
  15. 15XIV — The Elephant and the Tortoise; or, Why the Worms are Blind and Why the Elephant has Small Eyes4 min
  16. 16XV — Why a Hawk kills Chickens3 min
  17. 17XVI — Why the Sun and the Moon live in the Sky2 min
  18. 18XVII — Why the Flies Bother the Cows2 min
  19. 19XVIII — Why the Cat kills Rats2 min
  20. 20XIX — The Story of the Lightning and the Thunder2 min
  21. 21XX — Why the Bush Cow and the Elephant are bad Friends5 min
  22. 22XXI — The Cock who caused a Fight between two Towns4 min
  23. 23XXII — The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise; or, Why the Hippopotamus lives in the Water3 min
  24. 24XXIII — Why Dead People are Buried2 min
  25. 25XXIV — Of the Fat Woman who Melted Away4 min
  26. 26XXV — Concerning the Leopard, the Squirrel, and the Tortoise7 min
  27. 27XXVI — Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes2 min
  28. 28XXVII — The Story of the Leopard, the Tortoise, and the Bush Rat6 min
  29. 29XXVIII — The King and the Ju Ju Tree7 min
  30. 30XXIX — How the Tortoise overcame the Elephant and the Hippopotamus3 min
  31. 31XXX — Of the Pretty Girl and the Seven Jealous Women11 min
  32. 32XXXI — How the Cannibals drove the People from Insofan Mountain to the Cross River (Ikom)5 min
  33. 33XXXII — The Lucky Fisherman3 min
  34. 34XXXIII — The Orphan Boy and the Magic Stone6 min
  35. 35XXXIV — The Slave Girl who tried to Kill her Mistress9 min
  36. 36XXXV — The King and the 'Nsiat Bird3 min
  37. 37XXXVI — Concerning the Fate of Essido and his Evil Companions10 min
  38. 38XXXVII — Concerning the Hawk and the Owl4 min
  39. 39XXXVIII — The Story of the Drummer and the Alligators10 min
  40. 40XXXIX — The 'Nsasak Bird and the Odudu Bird4 min
  41. 41XL — The Election of the King Bird (the black-and-white Fishing Eagle)5 min

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