NIGERIAN FOLK TALES

The coming of the British to Nigeria and the subsequent rise in literacy did not diminish the popularity of folktelling in the country. That the flavor of the tales is still intact is well illustrated in this collection, transcribed almost verbatim over a 5-year period from oral renditions by two African students in the United States. Unfortunately, they lose a good deal in translation to print, for such brevity and simplicity needs the heightening effect of on-the-spot improvisation and dramatization. Rich in ethnological revelations, but too childlike for teens, too frank for youngsters, the collection will be of interest primarily to folklore fans and students of cultural anthropology.