The Lion King of MaliThe Lion King of Mali

Sarah Wood

Charlottesville City Schools

IntroductionIntroduction

• What is a folktale?

• How are folktales presented?

• How long can it take to present a story?

• How are stories passed from generation to generation?

• What are African folktales used for?

• Are Africans the only ones who have folktales?

““How How AnansiAnansi Obtained the Obtained the Skygod’sSkygod’s Stories Stories””

• What is the purpose of this folktale?

• What does Anansi want from the Skygod?

• What must Anansi bring the Skygod?

To explain where stories come from

The stories

The hornet, the snake, and the leopard

Anansi Anansi and the and the Skygod Skygod (continued)(continued)

• How did Anansi capture the animals?

• What happened to the stories?

• Where did stories come from (according to this folktale)?

• How did everyone come to know all of these stories?

Bee - captured in a gourdSnake - tied to a stickLeopard - catapulted to the sky

After Anansi left with them, the bag snagged on a branch andand all of the stories escaped and spread over the Earth.

From the Skygod

The stories were passed down orally from friends and family.

TrickstersTricksters

• Who is Anansi?

• What is a trickster?

• What are some other tricksters that we read about today?

A popular trickster character who appears in many tales.

A trickster is a character who uses their wits to help solve problems, and usually plays jokes on the other people or animals in the stories

Irish - leprechaunsNative Americans - trickster coyotesNorthern Europeans - elves and pixies

“Talk”“Talk”

• Magic is an important part of folktales - it stretches the imagination.

• Listen to hear about people who live in far away places.

• What do the people do to earn a living?

• What kind of homes do they live in?

• What kinds of food do they eat?

“Talk” “Talk” (continued)(continued)

• How do the people earn their living?

• What kind of homes do the people live in?

• What kinds of food do they eat?

Farmers, fishermen, and tailors

Yams, fish, milk, cheese

Made of mud and thatch