Showing results by author "George W. Bateman" in All Categories

Step into the enchanting world of Zanzibar Tales, where adventure and whimsy intertwine in a vibrant tapestry of folklore. Travelers often overlook the extraordinary creatures of Africa—those gifted with the power of speech, like wise gazelles who oversee native princes or daring hares with a taste for flesh. These tales, passed down through generations of storytellers in Zanzibar, offer a glimpse into a reality that blurs the lines between the mundane and the magical. As civilization advances, these remarkable beings may soon be as lost to history as the long-extinct ichthyosaurus or ...

Talking animals, cunning ruses, comeuppances (or escapes from them), good and bad fortune, and a degree of ruthless cruelty are the stuff of folktales everywhere. No less so in these ten tales collected by George W. Bateman in East Africa towards the end of the nineteenth century and published in 1901. Some people think that these tales were the inspiration for some of the Disney stories. The present narrator sees the very little resemblance, but no doubt you'll make up your own mind about it!