This book is a collection of folklore. Animal characters such as  the mighty Lion, King of the Jungle, the sly Crocodile, and a sloth of tiny animals who, inspite of their size, make their presence felt enrich folklore, which is not complete without Ogres who lay in waiting for unsuspecting children who make up a big part of their menu. The first story in the book is a legend. Legends are a body of stories as they relate to a particular people, group or clan. Legends are believed to have some basis of fact, unverifiable stories handed down by tradition from earlier times by word of mouth and populary accepted as historical. The first story is the legend of the Agĩkũyũ  people.

The author of this book is a founding member of the North American Conference of African Writers (NACAW). A graduate of Johns Hokins University, she has a wealth of experience in Early Childhood Education and felt very strongly the need for children's reading material written in Kikuyu. She speaks Kikuyu, Kiswahili, English and is learning Spanish.

Kĩng’ang’i rũĩ-inĩ

Mũthenya ũmwe Nũgũ nĩyaikaire mũrĩmo wayo warũĩ, ĩhũtĩte mũno, ĩkĩrorera matunda marĩa marĩ mũrĩmo ũcio ũngĩ. Ĩkĩgĩa na ng’aragu nene mũno, na ĩgĩita mata nĩ gũĩciria ũhoro wa matunda macio.

Nũgũ ĩrĩohau ĩgĩciriarĩ, ĩkĩona Kĩng’ang’i gĩgĩtubĩra rũĩ-inĩ na gĩgĩcoka gĩkiuma rũĩ nĩgetha gĩote riũa. Ororĩmwe, Nũgũ ĩgĩciria na ĩgĩthiĩ kũrĩ Kĩng’ang’i.

“Ũrĩmwega Kĩng’ang’i mũrata wakwa?” Nũgũ ĩkĩũria Kĩng’ang’i.

“Ndĩmwega mũno Nũgũ mũrata wakwa. We ũrĩmwega?” Kĩng’ang’i  gĩgĩcokia.

“Ndĩmwega. Kwerũo atĩa rũĩ-inĩ?” Nũgũ ĩkĩũria Kĩng’ang’i.

“Rũĩ-inĩ nĩ kwega. Mũrĩmo wa kwanyu kwerũo atĩa?” Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩũria Nũgũ.

“Gũitũ no ng’aragu. Matunda nĩmathirire,” Nũgũ ĩgĩcokia.

“Mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ matunda nĩmaingĩ. Ndũgĩthiĩ kuo,” Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩmwĩra.

“Ndingĩhota gũthiĩ kuo,” Nũgũ ĩgĩcokia.

“Nĩkĩ?” Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩũria.

“Nĩtondũ ndiũĩ gũtubĩra”, Nũgũ ĩkĩmwĩra. “Ngũrigagũo kana noũndeithie,” Nũgũ ĩkĩongerera.

“Ũkũenda ũteithio ũhana atĩa?” Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩũria Nũgũ.

“Noũngue na ng’ong’o rũciũ ũgĩthiĩ mũrĩmo ũrĩa ũngĩ?” Nũgũ ĩkĩũria.

“Ũkũndĩha nakĩ?” Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩũria.

Nũgũ ĩkĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndatua matunda nĩngakũhe irebe rĩmwe makũrĩa.” No rĩrĩ, Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩmwĩra atĩ gĩtirĩaga matunda. Nũgũ ĩkĩmwĩra ndĩari naũrĩa ũngĩ ĩngĩamũrĩhire. Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩmwĩra atĩrĩ “Haithuru, nĩũgagĩũka kiroko tene mũno, nĩgetha tũringe rũĩ rũtanaiyũra”.

Nũgũ yarokire kĩroko tene mũno, rĩrĩa Mara ateire nyina, ona Kĩng’ang’i gĩtokĩrĩte. Rĩrĩa Kĩng’ang’i gĩokĩrire, gĩkĩra Nũgũ ĩhaiche ng’ong’o wakĩo nĩgetha mahũndũke. Nũgũ ĩkĩhaica.

Makinya gatagatĩ ka rũĩ, Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩra Nũgũ atĩrĩrĩ, “nĩwũikarĩire mũgongo haraihu mũno. Kaĩ ũtangĩogoka hanini?” Nũgũ ĩgĩthiathia hanini, ĩgĩikarĩra Kĩng’ang’ĩ hakuhĩ na ciande na magĩthiĩ na mbere na rũgendo rũao. Matanathiĩ mũno, Kĩng’ang’i gĩkĩũria Nũgũ yogoke hangĩ hanini, na Nũgũ ĩkĩogoka hangĩ hanini. Nũgũ  ĩkĩogoka ĩgĩikarĩra Kĩng’ang’i ciande. Kĩng’ang’i gĩgĩtubĩra ta ndagĩka ithano ningĩ gĩkĩra Nũgũ yogoke hangĩ hanini.