What are the moral lessons in South African children's stories?

Many African bedtime stories teach about the importance of wisdom. For instance, in the Anansi stories, Anansi's actions often show the consequences of using wisdom in the wrong way or not sharing it. This implies that wisdom should be used for good and shared among people.

In 'Snow White', the moral is about the power of kindness. Snow White's kindness towards the dwarfs and even her stepmother (initially) is rewarded in the end. Her stepmother's jealousy, on the other hand, leads to her downfall, so it also warns against envy.

Many Yoruba children's stories teach the importance of honesty. For example, in stories where a character lies or cheats, they usually face consequences in the end. This shows children that honesty is the best policy.

In children's Ramadan stories, there is a strong moral lesson of gratitude. When characters in the story fast and break their fast, they are often shown to be thankful for the food. This makes children understand that they should be grateful for what they have. Also, the stories often teach patience. Just like the characters wait for the time to break their fast or wait for the rewards of Ramadan, kids learn to be patient in their own lives, which can be applied in various situations like waiting for their turn in a game or waiting for a special event.

Many Aztec children's stories taught the value of respect for nature. Since they were an agricultural society, stories often emphasized the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. For example, there were stories about how treating the earth well would bring good harvests.

Many Cherokee children's stories teach about humility. Just like in the Rabbit and Turtle story, where the Rabbit's pride led to his downfall. It shows kids that being too full of themselves is not a good thing.

The moral lessons are diverse. One key lesson is respect for traditions. In Shabbat stories, characters follow the Shabbat traditions, teaching children to respect and uphold their own cultural traditions. Stories also promote kindness. For instance, characters might share their Shabbat food with others, showing the value of being kind. And they teach about the power of faith. When characters face difficulties during Shabbat, their faith helps them get through, which is an important lesson for children.

Many children's stories also teach about perseverance. 'The Tortoise and the Hare' is a great example. The tortoise is slow but keeps going, while the hare is overconfident and takes a nap. In the end, the tortoise wins. This story tells kids that if they keep working hard and don't give up, even if they're not as fast or talented as others, they can achieve their goals.

A big moral in these stories is that kindness is not something to be selective about. In 'The Good Samaritan', the Samaritan helped someone who was from a different group. It shows that we should be kind to all, no matter who they are. And kindness can have a ripple effect. When one character is kind, it can inspire others to be kind too.

Perseverance is often a lesson. Tales of characters who face difficulties but keep trying until they succeed, like a little sparrow building its nest despite many setbacks, inspire children to not give up easily when they face challenges in their own lives.