Reading Notes: Nigerian Folk Stories Part B

Overall Impression:

These stories shed more light on animals and their interactions and habits. I thought it was interesting that the Tortoise in these stories was similar to that of the one in Aesop's fables. He is cunning and uses his wit and determination to succeed rather than speed or strength. I also the tortoise more in this part than in the last. He was more of a trickster in the first part, which i do enjoy, but not from a cute turtle.

Again, the explanations for these animals are very creative. It is funny that the hippo's ego and confidence led him to live in the water instead of on land. The same is t be said for the elephant as he lost to the tortoise because of his overconfidence. I think explanations in this way do more than just establish the workings of the world. They teach morals and values and show what happens if they are not employed.

Likes/Dislikes:

The Cock Who Caused a Fight Between Two Towns reminded me a lot of the Egyptian stories of Bata and Anpu. There was a trickster that lead to their seeming demise, but they overcame it together and were reunited. The Bush Cow and the Elephant was a very funny story in the part about the monkey. The monkey is so mindless and it goes into great detail in his mindless acts that was very funny to read. I also thought the story about the Fat Woman Who Melted Away was very funny. It was also weird to think that she was regrown from her toe.

I wish the elephant was portrayed with a little more of an empathetic nature. They posses this character trait and show it readily towards their group members and other animals. I also didn't really enjoy the stories about birds. I am not really a big fan of birds anyway, so that could be why, but I just didn't find them as fun to read as the other animals.

Favorite Stories:

Some favorite stories from this part would be: The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise, Why Dead People are Buried, Of the Fat Woman Who Melted Away, The Bush Cow and the Elephant, and How the Tortoise Overcame the Elephant and the Hippopotamus.

I love elephants, especially African Elephants, so the stories about elephants were exciting to read, even though they may not have been portrayed in the best light. Baby elephants are one of the cutest things on this planet... so enjoy this picture of a mom and her little baby.

(Source:Wikimedia)

Bibliography: Nigerian Folk Stories, from Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria by Elphinstone Dayrell (1910).