For the past seven months, I've been featuring African story collections in the form of books and articles at the Internet Archive, but today I want to do something different: this post is about a website, Ethiopian Folktales, with close to 300 folktales in English and in Amharic, plus some audio recordings also.
With a web project like this, you always worry if the site might just disappear someday, but thanks to the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, this website has been archived! Hopefully the site will stay up but, if it should go dark, there are copies of all the stories, and even the audio, stored for the long term at Internet Archive. So, much like with digital lending, I'm depending on the Internet Archive here for the digital archiving that can provide ongoing access to this amazing story resource.
You can access the website directly at this address: EthiopianFolktales.com.
And the same webpages are also available via the Wayback Machine (you can see the history of the Wayback Machine copies of the site in the timeline above the site).
The Internet Archive version even captures the audio mp3 files; just click on what appears as the "download" link for audio on the archived pages, and you can listen to the archived mp3 audio. Here's an example of the archived audio.
This project was led by Elizabeth Laird who worked with storytellers and translators, all of whom are credited individually at the website, in trips to different regions of Ethiopia in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001. The site is organized geographically, with the stories grouped by regions:
You might recognize Elizabeth Laird's name from previous posts; she is the author of these three excellent books about Ethiopia and Somalia, all three of which are available at the Internet Archive. You can find out more about her life and work at Wikipedia, and here are links to previous posts about her books of African stories:
And now, thanks to the Wayback Machine at Internet Archive, Elizabeth Laird's website collection of close to 300 Ethiopian folktales is also available there, just in case it should ever become inaccessible at its .com address.
Below I have a mix of links: the regional links go to the pages at Elizabeth Laird's website, but the actual story links go to the Internet Archive copy, and I'll be adding all those links to my African story links spreadsheet (that update will be ready on Friday). So many stories to read and enjoy! If you see a title you're interested in, or a region you want to learn more about, just click and go right to the story (as saved at Internet Archive):
Afar: The Four Brothers and the Hyena / The Clever Son / Bad Habits / The Hunter’s Bride / The Three Travellers / The Deaf Family / The Sins of the Father / The Sex Change / The Cunning Fox / The Trio / Brains not Brawn / The Donkey and the Hyena / The Crown Prince / The Fox and the Hyena
Amhara: The Cub and the Kid / The Leopard and the Bushbuck / The Poor Man and the Rich Man / The Hyena’s Lips / Sinzero / The Dog and the Donkey that Brayed / The Ox and the Donkey / The Robber / Wardit the Mule / The Murderer’s Wife / The Two Lovers / Still Mad / The Lord Saves / Berio Delala, a True Story / Celebrating the Revolution / Money, My Son / The Dinner Stew / Kumche Ambau and the Football Field / The Daughter Taught her Mother to Give Birth / The Dog and the Donkey / Bullets, Let Alone Balls / Abba Hanna or The Greedy Man / Aleka Gebre Hanna and the Wise Lady / Aleka Gebre Hanna and the Donkey Driver / Aleka Gebre Hanna and the Medicine Man / Evil Eyed Man / Aleke Gebre Hanna / The Rat and the Frog / Marriage Chain / Mother Ape and Father Monkey / The Wedding Day of Mrs Rat and Mr. Cat / Friendship between Rats and Frogs / The Mourning of the Hyenas / Three Deaf People / Ras Hailu in Geneva / King Tewodros and the Thief / King Tewodros and the Dead Guard / The Fruit of the Land / Sun and Rain / Emperor Yohannes and King Tekla Haimanot / The Mercy of Haile Selassie / The Foolish Farmer / The Stolen Meat / The Foolish Parents / The King of the Animals / The Baboon and the Student / The Trees / The Lazy Student
Berta: The Man and the Snake /
The Hyena, the Lion and the Fox /
The Woman and the Lion /
The Rich Brother and the Poor Brother /
The Farmer
Gumuz:
The Hunter and the Elephant /
The Baboon and the Monkey /
Fishing Story /
The Tortoise and the Rabbit /
The Honey Hunters – the Lost Soul /
The Origin of Man
Anuak:
Agenga and the Maize /
Agenga Tricks the King /
Agenga and his Friend /
The Young Guest /
Omot and Guur – The Two Brothers /
The Forest of Secrets /
The Hungry Snake /
The Widow /
The Brave Woman /
Fooling the King /
The Mouse Catchers /
Shooting the Hippopotamus /
The Baboon, the Monkey and the Fox /
Achok and his Uncle /
The Dog and his Master /
The Hyena who Looked up /
The Pregnant Woman and the Lions /
Adurat and her Sisters /
Traditional Way of Life /
Achok and his Mother /
Achok and Lerro go Fishing /
Achok and Lerro Collect Honey /
Separation of Animals and Human Beings at Creation /
Hunting Fish with Long, Narrow Spears /
The Father’s Lesson /
The Magic Cow /
The Greedy Husband /
The Lion's Song /
The Cruel Father
Majangir: Lave and Wallock /
How the Dog Lost her Voice
Opo:
The Lottery Ticket /
The Landlord
Nuer: The Hyena and the Fox /
The Elephant and the Rooster /
Kulang in Prison /
Ganya, the Greedy Man /
Ganya and the Hyena /
The Blind Man /
The Story of the Fox /
The Lion and the Monkey /
God and Man /
Ngap and Nyakwiy
Harar:
Abu Nawas and the Khadi /
Irit and Nurit /
The Hyena and the Fox (1) /
Abu Nawas /
Why the Snake has no Legs /
The Good Wife /
A Fire on the Lake Shore /
Sheikh Nasreddin in the Rain /
Sheikh Nasreddin at the Fork /
Sheikh Nasreddin Counts the Donkeys /
Sheikh Nasreddin and the Miser /
Fatima Zikel and Ahmad Zikel /
The Brother and Sister /
Why the Hyena Limps /
The Donkey and the Hyena /
What the Eye Sees Money can Buy /
The Clever Wife /
The Washerwoman /
The Holy Man /
The Noble Prince /
The Children and the Elephant /
The Hyena and the Fox (2) /
The Good Man and the Wicked Man /
The Pigeon would Save Me /
Atrasu and Amegag
Addis Ababa:
The Wicked Stepmother /
The Rat King’s Son /
Man and the Animals /
Two Jealous Wives /
The Father’s Inheritance /
Tell the Truth and Die /
The Mother-in-law /
The Traveller /
Parricide is Self-Defeating /
The Squirrel and the Leopard /
The Brother and the Sister /
The Cats and the Mice /
The Smart Brother /
Fire, Water, Truth and Lies
Assassa:
The Dogfight /
The Mouse and the Frog /
The Hyena and the Donkey /
The Father's Advice /
The Jackal and the Rabbit /
Abba Bollo and the Necklace /
The Baboon Chief
Gebre Guracha:
The Rooster /
The Man who Grew Feathers /
The Twin Brothers /
The Father's Advice /
The Soothsayer and the Fox /
The Poor Man and the Rich Man
Somalia:
Don’t Be Too Shy /
The Black Crow /
The Head /
Deya Ali, the Cheating Fox /
Another Fox Story /
The Cannibal Woman /
The Girl and the Lion /
The Cracked Land of Drought /
The Hyena, the Fox and the Monkey /
Abba Bukkush /
The Fox and the Scales /
The Bride’s Test /
Hirsi and Kabaalaf /
The Clever Woman and the Sheikh Who Makes Mistakes /
The Handsome Boy’s Dream /
How the Cat Became the Woman’s Friend /
How the Dog Became Man’s Friend /
How the Dog Became Man's Friend (2) /
The Dog, the Goat and the Donkey /
The Lion, King of the Animals /
The Mother of Sons /
Degder /
The Boy Lion of Fafen /
Egal Sheeda
Gurage Zone:
The Clever Trickster /
The Wicked Stepmother /
The Poor Man and the Gold Ring /
Deglerasu and Kefulerasu /
The Poor Man and his Luck /
The Riddles /
The Girl’s Wisdom /
The Lazy Husband and the Clever Wife
Kafa Zone:
The Foolish Husband and the Clever Wife /
The Foolish Servant /
Wisdom Rules /
The Bird’s Advice /
Sorrow Ages Man /
The Coward and his Wife /
The Snake is Better than the Man /
The Father’s Will /
The Cat, the Rat and the Cock /
Keja Gonde /
The Old Man’s Stick
Male:
Lightning and Thunder /
The Tricky Mongoose /
The Lazy Son /
The Bear and the Woman /
The Donkey’s Ear /
The Dog’s Tail /
The Baboon and the Monkey /
The Greedy Dog
Ari:
The Bull’s Calf /
The Leopard’s Child /
The Hyena’s Cruelty /
The Monkey and the Leopard /
The Clever Mongoose
Bena:
The Wizard and the Woman /
The Hyena and the Lion /
The Crocodile and the Monkey’s Heart /
Origin of Bena People
Wolayita Zone:
How the Tortoise got her Shell /
The Mouse Deer who was Cold at Noon /
Don’t be Greedy /
God's Judgment /
God's Justice /
The Flood and the Lake /
The Sky is Falling /
The King and the Musicians /
Everything Passes /
The Locust /
The Travellers who Ate the Donkey
Sidama Zone:
The King and the Bird /
Kinama /
The Shield of Kindness /
Queen Fura /
The Jackal, the Fox and the Rabbit /
The Fox and the Crow /
The Mouse and the Partridge /
The King and the Beggar Woman /
The Nine Brothers /
The Monkey, the Baboon and the Lion
Tigray:
Mother Fox and the Hyena /
The Hyena, the Fox and the Monkey /
It is Found /
The Foolish Thief Dog /
The Little Bird and the Elephant /
The Monks’ Blessing /
The Man and the Snake /
The Woman and the Hyena /
The Sheep and the Goat /
The Fox and the Crow /
The Woman’s Naughty Puppy /
The Man with Seven Horns /
The Forty Dogs /
The Donkey who Brayed /
The Clever Mother and her Clever Daughter /
The Hyena, the Fox and the Monkey 2 /
The Three Misfits /
The Fox, the Crane and the Vulture /
The Priest’s Wife and her Lover /
Pepper and Salt /
Death is not Enough for Him /
The Clever Woman /
Zeyta Hasebe and the King /
Sidrom and his Sisters /
The Bus Journey /
The Fox and the Hen /
The Monkeys and the Baboon /
The Baboon, the Hyena and the Jackal /
Skinning a Flea /
Wild Fruit
(and if you're reading this post, Hector: there are 22 stories with hyenas in the title... and probably some more hyenas lurking in other stories too!)
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