Only One Cowry: A Dahomean Tale

by Phillis Gershator, David Soman (Illustrator)

Dada Segbo, the first king of Dahomey, wants a bride. He can afford the finest gifts to bestow upon her family, but he prefers not to part with any of his wealth. So he offers only one cowry shell. How can he find a worthy bride for such a pittance?"I will find the king a wife for only one cowry", promises Yo, a smart young fellow. And, trade by trade, he does. But Yo isn't the only clever bargainer in the kingdom.

Freely based on African folklore and vibrantly illustrated, this witty cumulative tale features an appealing pair of perfectly matched deal makers.

Genres: Picture Books, Benin, Africa, Childrens

32 pages, Library Binding

First published September 1, 2000

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A student recommended this traditional tale and it was really fun! It's about a clever man, Yo, who says he will find the king a wife for only one cowry (shell). He trades the shell for flint, then trades that up, and trades that item up, etc. That part of the book was fine, but it got even better once the bride became savvy to Yo's plot and she gives it her own spin. I enjoyed that even more!

[AMY · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a tale from Dahomey, Africa. It is a good adding tale when a man promises to find a wife for the king for only 1 cowry. He trades and trades and is very clever in the process. Nice story. Recommended for grades 3-5.

[Pamela Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun folktale! The king gives one cowry to a young man to find him a bride... and the young man trades the cowry for one item after another until he actually does find a bride. However, the young woman is a bit of a trader herself.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely Dahomean folktale (from Benin, Africa) retold for children.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this African Folktale with 4th & 5th grade students. They enjoyed the story. Clever trickster tale with a fun rhyme.