The people of Africa have provided the world with a wealth of stories, particularly those that have animals as main characters.  Their humor is an important part of many trickster tales.

Objective:  Students learn to appreciate the values of African peoples by reading their folk tales.

Web Resource: 
1. Tales of Wonder http://darsie.ucdavis.edu/tales/indextxt.html
2. Multiculturalism Through African Folk Tales And Mayan Myths http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1996/1/96.01.03.x.html
3. Trickster Tales  http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1997/2/97.02.09.x.html#c
4. Deep in the Bush, Where People Rarely Go  http://members.xoom.com/PMartin/Bush/bushhomepage.htm
5. African Folk Tales http://members.xoom.com/PMartin/Bush/text_folktales_intro.htm
6. African American Folk Tales  http://www.childrenslit.com/aftales.htm

Background Knowledge:  Some familiarity with the geography and history of Africa would be helpful.

Teaching the Lesson:
1. Tell students that African folk tales are part of the oral tradition since there were told by tribal members.  Long ago, most tribes were nomadic.  As a result, it was not practical for the people to carry large amounts of possessions.
2. Explain that most often these stories taught particular lesson s or had morals.
3. Point out to students that he trickster tales are well represented in the list of  of stories at http://darsie.ucdavis.edu/tales/indextxt.html

Activity:  Understanding African Folk Tales
Name:
Date:

Web Site: Tales of Wonder
        http://darsie.ucdavis.edu/tales/indextxt.html

Choose one of the following stories to read.  Then answer the questions below.
· “The Rabbit Steals the Elephant’s Dinner”
· “The Friendship of the Tortoise and the Eagle”
· “The Rabbit Grows a Crop of Money”
· “The Marriage of the Mouse”

Title of Story:

Answer these questions:
1. In which category does this story belong?
2. Who are the min characters?
3. What problem needs to be solved?
4. How is the problem resolved?
5. What is the story’s lesson or moral?

Extended Activity:  There is a group of stories from India at the Tales of Wonder web site (http://darsie.ucdavis.edu/tales/indextxt.html).  Select some to read from the titles listed below.  Then compare and contrast these stories to the African folk tales.
· “Why the fish Laughed”
· “The Ogress Queen”
· “Living Like a Pig”
· “ The Magic Bowls”
· “A Drum”
· “Sukhu and Dukhu”
· “Four Girls and a King”
· “One More Use for Artists”
· “The Dove’s Eggs”