Writing an African Fable
What’s your favourite story?
Most stories are told through writing.
However, stories can also be told by word-of-mouth, or
through the use of pictures.
• Stories are told in different ways. These include novels,
poems, songs, myths/legends and art.
• All around the world, different cultures have many of
their own stories to tell.
• In Africa a popular way of telling stories are through
fables.
Do you know what a fable is?
A fable is a short story, typically with animals as characters,
conveying a moral.
What is a moral?
A moral is a lesson, related to right and
wrong behaviour.
In Africa, fables were created by
many tribes found throughout
the continent.
The stories weren’t written
down, but passed on verbally
from generation to generation.
African fables did not only hold
morals, but were told to help
educate, entertain, explain
certain animal behaviour, or
teach about tribal customs.
Features of a Fable
Fables are usually made up of the following characteristics:
• The stories are short.
• They are normally about animals, who have been given
human-like qualities.
• It will hold some sort of message or lesson for the reader to
take away from the story.
• They can be amusing.
Read “Why the Warthog is on
His Knees”. It’s an African fable
originating from the Zulu
people of South Africa.
Can you identify the features
from the previous slide in this
story?
What lesson do you think the
fable is trying to convey?
Why the giraffe splays it’s legs to drink
When a giraffe needs to have
a drink of water, it has to
awkwardly stretch it’s front legs
or kneel to reach the ground.
This is because it’s neck is too
short.
Talk to the person next to
you. Can you come up with a
fable idea for this fact?
Writing your own fable
On the next slide, there are various pictures of African
animals.
Each animal has well known characteristics. For
example a lion is strong and brave. Think about the
animals key characteristics or features.
Choose an animal, and use your chosen animal to write
your own fable.
Additional activity
If you have finished writing your fable, and are happy with
it, draw a picture that describes what it is about.
The image should try and show an important/key moment
within your story, which helps to emphasise the
message/lesson you are trying to get across.