Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa

"Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa" by Elphinstone Dayrell is a compilation of age-old folktales from the early 1900s showcasing Southern Nigeria's vibrant culture and moral teachings. The collection includes a variety of narratives populated with iconic characters such as the intelligent tortoise and commanding kings. These stories highlight the themes of wisdom, the complexities of familial love, and morality. The collection opens with “The Tortoise with a Pretty Daughter,” where a king's obsession births a cruel law, threatening families whose daughters outshine his son's wives. The story follows the tortoise and his daughter, Adet, and displays the themes of cunning, family loyalty, and triumph over oppressive rules, leading to wealth and prestige for the tortoise through his daughter's royal marriage. This story acts as an introduction to a world filled with human and animal relationships, painted against a rich cultural landscape.