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African Myths of Origin

by Stephen Belcher - £12.99  Penguin Books Ltd (2005)
paperback    ISBN 13: 9780140449457 | ISBN 10: 0140449450

Gathering a wide range of traditional African myths, this landmark new collection offers tales of heroes battling mighty serpents and monstrous birds, brutal family conflicts and vengeance, and desperate migrations across vast and alien lands. From accounts of the inventive wiles of animal-creators and a community fleeing a giant crocodile, to the heroic story of the cripple Sunjata who rose to found an empire, all the narratives here concern origins. They offer a kaleidoscopic picture representative of the rich culures and societies of the African continent; the ways of life, the peoples - from small hunting bands to great empires - and the states that have taken shape over many generations and environments.
 
Arranged to allow easy identification of regional patterns and connections, this volume reworks traditional stories in a language intended for the general reader. The introduction explores the vital significance of these time-honoured myths of origin, their history and development over the years. This edition also includes detailed maps that place the tales in geographical context.

(Price & availability last checked: May 2018)