My Dark Companions and Their Strange Stories

Gathered around a nightly campfire in the late 19th‑century Congo, a small group of travelers and locals shared stories that ranged from the well‑trodden to the truly original. The narrator, a curious observer, records the most striking tales told by indigenous storytellers—legends that have never appeared in his earlier travel books. With a respectful eye for the simple, vivid style of the native voice, he brings these oral traditions into English while preserving their moral heart and cultural texture.

The collection opens with a striking creation myth in which the Moon and a lone toad negotiate the birth of humanity, a narrative that sets the tone for the rest of the anthology. Across the pages, listeners will hear flood‑filled landscapes, clever animals, and the timeless values woven into each tale. This is a window into Central African folklore, offering a rare, intimate glimpse of the stories that once echoed around riverbanks and firelight.