Research Catalog

Title

Tales of Yoruba gods and heroes. Decorations by Larry Lurin.

Author

Courlander, Harold, 1908-1996

Publication

New York, Crown Publishers [1973]

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Description

vii, 243 p. illus.; 24 cm.

Summary

"Myths, legends and heroic tales of the Yoruba people of West Africa"--Cover subtitle.

Subject

• Mythology, Yoruba
• Yoruba (African people) > Folklore
• Tales > Nigeria

Genre/Form

Folklore

Bibliography (note)

• Bibliography: p. 241-243.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

• Sketch map of the Yoruba country -- The Yorubas -- The gods, heroes and other protagonists -- Some of the orishas appearing in these stories -- The Yoruba week.
• Stories. The descent from the sky -- The orishas acquire their powers -- Why Eshu lives in the open -- Iron is received from Ogun -- Sonponno's exile -- The scattering from Iife -- Moremi and the Egunguns -- Oranmiyan, warrior hero of Life -- The friendship of Eshu and Orunmila -- Eshu and death -- Oshun learns the art of divination -- Orunmila's visit to Owo -- The division of the cowries -- Shango and the medicine of Eshu -- Obatala's visit to Shango -- The quarrel between Oya and Oshun -- Two warrior heroes, and how Shango departed from Oyo -- Obatala's farm at Abeokuta -- The women's war -- The coming of the Ora River -- Ogbe Baba Akinyelure, warrior of Ibode -- The burning of the elekute grove -- The oba's food -- Ogedengbe's drummers -- How twins came among the Yorubas -- The stone people of Esie -- The deer-woman of Owo -- Ologun and Apasha -- Olosun of Ikere-Ekiti -- Erinle, hunter of Ijebu -- How Ijapa became a sacrifice -- Medicine of Olu-Igbo -- Notes on the stories.
• Appendixes. Some of Yoruba orishas worshipped in the Americas -- Yoruba myths and legends in Cuba. The distribution of the orishas' powers ; Olofin punishes Babalwaye ; Ogun traps Orumbila ; Why Obatala trembles at the river ; Shango looks for his father ; Obatala's yams -- Yoruba music in the Americas -- Glossary and pronunciation guide -- Selective bibliography.

ISBN

0517500639

LCCN

^^^72084307^//r892

OCLC

• 613641
• SCSB-10552629

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library