When the World Began: Stories collected in Ethiopia

Too often the images of Ethiopia which we see are those of a country ravaged by famine featuring gaunt, enervated people barely able to speak never mind tell stories. This fine collection redresses the balance, for in the face of all the horrendous wars and famine Ethiopia has suffered, a strong tradition of storytelling thrives. These stories were collected by Laird for a British Council storytelling project. The opening story is a creation myth and the closing one a gentle tale which reminds the reader (listener) that everything on this earth, no matter how bad or good, will pass and change. In between the selection represents humour, wisdom, generosity and most of all insights into the foibles of human nature common to people of all nationalities. Laird first heard these stories told in their original Ethiopian languages. She uses her considerable skills as a narrator to retell them in words which can be read silently or aloud with equal enjoyment. The four illustrators bring a variety of styles and mediums to the pages which are well-matched with the mood of each story. The pictures range in size from full page colour displays to black ink vignettes and vary in disposition on the pages, creating a visual sense of liveliness and interest throughout the book.