Review: The the grinding stone affair and other stories
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 10, 2013
Unlike European and Asian folktales, that have been recorded in books for centuries, stories from Africa have been passed down by word of mouth until very recently. That would explain the rarity of African folktales on our bookshelves; and also the uniqueness of the stories, for a story changes just a little bit with every retelling. It is, however, important to preserve these tales for the future generations with no further corruption from the outside world. Such writers as King Samuel Benson, who record these stories for posterity, are, indeed, doing all us a great favor. However, it is only fair to note that the writer mentions that he has "carefully re-written them to suit a modern audience." Still, while the tales might have some of the modern references, the core morals and lessons remain intact.This particular collection contains three stories: "Why Newborn Babies Can't Talk," "Why the Tortoise is Bald," and "Why Pigs are Attracted to Refuse Dumps." These are morality tales, each teaching a lesson in concise form. These are mostly short animal fables, with the greedy Tortoise, with whom we became familiar in the first tome of Tales "by Twilight" making an appearance in the two of the stories. The first story, "Why Newborn Babies Can't Talk," is of particular interest, because unlike in the majority of African folktales, it talks about humans, their perceived morals, and how a divine consequence can follow a seemingly correct action.Both "Tales by Twilight" books are a delightful read and recommended to those who enjoy folktales.