Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Preface

The Words of the Griot Mamadou Kouyaté

The First Kings of Mali

The Buffalo Woman

The Lion Child

Childhood

The Lion’s Awakening

Exile

Soumaoro Kanté: The Sorcerer King

History

The Baobab Leaves

The Return

The Names of the Heroes

Nana Triban and Balla Fasséké

Krina

The Empire

Kouroukan Fougan or The Division of the World

Niani

Eternal Mali

Notes

About the Author

An Invitation from the Publisher