Introduction: New and old Africa -- Races of Africa -- Myth and literature -- Language of art -- Forms of art -- religion and philosophy -- Mythology -- Creator: Creating the earth -- Heavenly twins -- Universal Calabash -- Serpent of eternity -- God, earth, and spirits -- God sends food -- God and fire -- Coming of darkness -- Divine family -- Suffering and the supreme being -- No king as god -- God leaves the world -- First ancestors -- Mystery of birth -- Origins of death: Messengers -- Death giant -- Jackal, snake and masks -- Struggles with death -- World beyond -- Gods and spirits: Sun and moon -- Storm spirits -- Rainmakers and rainbows -- Earth spirits -- Water spirits -- Oracles and divination -- Witches and monsters -- Secret societies and ancestors -- Legends of old Africa: Golden stool -- Ife art -- Benin bronzes -- Spear masters -- Facing Mount Kenya -- Inventor king -- Kintu and his successors -- Zimbabwe mystery -- Rain queen -- Swazi kings -- As others see us -- Animal fables: How the leopard got its spots -- How the goat was domesticated -- Why the tortoise is taboo -- Tales of spider and hare -- Rubber girl -- Tug of war -- Strength and cunning -- King of beasts -- Hare and tortoise -- Anansi and the corn cob -- How Anansi tricked god -- Anansi and the chameleon -- How Anansi became a spider -- African story.