All societies have a system that teaches its people a moral code, a religious belief. It is however difficult for some societies to understand the lessons of other cultures. This may be because the same value system may not apply, or the context of which the story relates is unknown.

An example could be the story of the ugly duckling. In most societies it could be easily understood to be a parable about changing from youth into adulthood. However in the Central Kalahari, where swans are unknown to the Bushmen, the understanding will be totally different.

The Bushmen are master storytellers and great mimics of people and animals. These stories are told around a camp fire at night and are sometimes very repetitive. But when listening to them first hand and seeing the actions of the storyteller, it seems to form an exciting tale.

There are sometimes long pauses which allow the listener time to think about the meaning. Stories that sometimes seem strange and make little sense, can be of use to have an insight into their lives, culture, beliefs and character. In a way, just like viewing the Bushmen rock art.

The hope of this section is that, by reading these stories, a better understanding and appreciation of the Bushmen will develop. Better still; a deep respect for the knowledge of the first people in southern Africa will be fostered.