The Significance of the Tortoise in African Folktales
Sumithra S1, Hari Priya P2
1Assistant Professor, Department of English, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India. sumithra1999sjc@gmail.com
2Research Scholar, Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, India. hari200819@gmail.com
| Received: November 28, 2024 | Accepted: December 15, 2024 | Published Online: March 10, 2025 |
Abstract
One of the oldest forms of expression is the oral tradition of folktales. Folktales move between reality and fantasy that include magic, mystery and witches. For Africans, storytelling is a part of their culture. In African folklore, a tortoise is depicted as a cunning figure who personifies wisdom in two ways. In the first, the tortoise succeeds because of its natural intelligence but in the second it falls victim to its own ploys. This research explores the significance of folktales, particularly focusing on African stories in which the tortoise is the main character. Analysing various tortoise folktales within African literature, this study highlights the complexity of the tortoise by not only portraying it as shrewd and manipulative but also as honest and intelligent. This paper deals with prominent themes such as morality, virtue and vice revealing how these folktales act as educational tools that instil important lessons in the minds of children, thereby fostering moral integrity and cultural awareness.
Keywords: Tortoise, Culture, Folktales, Africa, Persistent
