African Folktales at Internet Archive: Behind the Back of the Mountain

For this week I'm going to look at some books by Verna Aardema, whom I've written about before, along with some of the wonderful artists who worked with her. Today's book is Behind the Back of the Mountain: Black Folktales from Southern Africa, with stories retold by Verna Aardema and artwork by Leo and Diane Dillon.

The book's title is explained in the words of Kabbo, the San man who told his stories to Wilhelm Bleek (more about Kabbo here): "A hundred years ago the Bushman storyteller, Hiddoro Kabbo, said that when one has traveled along a road he can sit down and wait for a story to overtake him. He said a story is like the wind. It comes a far place and it can pass behind the back of a mountain." 

This book contains ten stories of the San and Khoekhoe people, along with other peoples of southern Africa: Zulu, Tsonga, and others, and the illustrations by Diane and Leo Dillon are wonderful. Here is is their illustration of an animal story about jackal, lion, and crocodile:

And here is an illustration from the story of the Heavenly Maidens:

I've shared another book by Aardema illustrated by the Dillons here: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale.

And if you want to learn more about this extraordinary couple, here is an interview with Diane and Leo Dillon in Locus magazine, Leo and Diane Dillon.

So, enjoy the beautiful stories from southern Africa in Aardema's book, and enjoy the beautiful artwork by the Dillons also; I'll be back with another book illustrated by the Dillons tomorrow.

Behind the Back of the Mountain:
Black Folktales from Southern Africa