**5. Folktales**

"A folktale may be described as a story handed down by oral tradition from mouth to ear among people generally; in fact illiterate, though not necessarily so …" (Dawkins, 1951, p. 417). Dawkins reiterated that many genuine folk stories have been at first literary and passed later into oral tradition. In a similar manner Emery (2012) says a folktale is a traditional narrative, usually anonymous, handed down orally e.g. fables, fairy tales, legends etc. In African culture Story telling (folk tales) which used to be part and parcel of us is no more seen in our daily lives. During storytelling, we will have the older ones telling the younger ones stories which depicted attributes such as giving, caring for one another, greed, selfishness and so on. These elderly people serve as parents in that their word of advice during the story time helps to shape the younger ones. For instance in Ghana, the Spider (traditionally called Kwaku Ananse) is mostly used in our folktales as the main character. He is used to depict acts of greed, love, forgiveness, wisdom, pride etc.

The following are some examples of stories that were told and the lessons being learnt.

Parenting and Culture – Evidence from Some African Communities

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/56967

71

**Story Virtue/morals learnt**

Don't pay bad for bad Friendship

Anansi and turtle Greed

The jealous brother Lying

No condition is permanent Kindness

The Leopard man Obedience

Why wisdom is everywhere Wisdom

**Table 1.** Folktales and the virtues/morals learnt

These are but a few of some folktales told in the Ghanaian, Nigeria and Liberia communities in Africa.

A folktale in traditional setting is an effective means of inculcating the virtues in children (Gyekye, 1996). It is obvious from the explanations given and their examples that these folktales carry with it values and morals which are being handed from one generation to the other. It teaches good morals which helps in parenting the child so he/she will learn to be a responsible

Another significant traditional practice which instils discipline and fosters good parenting in our youth especially, the young girls is puberty rites. It is one of the main traditional practices

Puberty rite is a traditional practice which is performed mainly on adolescent girls to initiate them to womanhood. This rite is therefore believed to make women or girls good wives if they are able to go through the process successfully. Though this process is being celebrated or performed by Nigeria, Liberia, Ghana and some African communities, there may be certain practices which may differ among the countries. However, they follow a general pattern. These

which have strongly been influenced by modernization and education.

Why wisdom is everywhere (Anansi and the Wisdom pot)

Grasshopper and toad

The twin brothers

Rere, the disobedient son

**5.1. Relevance**

**6. Puberty rites**

general patterns include:

**•** notification of the adolescent,

adult.

The riot

One will be reminded that the story time is always in the evening; when the sun is set and all activities have come to a halt. According to Martin (2000) often such stories were told by the light of the moon around a village fire after the completion of a long day of work. It is believed that such times children and the youth will have a good listening ear for advice and what is ahead of them as they climb the adulthood ladder. Let us bear in mind that these stories are not told by parents alone, but by any adult who is depicted as responsive and caring and can impact good morals to the children. This even is evidence that parents are not the only caretakers of the child as he/she grows, but any adult in the community who is responsible. Martin (2000) pointed out that the stories rarely ended with the words … "and they all lived happily ever after". Most stories didn't end happily ever after. The author noted, usually, the stories taught a lesson and frequently, the selfish person learned that lesson the hard way.

#### **Here is an excerpt:**

One day Ananse collected all the wisdom in the world and decided to keep it all in a large pot for himself. Now he said "I have all the wisdom of the world for myself. At least that was what he thought; being such a greedy person.

Kweku Ananse then tied the pot of wisdom around his neck with a strong vine rope and let the pot hang in front of him. But then he was afraid that someone would find the pot of wisdom and steal it." What shall I do with my pot of wisdom" He thought and thought and at last he said," I shall hide the pot on top of the tallest tree in the forest." So he searched the forest until he found the tallest tree which happened to be the thorny silk cotton tree and brought the pot of wisdom to the tree. While Ananse was trying to climb the thorny silk cotton tree his son was watching him." Father," he said," "What are you doing" "Well" said Ananse, I have in this clay pot all the wisdom of the world and I am going to hang it on the top of the tallest tree away from everybody, then I will be the wisest in the whole wide world." "I have an idea." said his son" Why not hang the pot behind you instead of in front of you. Then you will be able to climb the tree". Well the sly one Ananse hanged the pot behind him and to his surprise; he was able to climb to the top of the tree with his pot.

Finally Ananse sat on a branch of the tree holding the pot of wisdom. "I thought I had all the wisdom in the world" He thought to himself.

"I thought I had it all in my pot but my own son has wisdom not in my pot." Then he made a statement that we still use today." No one-person can have all the wisdom in the world. "On his way down he dropped the pot and it smashed into many pieces and scattered all the wisdom all over the world.

(This story is contributed by Rev Peter E Adotey Addo from his book, How the Spider became Bald...Folktales and Legends from West Africa adopted from http://www.allfolktales.com/ wafrica/ananse\_pot\_of\_wisdom.php).

The following are some examples of stories that were told and the lessons being learnt.


**Table 1.** Folktales and the virtues/morals learnt

#### **5.1. Relevance**

elderly people serve as parents in that their word of advice during the story time helps to shape the younger ones. For instance in Ghana, the Spider (traditionally called Kwaku Ananse) is mostly used in our folktales as the main character. He is used to depict acts of greed, love,

One will be reminded that the story time is always in the evening; when the sun is set and all activities have come to a halt. According to Martin (2000) often such stories were told by the light of the moon around a village fire after the completion of a long day of work. It is believed that such times children and the youth will have a good listening ear for advice and what is ahead of them as they climb the adulthood ladder. Let us bear in mind that these stories are not told by parents alone, but by any adult who is depicted as responsive and caring and can impact good morals to the children. This even is evidence that parents are not the only caretakers of the child as he/she grows, but any adult in the community who is responsible. Martin (2000) pointed out that the stories rarely ended with the words … "and they all lived happily ever after". Most stories didn't end happily ever after. The author noted, usually, the stories taught a lesson and frequently, the selfish person learned that lesson the hard way.

One day Ananse collected all the wisdom in the world and decided to keep it all in a large pot for himself. Now he said "I have all the wisdom of the world for myself. At least that was what

Kweku Ananse then tied the pot of wisdom around his neck with a strong vine rope and let the pot hang in front of him. But then he was afraid that someone would find the pot of wisdom and steal it." What shall I do with my pot of wisdom" He thought and thought and at last he said," I shall hide the pot on top of the tallest tree in the forest." So he searched the forest until he found the tallest tree which happened to be the thorny silk cotton tree and brought the pot of wisdom to the tree. While Ananse was trying to climb the thorny silk cotton tree his son was watching him." Father," he said," "What are you doing" "Well" said Ananse, I have in this clay pot all the wisdom of the world and I am going to hang it on the top of the tallest tree away from everybody, then I will be the wisest in the whole wide world." "I have an idea." said his son" Why not hang the pot behind you instead of in front of you. Then you will be able to climb the tree". Well the sly one Ananse hanged the pot behind him and to his surprise; he

Finally Ananse sat on a branch of the tree holding the pot of wisdom. "I thought I had all the

"I thought I had it all in my pot but my own son has wisdom not in my pot." Then he made a statement that we still use today." No one-person can have all the wisdom in the world. "On his way down he dropped the pot and it smashed into many pieces and scattered all the

(This story is contributed by Rev Peter E Adotey Addo from his book, How the Spider became Bald...Folktales and Legends from West Africa adopted from http://www.allfolktales.com/

forgiveness, wisdom, pride etc.

70 Parenting in South American and African Contexts

**Here is an excerpt:**

he thought; being such a greedy person.

was able to climb to the top of the tree with his pot.

wisdom in the world" He thought to himself.

wisdom all over the world.

wafrica/ananse\_pot\_of\_wisdom.php).

A folktale in traditional setting is an effective means of inculcating the virtues in children (Gyekye, 1996). It is obvious from the explanations given and their examples that these folktales carry with it values and morals which are being handed from one generation to the other. It teaches good morals which helps in parenting the child so he/she will learn to be a responsible adult.
