African Short Stories
Short stories and folktales from across the continent. 27 in the archive.
- A Letter from Madrid: A Cameroonian DiaryA Cameroonian short story by Martin Jumbam. Madrid. I had come to know you and your numerous faces. Madrid of ‘Brother Wolf’.Cameroon
- A Little Knowledge Is a Dangerous ThingA Kenyan short story by Gerald Wanjohi. During the colonial period in Kenya there were three Kikuyu men Kioi, Githogori and Kaminju who thought that they…Kenya
- Amazed at His IngenuityA Tanzanian short story by Father Lou Quinn. Like all missionaries in Tanzania, Father Jack felt uncomfortable about the gap between his standard of…Tanzania
- How Wisdom Came to EveryoneAn African short story by William H Barker. There once lived, in Fanti-land, a man named Father Anansi. He possessed all the wisdom in the world.
- The Leopard, the Tortoise and the Bush RatA Nigerian short story by Elphinstone Dayrell. At the time of the great famine all the animals were very thin and weak from want of food; but there was…Nigeria
- Matyrs of UgandaAn Ugandan short story by James Martin. Christian missionaries, both Catholic and Anglican, arrived in the interior of Africa during the late nineteenth…Uganda
- Memories of Home for the HolidaysA Cameroonian short story by Loayeh Jumbam. The time is nine o’clock in the morning and it is the third day of Christmas break at Viterbo university.Cameroon
- Morning Sunrise: A FolktaleA Nigerian short story by Cecilia Sinclair. A man in one of the villages had a very beautiful daughter. She was so lovely that people called her ‘Morning…Nigeria
- Nyerere Disguised as a BeggarA Tanzanian short story by Father Donald Sybertz. In 1974 Tanzania had a serious famine. The government provided famine relief, but the food was not…Tanzania
- A Slave Girl's Tears of JoyA Tanzanian short story by Father Paul Kollman. Siwema was a young girl belonging to the Yao people who lived in a small, but beautiful village in the…Tanzania
- The Bishop Sent by His WorkerA Tanzanian short story by Joseph G Healey. There is a popular Swahili saying that is translated ‘To be called is to be sent.’ Another version is ‘We are…Tanzania
- The Gone Forever TreeA Botswanan short story by Phillip Martin. ‘Faster! Faster!’ cried the lion. ‘I must run even faster! Those wild dogs are right behind me.’ The dogs…Botswana
- The Hunter and the TortoiseAn African short story by William H Barker. A village hunter had one day gone farther afield than usual. Coming to a part of the forest with which he was…
- The Lion and the WolfAn African short story by William H Barker. A certain old lady had a very fine flock of sheep. She had fed and cared for them so well that they became…
- The Sun and the MoonAn African short story by Chiku Malunga. Folktale: If the sun says it is more powerful than the moon then let it come and shine at night Once upon a…
- Tit for TatAn African short story by William H Barker. There had been a great famine in the land for many months. Meat had become so scarce that only the rich…
- Tortoise and Hare RaceA Cameroonian short story. Tortoise and Hare were chatting when Tortoise declared, I bet I can beat you in a race. Hare was stunned for a minute.Cameroon
- Tortoise and HawkA Cameroonian short story by Loreto Todd. Long, long ago, as you know, animals and birds could talk, just as we can.Cameroon
- Tortoise and PigA Cameroonian short story by Loreto Todd. Once upon a time there was a very poor harvest and Tortoise and his wife had no food and no money to buy food.Cameroon
- We Wanted to Be like ThemA Tanzanian short story by Joseph G Healey. A striking story tells about one remote area in western Sudan. Expatriate missionaries, especially priests…Tanzania
- Why Anansi Has Eight Thin LegsA Ghanaian short story. Once upon a time, a long time ago, there lived a spider named Anansi. Anansi's wife was a very good cook.Ghana
- Why the Flies Bother the CowsA Nigerian short story by Elphinstone Dayrell. When Adiaha Umo was Queen of Calabar, being very rich and hospitable, she used to give big feasts to all…Nigeria
- Why I Love the Wouri RiverA Cameroonian short story by Loayeh Jumbam. Something has always intrigued me about rivers. My habit of daydreaming around the waters of rivers dates…Cameroon
- Why the Cat Kills RatsA Nigerian short story by Elphinstone Dayrell. Ansa was King of Calabar for fifty years. He had a very faithful cat as a housekeeper, and a rat was his…Nigeria