Trickery as the hallmark of comedy in Zulu folk-tales

Abstract

Apart from the sizable body of Zulu folk-tales which present traditional trickster figures, most traditional folktales seem to contain some form of trickery. It is argued that the trickster has his roots in ancient mythology where he appears involved in the creation and organization of the world, of human society, of religious practices, but with an unrestrainable urge to trick and to entertain. Traces of these ancient motifs can still be found in Zulu folklore, where they play an all-pervading and entertaining role.