Folktales from Sudan
Stories from Sudanese folklore for the whole family, told by award-winning public radio journalist and storyteller Hana BabaFolktales from Sudan is the first audio storytelling podcast bringing the fairytales of Sudan to global audiences.The stories use original music, sound design and sing alongs, exposing kids to the heritage of a culture they may know little about, through immersive narrative storytelling.Folktales from Sudan has been featured by the BBC, NPR, OkayAfrica, and was named a 2025 Best Podcast for Kids by The Podcast Academy’s Ambie Awards.
Basma's Riddle
👸🏽 A Queen who is loved across the kingdom begins to wonder: are her people truly happy… or just afraid to speak honestly around her? 🤔
🧕🏾 One night, disguised as an ordinary woman, she secretly leaves the palace to search for the truth..
🪡🧵 She meets a simple seamstress named Basma- who has a riddle that changes the way the Queen sees her kingdom- forever...
❓What is it? What happens next? Listen to find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
Bantar the Frog
🐸 Bantar the Frog was used to a lush life of swimming, relaxing, and doing exactly what she wanted. 💅
🦔 Then she met Hassaan the Hedgehog and they got married! 💕
🧹🍳 But her new life came with housework she wasn't used to..
🥁 When she complains to her father, it turns into a full-blown hilarious, musical
frog vs. hedgehog showdown- and everyone learns a lesson! 🐸 🥁 🦔
❓ What happens next? Listen to this funny animal folktale find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyt...
The Elixir of Life
🍯 The Elixir of Life
👑 A powerful king gets sick, and his three sons set off on an epic journey to find a cure.
🍯 They travel in search of the magic healing potion Ikseer Alhayaa -
the Elixir of Life
👵🏾 But along the way, a mysterious old woman keeps showing up..
👀 And before long, the brothers discover that this journey is testing much more than their courage.
❓ What happens next? Listen to this epic adventure to find out! 🎧
🎬 T...
The Two Jackals
🦊 🦊 Two jackal cousins live completely different lives.
🏙️ One lives in a busy city filled with comfort and treats..
🌵The other lives out in the harsh desert wilderness..
🔄 When the desert jackal visits the city, he loves it!
And he convinces his cousin to trade places with him...
👌🏽 At first, it seems like the perfect deal!
😐 But things don’t go quite the way either of them expected…
🎧What happens ? Listen to find out! 🎧
Aziza the Princess Bride
👸🏽 Princess Aziza marries a prince chosen by her father, and leaves home to begin her new life in the prince's grand palace..
🚪 The palace has dozens of rooms- all filled with treasures!
But the prince tells Aziza: you may enter any room - except one.
👀 At first, Aziza tries to ignore her curiosity..
🔑 But one day, she decides to find out what’s in the forbidden room.
🎧 What happens next? Listen to find out!
*Note: this story may be a bit scary for our younger...
The Magic Forest
🌳 A woodcutter discovers a forest filled with tall Baan trees and thinks, ‘I can be rich!’
🪓 During the day, he cuts the trees down… but overnight, they mysteriously grow back..
🌙 One night, he decides to stay awake to find out who - or what - is restoring the forest..
❓ Who is it? What happens next?
🎧 Listen to find out!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Ja...
The Friendship Test
🫅🏾 Everyone wants to be friends with the young Prince Mahmoud, and he really wants to find a good friend to play with..
❓But how can he know who likes him only for his wealth - and who is a real, true friend?
👸🏽 His mother, the Queen, has an idea to help: a test that will show him who his real friends are.. 🥚
❓What is it? What happens next? Listen to find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:<...
Makkar the Fox
🦊 Every night, a sly fox named Makkar sneaks into a farmer’s watermelon patch for a secret feast. 🍉
🧑🏾🌾 But when the farmer realizes his watermelons are missing, he decides it’s time to teach the fox a lesson he won’t forget..
❓ What happens next? Listen to find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎧 Sound Design: Seth Samuel
📝 Story Consultant & Editor: Nawal Gaafar
📖 Folktales from Sudan...
The Sultan's Secret
🤴🏽 A powerful Sultan has an embarrassing secret… 😳
One person knows the truth, but if he tells anyone- he could lose everything. So he needs to keep quiet. 🤐
For weeks, he keeps the secret bottled inside… until one day, he just can’t hold it anymore. 👀
❓ What happens next? Listen to find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎧 Sound Design: Seth Samuel
📝 Story Consultant & Editor: Nawal Gaafar
📖 Folktales from S...
Filayfla the Clever Girl
👧🏾 Everyone in the village loved Filayfla 💕
💡 She was fun, kind, and always full of clever ideas.
🤴🏽 But her uncle, the Sultan, was cruel and jealous.
When he challenges her father, clever Filayfla uses her wisdom and creativity to protect him and her family. ✨
❓ What does she do? Listen to find out! 🎧
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Epis...
See you in Season 2!
Izzayyakum! 👋🏾
This is Hana Baba host of Folktales from Sudan.
🙏🏽 Thank you SO much for listening to our stories- it means so much to us! We’ve been getting such great feedback, and so many of you are connecting with these folktales.
We have reached the end of our first season, but we will be back for Season 2- in the meantime stay connected with us on social media- we’re on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok at Folktales from Sudan.
We have some fun things coming...
Akhdar Azaz fi Gizaz
✨ A father asks his three daughters what they want him to bring back, when he travels.
💎 💍 While the older two ask for jewels and fine things, Fatma never asks for anything- just his safe return home. 👩🏾
✨ Until one day- when the jealous sisters trick her into asking for something mysterious and unusual- Akhdar Azaz fi Gizaz , the green gem in the glass .
👳🏽♂️ Her father sets off on a dangerous quest to find it... 🐎
What happens next? Listen to find out!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
Mariam & The Naughty Chicken
🐔 Mariam’s chicken is always getting into trouble!
🏠 One day, it flew over the fence and into the neighbor's house- the scariest house in the village that nobody goes to!
👧🏾 But Mariam had to get her chicken back- so she went to the house, and couldn't believe what she saw!
What happens next? Listen to find out!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic De...
Anjetu & Nijaima
🎭 Anjetu and Nijaima are two sisters who are very different.
☺️ Nijaima is kind, hardworking, and always ready to help others.
😠 Anjetu is selfish, lazy, and mean!
When Nijaima’s step mom sends them each on a difficult mission, they will be tested along the way by some unexpected characters...
It's an adventure they won't forget!
What happens? Listen to find out!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Gra...
Alhadeeya and the Village Girls
👩🏾 🌴 Alhadeeya is a kind girl who lives with her grandmother.
Every day after school, she goes straight home.
But one day, some jealous village girls trick her into going to play in the forest with them after school- and then comes trouble..
What happens next?
Find out- listen now!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic Design: Eman Hajali, Rudaina Osman, Layla Bilal
🎧 Sound Design: Seth...
The Poor Woodcutter
🌳 👨🏽🦱 There was once a poor woodcutter who chopped wood in the forest every day for a living
👳🏽♂️ 🌟 One day, an old man gives him a magical gift , but he soon learns that some magic comes with consequences.
What happens?
Find out- listen now!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic Design: Eman Hajali, Rudaina Osman, Layla Bilal
🎧 Sound Design: Seth Samuel
📝 Story Consultant & Editor: Nawal Gaafar
📖...
The Cats & The Mice
The Cats & the Mice 🐱🐭
Something’s brewing in the hosh- the yard... 🐱🐭
The cats are up to something, and the mice aren't sure whether to believe it or not.
Can the cats be trusted? 🤔
You won’t believe the sneaky plan they’re hatching, but the mice have a few tricks of their own!
Listen to the story to find out what happens next!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art...
Fatna & The Ghoul
👨🏽🦱👩🏾 Fatna and her brother Mohamed live together in a house in the forest.
🎶 Every night after work, Mohamed sings a special song to let his sister Fatna know he’s home, and she opens the door. 🚪
👹 But when a sneaky ghoul tries to trick Fatna, things get tricky!
What happens?
Listen and find out!
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic Design: Eman Hajali, Rudaina Osman, Layla Bi...
Kiret the Goat
🐐 Kiret the Goat 🐐
Kiret loves to play and explore, but she has one big problem—she never listens!
One day, after begging her big sister Almi'za Saneeya to join her and her sister goats in the big park, Kiret has the best day ever!
But when the sun starts to set, and it's time to go home, Kiret refuses to listen!
When she refuses to go home, her sister Almi'za Saneeya teaches her a lesson...
What happens? Listen to the story to find out! 🐐
🎬 Thanks to our Producti...
Lolaba and the Eagle
🌟 Lolaba and the Eagle 🦅✨
Deep in the forest, a brother and sister lived a simple life. But one day, the brother set a trap for a big bird—only to catch a talking eagle instead! 🦅😲
This wasn’t just any bird… this eagle could SING! 🎶
And with every song, something magical happened.
What happens? Find out in the story !
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Episode Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic Design : Eman Hajali, Rudaina Osman, La...
The Father and Three Sons
👳🏽♂️ The Father and Three Sons 👨🏽🦱👨🏽🦱👨🏽🦱
There was a man who had three sons—Hassan, Ahmed, and Mohamed.
One day, he an important question for them-
❤️ "How much do you love me?"
What do they say, and what happens next? Find out in the story!
Find out in the story- get comfy, and listen....
🎬 Thanks to our Production Team:
✨ Storyteller: Hana Baba
🎼 Music: Ramy Elbaghir, Mohamed Jamal, Ahmed Alejail, Hassan Rabei and Khalid Almahi
🎨 Art: Waddah Eltahir
🎭 Graphic Design: Eman Hajali, Rudaina Osman, Layla Bilal
🎧 Sound Design : Seth Samuel
📝 Story Co...
Welcome to Folktales from Sudan!
Izzayakum! Hello!
Welcome to Folktales from Sudan - a podcast for kids and families that introduces them to the rich oral storytelling traditions of the African country of Sudan, bringing timeless tales of wisdom, adventure, and humor to life!
The story producer and narrator is award-winning public radio journalist and podcaster Hana Baba, who is Sudanese American. She grew up listening to her mother and uncle telling her fairy tales, that were handed down from their grandmother in Sudan.
This beautifully sound designed podcast br...
