First Published in 1970

This an important addition to the understanding of African Islamic studies. Hausa folklore is rich in the world-wide motifs found in one form or another in such widely differing cultures as India, Scandinavia, America, Ireland and so on.

There are familiar characters that can be identified from European folklore, but more often than not a number of motifs are clearly Indian. The publication of this second impression of Tremeane's work, is particularly welcome at a time when there is a growing interest among students in the background of ideas that inform African cultures as well as in the phenomena of African languages and the structures of African societies.

But this material should not be seen as exclusively African. It is also part of the general Islamic heritage and contains a wealth of evidence to enable us to explain and understand the nature of the Islamic presence in Africa. Includes forty-one illustrations, over two hundred figures in the text, and a map.