The traditional web of legend and lore that allegorizes human nature — particularly its propensity for wisdom, ingenuity, resourcefulness, yet also for the shrewdness and duplicity that often goes hand-in-hand — spans across world cultures. As it stretches from one corner of the globe to another, from Japan to India to the Lakota region of the …
Folktales
Folktales are like the mirrors of a culture, reflecting back a light-hearted, colorful vision of the human condition of which it is part. As a culture changes, so too does its stories, especially in West Africa where they are transmitted orally, only to be realigned with each new generation that tells them. So while versions may vary, their cultural importance remains.