ANCESTRAL-LAND FOLKLORE

  A Short Story by Babayo U. Kabir Aku told the children another story under the Baobab tree in the village square. Once upon a time... In the moonlit, cold, and star-filled night, a giant mother turtle lay silently on an isolated beach of the Atlantic Ocean. She had earlier dug a nest in the soft, cool sand using her back flippers and was laying her eggs in the big hole, which she then covered with her large belly. The sea turtle preferred nocturnal nesting to avoid overheating under the blazing sun and to escape the eyes of lurking predators. The Sea Turtle. She had been at it for almost three hours and had dropped nearly a hundred eggs. This special moment came after a long gestation period of about ten weeks. She lay prone and motionless, shedding tears of relief—though in truth, her eyes were merely secreting excess salt. In this trance-like state, she was at her most vulnerable. When she was done, she gently covered the nest with sand, concealing her offspr...

  A Short Story by Babayo U. Kabir The Mermaid of the Denge River Aku , the wise grey parrot, perched on the old baobab’s branch as the elders and children of Pira gathered around him. The orange rays of dusk bathed the village square in gold, and the murmurs of evening faded into silence. He ruffled his feathers, cleared his throat, and began softly:   “The gentle wind blowing from the west carried the waves of the mighty Denge River and poured them sparingly onto the sandy banks to wet my dry feet. "The soothing touch of the cool water made me close my eyes, yawn, and exhale loudly. It was sunset, and I had chosen a quiet, secluded place between the small rocks by the riverbank." "Every living creature was retreating into the forest, leaving the riverfront silent and still." "The tranquility of the scenery kept me on the ground for a while longer. After flying for three days to reach this river of my dreams, the touch of its fresh wate...

  THE INVINCIBLE THIEF A short tale by Babayo U. Kabir The children of Pira – a village in the rainforest – sat cross-legged around the Moyi – the old man – their bright eyes fixed on his wrinkled face. The evening breeze swayed the branches of the baobab above them, and the chirping of crickets filled the pauses between his words. The Moyi cleared his throat and began, in that slow, deliberate tone that always made the children lean closer. “A long time ago…” In the remote village of Velango , hidden deep within the African rainforest, there lived a seasoned thief — a man so skilled in his craft that he wished to become invisible itself. One day, he heard whispers of a crooked priest who knew the secret of invisibility. The thief, driven by greed and pride, sought him out. When he finally found the old priest, the man said, “Yes, I can make you vanish before men’s eyes… but the charm will only work if you sacrifice a pure white chicken.” The thief agreed ...