After much coaching, Bouki wins the prize for dancing the king’s secret dance but is then outwitted by his sneaky friend.
Bouki Dances The Kokioko
Folklore and Fairy Tales
The Princess Mouse : A Tale Of Finland
A retelling of a Finnish folk tale about a young man who plans to marry his mouse sweetheart.
Brothers
Hard times on adjoining farms bring about parallel acts of kindness and a celebration of “how good it is for brothers to live together in friendship.”
The Two Brothers: A Legend of Jerusalem
Two brothers who love each other dearly inherit their father’s land and live on opposite sides of a hill. When King Solomon witnesses the brothers’ simple acts of kindness, a miracle occurs, leading to the creation of the holy temple and ancient city of Jerusalem.
The Lion Is No Longer King
The King of Beasts loses his crown. This African folktale begins a long time ago, when the lion declares himself king of beasts. The entire animal population of the savanna pays daily respects to a roaring tyrant who works them ragged and allows them no rest.His Majesty’s fearless bodyguard, the mongoose, protects the king from snakes, until one day the mongoose decides instead to play in the babbling stream. Outraged, the king sends two birds, a buffalo and a turtle to fetch him for the purpose of sever punishment. The mongoose explains that all of the animals would be happier if they could play and swim as they wish. The king grows weak from nightmares and finally scurries across the savanna to see the mongoose. The lion arrives just in time to witness the coronation of the new king, the mongoose, who plans to share the pleasures of the savanna with all of the celebrating animals.
Trouble
A retelling of a traditional Eritrean tale in which a young goatherd disobeys his father by inadvertently trading away the board game that was supposed to keep him out of trouble.
Beat The Story-Drum, Pum-Pum (Aladdin Books)
Five traditional Nigerian tales include “Hen and Frog,” “Why Bush Cow and Elephant are Bad Friends,” “The Husband Who Counted the Spoonfuls,” “Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together,” and “How Animals Got Their Tails.”
Lion And The Ostrich Chicks, And Other African Folk Tales
Includes four traditional tales told by the Hausa, Angolan, Masai, and Bushmen people of Africa.
The Crane Wife
When Osamu, a lonely sail maker, nurses an injured crane one blustery night, he never suspects that this simple act of kindness will change his life forever. Weeks later a mysterious woman arrives on his doorstep, seeking shelter from a storm. Osamu again offers his help, and soon the sail maker and the stranger fall in love and marry. But when he learns of his wife’s gift for making magic sails, ambition replaces compassion–and Osamu risks losing the great happiness he has found. With majestic paintings and lyrical prose, this classic Japanese tale speaks to readers of all ages with its timeless lessons on the nature of kindness, love, and betrayal.
Da Wei’s Treasure: A Chinese Tale
In this retelling of a traditional Chinese tale, a boy finds a treasure in an unexpected place.