African Folktales at Internet Archive: Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

For another story from eastern Africa, here is the ever-prolific Verna Aardema again, and her book, Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain, just a click away at Internet Archive:

This book is of special interest to me because it is a chain tale, which is my own favorite folktale genre, and it is also one which is very popular in Africa; I think it's safe to say that you will find more chain tales in African folktale than anywhere else in the world, with chain tales in India running a close second. What is a chain tale? There are different varieties, but you can get the idea from the English fairy tale "The House That Jack Built" or the English song "The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly."

In this children's book, the chain is about the actors and actions it takes to bring water to Kapiti Plain, where there is a drought. The Kapiti plains are located in Kenya, and this folktale is one told by the Nandi people of Kenya. For her source, Aardema used this book, which is also available at Internet Archive: The Nandi, Their Language and Folklore by A. C. Hollis, published in 1909. 

Aardema changed the story in big ways to turn it into a children's book; you can read the story Hollis collected in both Nandi and his English translation:

Comparing the story that Aardema began with and the story that she finally wrote is a great way to get new insight into both stories.

The illustrations in this book are by Beatriz Vidal, and they add to the pleasure of the story and the storytelling:

You can find out more about Vidal and her beautiful work at her website. This book was her very first publication, and she has gone on to illustrate many more wonderful children's books.

Aardema's most famous book is also an example of a chain tale: Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears: A West African Tale, available at Internet Archive:

And I've also blogged about this children's chain tale book: Congo Boy: An African Folk Tale by Mollie Clarke, also at Internet Archive:

Plus for a more authentic chain tale, not one retold for children, check out the title story of Fourteen Hundred Cowries and Other African Tales by Abayomi Fuja at Internet Archive:

One of these days I want to write an anthology of chain tales from around the world; it's a project I worked on a few years ago but I realized I was in trouble because I did not have the knowledge to complete the Africa part of the project... now I am ready to provide good coverage of African chain tale stories! Here's my chain tale collection if you are curious; it has a strong emphasis on stories from India, along with other parts of the world.

And now, if you are ready for some chain tale pleasure, here is today's book, just a click away at Internet Archive:

Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain

by Verna Aardema