The Girl Who Married a Lion

The Ndebele people of Matabeleland, Zimbabwe, from whom these stories originate, are renowned as the proud descendants of the Zulu nation. They are also the possessors of a language rich in beauty and musicality.

From animal fables to mysterious forces residing in the landscape, this collection demonstrates the wealth and variety of African folk tales and the particular magic of Africa's spiritual roots: a sense of unity with the environment. Simple, surprising, cruel and humorous, these beautifully rendered tales show McCall Smith's renowned story-telling skills and his love of Africa, and remain as fresh and vital as in the original idiom.

Praise for The Girl Who Married a Lion:

'The author's prose has the merits of simplicity, euphony and precision…This is art that conceals art. I haven't read anything with such unalloyed pleasure for a long time.'

Sunday Telegraph

'McCall Smith is a splendid storyteller.'

Globe And Mail

'Highly amusing, intelligent and heart-warming.'

Scotland On Sunday