Tales from the Veld

"Tales from the Veld" by Ernest Glanville is a set of stories that take place in the Cape Colony and share the wildlife, folk stories, and experiences of British settlers in the early days. The stories are told by Uncle Abe Pike, a creative storyteller who provides unique points of view about nature, telling stories that mix regional beliefs with his own experiences. The character Uncle Abe, an imaginative man living simply among the British Settlers of 1820, sets a friendly tone from the beginning. In the first story, "Abe Pike's Poison Bark," Uncle Abe tells an odd story about finding a poisonous tree bark that he thinks can kill pests. Readers are drawn into Abe's funny and wise world, where imagination helps people understand nature and its secrets. With humor, folklore, and a nature-filled setting, the collection gives readers an engaging look at the beautiful and hard parts of veld life.