Large print edition: Folktales are not invented by one person, they belong to the entire village. African folktales are an oral tradition not written down, but told to children by their parents and grandparents and handed down for generations. As you read the African folktales and Proverbs remember they were created to highlight all that was noblest in man, all that was strong and selfless, all the higher instincts of nature and this was their gift to us, the folktale. They recount the adventures of people and animals, and enlighten us on the mysteries of nature. Try not to think of the folktales as logically and plausibly true. Folktales grew out of creativity combined with real world characters of the African people. Read the folktales for charm and wit, and for the understanding of human beings, wildlife and nature.