The Watkins Book of African Folklore

by Helen Nde

A rich, contemporary and entertaining collection of 50 African folk tales with commentary from noted folklorist Helen Nde, presented in a beautiful, foiled gift package.

Combining vivid storytelling, astonishing imagination and careful research, this is the ultimate collection of African folklore. From creation myths and foundation legends to fascinating stories of human relationships and amusing animal tales, these stories provide a diverse look at the countries and cultures across the African continent. Noted folklorist Helen Nde also provides marvellous context for history and colonial influences for the stories.
Read 50 stories that take you north to Egypt, west to Sierra Leone, east to Somalia, south to South Africa and many places in-between. Discover the geographical and cultural variety of the continent with stories such

FROM The Story of the First Man and WomanFROM Okwa and the River MaidenFROM The Moon and His WivesFROM How Goat Caused a WarFROM The Singing Kagura Birds
Carefully researched and vividly retold these stories represent a vital and fresh perspective on African Folktales for anyone interested in folktales, mythology and storytelling from around the world.

Genres: Nonfiction, African Literature, Mythology, History, Africa, Folklore

240 pages, Hardcover

Published March 11, 2025

About the author

Helen Nde is a Cameroonian-born researcher, writer and artist currently based in Atlanta, GA. She curates Mythological Africans, an online space for exploring mythology, folklore, spirituality, and culture from the African continent.

Reviews

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I loved this! I was worried when I started - each chapter starts with a tale from a different country - sometimes several variations of the same tale - and then an analysis of it; and the first one was a long excerpt of epic poetry from Egypt, very lyrical and everything I dislike... If you are like me, don't let this put you off: the other tales are in prose and are so enchanting, wise, funny, clever, sad and varied, they were a joy to read.

After each selection of tales, Helen Nde offers a history of the versions of the tales and their regional variations; background on how the tale came to be known, which is often through colonizers and missionary work, but not always and local African authors, leaders and storytellers feature abundantly in the collection. Then she analyses the themes of the tales and puts them into an historical context, which was really interesting and well-written.

I loved reading this - I had a large collection of books, as a child, with tales from around the world and it is great to read folk tales again and to see how many themes have been covered, one way or another, in different places at different times. I loved the stories of the clever Hedgehog and the Viper, the enslaved young girl who wishes for her masters to fart from their mouths every time they call her name, the magic horses, the ants and their war with the termites...

Really recommend this book.

Free ARC sent by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this quite a bit. It was pretty obvious that the author was interested in the folklore that she was writing about, and she did a good job making the stories feel interesting. The author included notes after every story explaining some of the context about how the characters or animals were featured in folklore throughout other parts of Africa, which I found really helpful.

I think that the layout could have been improved a little bit. To me, the creation myths are a little bit less interesting than that stories in the "Human Relationships and Institutions" and "Animal Tales" sections, but I imagine that mostly boils down to personal taste.

If you are at all interested in folklore, I would recommend picking this up.

[Kai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked the organization and concise, readable, and well-researched explanations at the end of each story. Having them written down inherently makes them a little less interesting than an oral tale, but this was pretty much just what I was hoping it'd be.

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is organized into three major sections that reflect the central functions of folklore: creation myths and foundational legends that address origins and histories; narratives about human relationships and societal institutions that serve as vehicles for social memory and moral instruction; and animal tales that employ allegory and wit to probe human nature and environmental relations. This structure gives readers a layered understanding of how these stories function within African societies to explain the world, mediate social norms, and entertain.

What distinguishes Nde’s work is her commitment to situating these folk stories within their specific linguistic, cultural, and historical contexts. Her editorial annotations provide insightful commentary on how various external factors, such as colonialism, migration, and language shifts, have influenced the transmission and transformation of folklore. She also provides critical analyses of recurring motifs and themes, drawing comparative parallels across different African regions to highlight both the shared and localized dimensions of the continent’s mythic traditions.

Nde’s expertise as a folklorist and her role as the curator of "Mythological Africans," a respected online community dedicated to African mythology, further enrich this collection. Her work challenges the damaging colonial narratives that often erased or sanitized African oral histories, instead emphasizing the vitality and sovereignty of African storytelling. The book also takes care to elevate marginalized voices, including those of women, revealing the gendered nuances in myth and ritual.

"The Watkins Book of African Folklore" transcends the role of a simple anthology, becoming an essential reference for scholars and enthusiasts alike who seek an authentic, deeply researched, and passionately presented account of African folklore. Helen Nde’s profound engagement with the material, combined with her insightful contextualization, invites readers not only to appreciate the rich storytelling traditions but also to understand the resilience and cultural significance of oral literature in African societies today.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful partner volume to the original Watkins Folklore (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), this has differences, in that it doesn't worry about identifying which coded story type all of the tales are, but much that is on a par. The first third is a spread of creation myths from across Africa, including the region where women and men each have their own version of the story, although both, and females especially, are reluctant to recite the full thing. Many are the instances of the rules of death being explained and passed on by animals, who do their jobs as messenger quite poorly.

The second part starts with a great variant of Cinderella, where a girl is identified as a suitable spouse through uniquely fitting an anklet – or should that read 'thoroughly unsuitable spouse'. Part three is a long look at all the animal stories available, and while it doesn't start with anything like as much entertainment – repetitive, bitty hedgehog vs jackal fables – the whole effort here is of a commendable standard. No, the bulk didn't really give me anything for my storytelling, but the rest has many rich pickings to choose from, and it was all a joy to see. (At least I hope the real thing would be, as my digital review file was very poorly proofread.)

[H Noss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Watkins Book of African Folklore is an amazing resource for getting into African folklore, with numerous folk tales from across the continent, as well as insights and more information after each one. I loved delving into different cultures and learning more about their similarities and differences.

The tale that stood out to me the most was the creation myth of the Mende people, where Ngewo retreats into the sky so that humanity does not rely so much on their creator.

Another brilliant tale was the story behind why goats are sacrificed in Kikuyu folklore. No spoilers, but it's a brilliantly comedic moment!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced eBook!

[Andrea Wenger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Explore the diverse cultures of Africa through 50 captivating myths, legends, and folktales, spanning the continent from Egypt to South Africa. Well-researched and vivid, this engaging and informative book provides historical and cultural context, illuminating the rich storytelling traditions of various African countries.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.