Folklore. West Africa has a large body of folklore. Animal tales are probably the most common, with folktales about the tortoise, rabbit, or spider leading the way. Primarily viewed as entertainment, these stories often served the important purposes of educating children, reinforcing social mores and cultural values, and transmitting the general knowledge and cumulative observations of a given locality. Songs, proverbs, personification, and improvisation played significant roles in these narratives, and listeners quickly identified certain animals with specific characteristics and themes. For example, the tortoise, rabbit, and spider are usually perceived as physically weak members of the animal kingdom, but have strengths as well. As folkloric characters, these animals are broadly distributed throughout the region. All three are witty and humorous and often get the better of more powerful opponents. It is not difficult to understand their appeal to children, and the tales...