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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
This is a wonderful and diverse collection of folktales drawn from throughout the African diaspora. Despite being the work of a professional ethnologist-folklorist (i.e., the Aarne-Thompson category numbers are included in the annotation), the stories are presented clearly and unadorned with unnecessary scholarly adumbration. The tales shine on their own, accompanied only by their points of origin (Mississippi, Jamaica, etc) and also by exquisite yet simple illustrations. This is story-collecting at its best, equally as entertaining as it is historically and culturally significant. For folklorists and Storytellers, educators and read-aloud devotees, it is pure gold.
The tales are varied and interesting, but they are here organized and presented (and edited) with an eye towards western taste. The book as a whole has a distinctly colonial structure and attitude; everything is centered in terms of its value and potential appeal to non-Africans. I have serious reservations about the authenticity of the presentation and translation of the stories, most of which are excerpted from early twentieth century European and American anthropological and folkloric collections, which represent a distinct arm of the colonial impact upon Africa. I also found it difficult to connect individual stories in the collection with their listed sources in the back, due to the book’s convoluted and imprecise citation system. Anyone who wants to learn more about specific tales would do well to research them by way of their individual cultural context, alongside other tales from that same culture.
By pulling stories from all over the continent of Africa and rearranging them according to western notions of preferred narrative types, we as readers lose the stories’ deeper roots and authentic, legitimate cultural meaning. Ultimately, searching African folklore collections for an equivalent to Cinderella or Jack in the Beanstalk is a rather pointless task, despite its trendiness in some circles. We could instead explore how Kikuyu (or Fipa, or Bantu) narratives illustrate the unique values, goals and gifts of the people who created them, reflecting their own cultural values and socio-political spheres of interest. We might discover that European preoccupations are not as universal as was once assumed.
By pulling stories from all over the continent of Africa and rearranging them according to western notions of preferred narrative types, we as readers lose the stories’ deeper roots and authentic, legitimate cultural meaning. Ultimately, searching African folklore collections for an equivalent to Cinderella or Jack in the Beanstalk is a rather pointless task, despite its trendiness in some circles. We could instead explore how Kikuyu (or Fipa, or Bantu) narratives illustrate the unique values, goals and gifts of the people who created them, reflecting their own cultural values and socio-political spheres of interest. We might discover that European preoccupations are not as universal as was once assumed.
I admire that they included folktales that were written out exactly as they were told, but I have to admit I found them nigh unreadable. Oral storytelling and written storytelling are two very different beasts. The ones that were written out like that are not all of them, or even the majority, but the collection generally leans pretty hard in retaining as much of the oral qualities of the original stories. Which makes for an interesting collection, but not as entertaining of one.
Here I am at book number 15 (or 16?) of my collection of fairy and folk tales. I thought it would be remiss not to read this one now.
Consisting of stories from North, South, Central Americas and the Caribbean, they are heavy on trickster stories. (What else would you expect from stories whose origins often stem from slavery times, though?) Each story lists it's origin at the end, whether it be Jamaica, Mississippi, etc.
From the introduction:
Make no mistake: this is a book of elaborate fictions told by tale spinners, first and last, for the fun of it, even when the stories are told in the face of a death in the community.
In the Afro-American world, populated largely by blacks and yet commonly under the political and economical control of whites, the usefulness of learning wariness and counteractive devices of wit is obvious.
One of the main differences in the stories in this volume as compared to other volumes of fairy and folk tales that I've read is the lack of a "the end" or a "happily ever after." There's an implied "to be continued" that I haven't encountered in many (except for a section in the Arab tales, I believe). And when you think about that, it makes sense, I mean, think of the characters: Anansi or Brer Rabbit.
Getting on, there are seven parts to this book:
1. 'Getting Things Started: How the World Got Put Together That Way' - stories that speak to the value of accommodating yourself to the way the world is and to the fact that life isn't usually very fair. (When all the folks in the courthouse are foxes and you are just a common goose there ain't gonna be much justice for colored folk.) In this section, I learned that if you are visiting God, when you get there you have to ask for what you want and don't ever be late. Other lessons in this section - no good ever comes from being greedy and when you don't do what you're told to do, you will get into trouble sooner or later. Story #13, Tadpole Loses His Tail was one of my favorites.
2. 'Minding Somebody Else's Business and Sometimes Making It Your Own' - stories that are how problems first came to humans and how detrimental it is to do something in a "boastful manner." There were some similarities in the stories in this section to those of what one would call "typical" fairy tales. Story #31, 'A Boarhog For a Husband' has characters of a Boarhog that transforms into a man and a stepmother that's really a bird. Also #33, 'My Mother Killed Me My Father Ate Me.'
3. 'Getting a Comeupance: How (And How Not) To Act Stories - here are the stories that discuss how to behave, what's considered good behavior and bad behavior. There are also stories at how untrustworthy others are. One of my favorite stories in this section described how a wasp came to be shaped as they are: it's because one wasp laughed so hard and so long at mosquito, his waist began to disappear. The story went on to say that if he laughs today, he will split in two.
4. 'How Clever Can You Get? Tales of Trickery and Its Consequences' - here are more stories of tricksters, but now it's their immoralities that are in the spotlight.
5. 'The Strong Ones and the Clever: Contests and Confrontations' - in this section, many of the characters are animals with human traits or vice-versa. They participate in contests and fights drawing power from the 'non-human' world to help them. In this section we read about the "spirit world" and many of the stories revolve around dealings with the Devil.
6. 'Getting Around Old Master (Most of the Time)' - Inevitably, the experiences of slavery and the social marginalization that arose in the plantation world came to be recorded in the stories blacks told about the interactions between themselves and whites. Here we have stories re: the black response to their exclusion and exploitation. Many of the stories report both brazen and subtle acts in the face of Old Master's authority. Story #93, A Flying Fool, tells the story of a black man who died and went to Heaven: This colored man died and went up there to meet his Maker. But when he got to the gates, St. Peter said that God wasn't home or having any visitors - by which he meant 'no negroes allowed.' Well, this man waited until St. Pete had to pee, sneeks past the gates into Heaven, gets his wings, flies all over. Then St. Peter calls out for the "heavenly police force" to get him, he's caught and then thrown out. But he tells the story over and over again about how he flew all over.
7. 'In the End, Nonsense' - this section was short and was compromised of clownish routines, jokes, etc.
Another excellent read.
Consisting of stories from North, South, Central Americas and the Caribbean, they are heavy on trickster stories. (What else would you expect from stories whose origins often stem from slavery times, though?) Each story lists it's origin at the end, whether it be Jamaica, Mississippi, etc.
From the introduction:
Make no mistake: this is a book of elaborate fictions told by tale spinners, first and last, for the fun of it, even when the stories are told in the face of a death in the community.
In the Afro-American world, populated largely by blacks and yet commonly under the political and economical control of whites, the usefulness of learning wariness and counteractive devices of wit is obvious.
One of the main differences in the stories in this volume as compared to other volumes of fairy and folk tales that I've read is the lack of a "the end" or a "happily ever after." There's an implied "to be continued" that I haven't encountered in many (except for a section in the Arab tales, I believe). And when you think about that, it makes sense, I mean, think of the characters: Anansi or Brer Rabbit.
Getting on, there are seven parts to this book:
1. 'Getting Things Started: How the World Got Put Together That Way' - stories that speak to the value of accommodating yourself to the way the world is and to the fact that life isn't usually very fair. (When all the folks in the courthouse are foxes and you are just a common goose there ain't gonna be much justice for colored folk.) In this section, I learned that if you are visiting God, when you get there you have to ask for what you want and don't ever be late. Other lessons in this section - no good ever comes from being greedy and when you don't do what you're told to do, you will get into trouble sooner or later. Story #13, Tadpole Loses His Tail was one of my favorites.
2. 'Minding Somebody Else's Business and Sometimes Making It Your Own' - stories that are how problems first came to humans and how detrimental it is to do something in a "boastful manner." There were some similarities in the stories in this section to those of what one would call "typical" fairy tales. Story #31, 'A Boarhog For a Husband' has characters of a Boarhog that transforms into a man and a stepmother that's really a bird. Also #33, 'My Mother Killed Me My Father Ate Me.'
3. 'Getting a Comeupance: How (And How Not) To Act Stories - here are the stories that discuss how to behave, what's considered good behavior and bad behavior. There are also stories at how untrustworthy others are. One of my favorite stories in this section described how a wasp came to be shaped as they are: it's because one wasp laughed so hard and so long at mosquito, his waist began to disappear. The story went on to say that if he laughs today, he will split in two.
4. 'How Clever Can You Get? Tales of Trickery and Its Consequences' - here are more stories of tricksters, but now it's their immoralities that are in the spotlight.
5. 'The Strong Ones and the Clever: Contests and Confrontations' - in this section, many of the characters are animals with human traits or vice-versa. They participate in contests and fights drawing power from the 'non-human' world to help them. In this section we read about the "spirit world" and many of the stories revolve around dealings with the Devil.
6. 'Getting Around Old Master (Most of the Time)' - Inevitably, the experiences of slavery and the social marginalization that arose in the plantation world came to be recorded in the stories blacks told about the interactions between themselves and whites. Here we have stories re: the black response to their exclusion and exploitation. Many of the stories report both brazen and subtle acts in the face of Old Master's authority. Story #93, A Flying Fool, tells the story of a black man who died and went to Heaven: This colored man died and went up there to meet his Maker. But when he got to the gates, St. Peter said that God wasn't home or having any visitors - by which he meant 'no negroes allowed.' Well, this man waited until St. Pete had to pee, sneeks past the gates into Heaven, gets his wings, flies all over. Then St. Peter calls out for the "heavenly police force" to get him, he's caught and then thrown out. But he tells the story over and over again about how he flew all over.
7. 'In the End, Nonsense' - this section was short and was compromised of clownish routines, jokes, etc.
Another excellent read.
Number, I've lost count but I'm nearing twenty, book of my fairy/folktale collection. This one, African Folktales had hardly any Anansi/Brer Rabbit/etc. stories, which was what I was expecting (those are in the Afro-American collection). Most of the stories in this volume rely on performance, and it's in those performances that tie the stories to this huge continent with such a varying population.
The book is divided into five parts. Part 1: "Tales of Wonder from the Great Ocean of Story" contains the most tales that are similar to those I've read in other collections - the tales that require one to pass multiple tests, or coming upon a magical animal/helper, sorceresses, etc. etc. My favorite was 'Demane and Demazana' - a Hansel and Gretel type of story in which a password is used to keep the two children safe from cannibal-ogre.
Part 2: "Stories to Discuss and Even Argue About" contains short stories that are about how to behave in society. The author describes them as being either "dilemma tales" (tales without an end) and "moral examples" (tales that have a "do-unto-others" vibe). An interesting aspect of these stories is that they often don't end and are meant for the group to discuss. By far the most unusual story beginning was from 'The Four Champions:' "The Horny Head Champion, the Penis Champion, the Farting Champion, and the Testicles Champion set off on a journey together."
Part 3: "Tales of the Trickster and Other Ridiculous Creatures: Tales to Entertain" are the most common type of story in Africa and as the author points out, "the strangest to Western readers." The tales of the Trickster center around both the doings and undoings and how he/she is both creative and destructive.
Part 4: "Tales in Praise of Great Doings" are stories that read like myths. These often describe heroic deeds. This section had 2 stories, but one was completely told in a bard-like manner and went on for pages and pages - as if you were reading a script.
Part 5: "Making a Way Through Life" is where we find the stories of courtship and courtship quests, marriage, and the role of women.
There were some things that stuck out and a few stories that were similar to familiar fairy tales (one in particular was very Jack and the Beanstalk-ish).
Not my favorite book of tales, but definitely interesting and worth the read.
The book is divided into five parts. Part 1: "Tales of Wonder from the Great Ocean of Story" contains the most tales that are similar to those I've read in other collections - the tales that require one to pass multiple tests, or coming upon a magical animal/helper, sorceresses, etc. etc. My favorite was 'Demane and Demazana' - a Hansel and Gretel type of story in which a password is used to keep the two children safe from cannibal-ogre.
Part 2: "Stories to Discuss and Even Argue About" contains short stories that are about how to behave in society. The author describes them as being either "dilemma tales" (tales without an end) and "moral examples" (tales that have a "do-unto-others" vibe). An interesting aspect of these stories is that they often don't end and are meant for the group to discuss. By far the most unusual story beginning was from 'The Four Champions:' "The Horny Head Champion, the Penis Champion, the Farting Champion, and the Testicles Champion set off on a journey together."
Part 3: "Tales of the Trickster and Other Ridiculous Creatures: Tales to Entertain" are the most common type of story in Africa and as the author points out, "the strangest to Western readers." The tales of the Trickster center around both the doings and undoings and how he/she is both creative and destructive.
Part 4: "Tales in Praise of Great Doings" are stories that read like myths. These often describe heroic deeds. This section had 2 stories, but one was completely told in a bard-like manner and went on for pages and pages - as if you were reading a script.
Part 5: "Making a Way Through Life" is where we find the stories of courtship and courtship quests, marriage, and the role of women.
There were some things that stuck out and a few stories that were similar to familiar fairy tales (one in particular was very Jack and the Beanstalk-ish).
Not my favorite book of tales, but definitely interesting and worth the read.
dark
medium-paced
I've been reading a lot of European folktales recently, so it was nice to have a change. I noticed a few motifs common in fairy tales appearing in these as well. I love the way folktales, even from very different regions, often have these commonalities, and it's always interesting to see the different ways they're used.
I actually enjoyed the stories, not enough to go wow, but I did end up chuckling every now and then. I especially loved the authors short note at the beginning of each section. I also love their portrayal of both the God and the Trickster, and the idea of how God becomes the God of only the white men. It sort of throws light upon the prevalant racism. I feel like the tales themselves highlight the marginalisation and the poor treatment of the blacks in the post war America. And then that one story where the old master tells his slave that it is not fire but evaporated something(?), that chapter reminded me of Beloved(by Morrison).
I also felt that a couple of stories were somewhat similar to the fables(Aesops to be precise) I have read and I think the author mentioned that the stories themselves borrow heavily from the European folklores. There aren't any striking references to the folktales of Africa, minus Anansi perhaps? Certain ideas do find their way into the tales but I still feel that it is more americanized.
If I don't make sense then I am terribly sorry. It is pretty late here and I am actually quite sleepy. But yeah. The book, I'd definitely recommend it. Although I would definitely suggest reading other folklores as well.
I also felt that a couple of stories were somewhat similar to the fables(Aesops to be precise) I have read and I think the author mentioned that the stories themselves borrow heavily from the European folklores. There aren't any striking references to the folktales of Africa, minus Anansi perhaps? Certain ideas do find their way into the tales but I still feel that it is more americanized.
If I don't make sense then I am terribly sorry. It is pretty late here and I am actually quite sleepy. But yeah. The book, I'd definitely recommend it. Although I would definitely suggest reading other folklores as well.
Read the Folio Society edition, which eliminates the commentary many other readers here seem to find objectionable, so take the rating with a grain of salt unless you're reading the Folio as well.
I admire that they included folktales that were written out exactly as they were told, but I have to admit I found them nigh unreadable. Oral storytelling and written storytelling are two very different beasts. The ones that were written out like that are not all of them, or even the majority, but the collection generally leans pretty hard in retaining as much of the oral qualities of the original stories. Which makes for an interesting collection, but not as entertaining of one.