Foreword
I am delighted that these beautiful stories are being gathered together into one volume so that Ethiopian children can enjoy them and learn from their wisdom. I collected them in five extraordinary journeys, traveling all through Ethiopia, from north to south and east to west, meeting many wonderful storytellers, both men and women, who shared their rich treasure of stories with me. Once I had collected the stories, it was a pleasure to read and study them, and write them down in English. My work was funded by the British Council, to whom I owe grateful thanks.
During my journeys, I was helped by members of the Regional Cultural Bureau in each Region, and I could not have completed the work without their help. Two people in particular worked as my translators: Michael Daniel Ambatchew, and Mesfin Habtemariam. I would like to thank them especially.
Elizabeth Laird |
