POWERFUL AFRICAN FOLKLORE. This beautiful book lavishly illustrated by Kathleen Atkins Wilson, features Dr. David Anderson's retelling of an ancient Yoruba myth. Dr. Anderson is a Storyteller who is as expressive as the tales he tells. The story tells of the time when there were only two domains: the sky above & the water below & of the adventures of Obatala, a deity who journeys down from the sky to create the world. Obatala lowers himself on a golden chain clutching a snail shell full of sand, a bird's egg & a bag of nuts & seeds. With these items & help from the other deities he creates the Earth & its inhabitants. The mythology comes from the ancient Yoruba, a West African culture that lived in city-states located in lands known today as Nigeria & Benin. The Yoruba religion underscores the creation myth upon which this folklore is based.