The African Folklore series was born out of the desire to tell the stories that have been passed down for centuries, most probably around a communal fire under the glittering stars of the vast African sky, with the addition of traditional masks and percussion to enhance the story. Teaching, passing on cultural values and entertaining, African fables have been handed down verbally from generation to generation in this way, and more recently have been retold in books. How nature came to be, is the basis of African folklore. From a greedy baboon, a vain crocodile and a clever jackal, African animals are often the characters used to convey the message of human characteristics, their pitfalls and their triumphs. And unlike stories in other parts of the world, the ending is not always happy. In fact, some African fables are downright gruesome! It was from this point that I wanted to adapt some of Africa's best-loved stories, into tales that could delight a very young audience. With creative license, I have embellished on the traditional characters, made them into characters that talk a bit more, think more imaginatively and hopefully, enhanced their personas so that young children will find them more intriguing. And where there may have been blood and gore, I've changed the storyline so that our little ones will not be listening to a horror story at bedtime!
