Fulani initiatory tales
 Njeddo Dewal, mother of calamity
 Kaidara
 In the early ages of the Fulani people, a terrible witch appeared, Njeddo Dewal, mother of all calamities, aroused by God himself to punish the Fulani for their sins. Through many adventures, both magical and fantastic, this fundamental traditional tale illustrates the eternal struggle between Good and Evil, Good being here embodied by a miraculous child, Bâgoumâwel - African avatar of Little Thumb - who alone can finally triumph over the formidable evil power of Njeddo Dewal.
 Kaïdara tells the story of the initiatory journey of three companions, through an underground country strewn with symbolic and mysterious encounters, towards the home of "distant and very near Kaïdara", god of gold and knowledge. On the way back, only one will emerge victorious from all the trials: the one who, for the love of knowledge, will have been able to keep nothing for himself of all the gold received in the dwelling of the god. "Having become king without having sought him", he will later receive, as a supreme reward, the visit of Kaïdara himself and the revelation of the secrets of all the symbols encountered.
 Behind the recreational aspect of these two great African tales designed for all ages, each image, each event conceals a hidden meaning that Amadou Hampâté Bâ helps us to discover in an important set of notes on African symbolism and spirituality.
 These initiatory texts, among the most important of the Fulani heritage, illustrate the traps to be discerned and the steps to be taken when one is engaged in the difficult path of conquest and self-fulfillment.
 Amadou Hampâté Bâ (1900-1991) was born in Mali. A talented writer, historian, ethnologist, poet and storyteller, he was one of the highest figures of African wisdom and culture. He is the author of numerous books including The Strange Destiny of Wangrin and Amkoullel the Fulani Child.