Some people believe that the history of humanity has always been one of difference and prejudice, but some tales can attest tot he fact that there have always been people who spoke out against hate as well.
Anniko
A folktale from Senegal, adapted by amazing storyteller Charlotte Blake Alston. An orphan girl wanders into a village of Longnecks, who accept and grow to love her despite her short neck - except for one woman, who thinks short necks have no business in their community. The woman chases Anniko away... and all the Longnecks in the village band together to find her and bring her back.
(Read it in Ready-to-Tell Tales)
Bikkhu Sok
Cambodian folktale. I mentioned this one under Adoption, but I am mentioning it again, since the boy's family is massacred out of prejudice for a different group of people.
(Read the story in this selection from the Gatiloke)
Lianja
I wrote about this Mongo/Bantu epic last year - it is an epic about a hero that is prophecised to bring peace between two tribes who had been at war for a long time, and he achieves it without either side being conquered or killed.
(Read about it here)
Black and Yellow
An old Spanish pourquoi tale about two neighboring villages, one where everyone is stern and works all the time dressed in black, and one where everyone is cheerful and parties all the time dressed in yellow. Both villages have a horrible opinion about the other, calling them good-for-nothing, until a magician decides to bring them all together, and create a new mixed community, better than the sum of its parts.
(Read it in New World Tales)
Ekalavya
This story from the vast legends of the Mahabharatha tells about a young archer from a forest tribe who wants to apprentice with a famous master - but when they find out his background (he was born outside the caste system) he is turned down. He practices alone, until he becomes the best archer in the land... but now that he has proven the master wrong, the master decides to punish him for it.
(I included this story in my book, Tales of Superhuman Powers)
In this chain tale (ATU 2036) an accidental drop of honey sets off a series of accidents and events that results in two villages (or factions) going to war. The formula tale illustrates what minor, dumb events feuds can start with, and how fast they escalate. In the Burmese and Thai versions of the story, the entire decline is observed by the king who originally dripped the honey, and who keeps stubbornly claiming "it's not my problem!" A fitting political allegory.
(Read the Burmese version of the tale here)
If you are interested in more tales of conflict and resolution, read Margaret Read McDonald's Peace Tales. It's a wonderful folktale collection.
Are there other tales that should be on this list? Let me know!
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