Folktales, Lyrics of Ethical Thinking and Vast Intellectual Wealth

Abstract

This study employed both exploratory and descriptive approaches to provide a critical analysis of the significance of folktales. The aim was to illustrate how societies applied folktales as disciplines of ethical thinking, and how they relied on shared information and anecdotal knowledge as a great voice for social justice and socio-political control. The analysis demonstrates the value of this indigenous genre and its power to communicate innovative ideas and ideals. The sample folktale under discussion expounds the consequences of poor leadership skills, greed, bribery, fraud, power abuse, bad faith, unlawfulness, deceit, and corruption. Contemporary politics and socio-economic conditions, whereby single parenting is taking prominence, seem to emulate most leadership styles as presented in the folktale. The article concludes by demonstrating that folktales are still relevant in addressing challenges with regard to the promotion of administrative justice, the importance of records management and aspects of conflict management.