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Beauty Does Not Pay Bills African Folklore Story

Beauty Does Not Pay Bills African Folklore Story

In the popular African folklore story, Beauty Does Not Pay Bills a beautiful Zulu woman learns the hard way you cannot rely on how you look to pay the bills.

Beauty Does Not Pay Bills African Folklore Story

Beauty Doesn't Pay Bills African Folklore Story


As the ancestors say, a young Zulu woman was well known and prized throughout the land for her unique beauty.

One day, she thought to herself since she is so beautiful she would only have to show up at the local market, and the people would bring her all she needed to survive.

Therefore, when she saw the women go to market, carrying loads of vegetables, beans, bananas, and cocoyam, she put on her prettiest clothes adorned herself with costly beads and bracelets and followed the women to market.

When she arrived at the market, people were busy bartering their vegetables for dried fish, salt, pottery, and other supplies.

The beautiful woman stood there in the busy market empty-handed, and had nothing to barter; neither did anyone pay any attention to her. She stood and waited for a long time, but not even the tiniest little fish was offered to her.

Empty handed and proud the beautiful woman had come, and empty-handed and shamed she went home. She learned that no one can live on beauty alone.

More short folklore stories from Africa to make you fall in love with myths and legends again from the motherland.

  1. Why the bunny rabbit has wiggly slits for a nose
  2. Love Takes No Less Than Everything Marriage Folklore
  3. Hunters Attack Cowards Tell the Story
  4. One Do Wrong All Get Punished
  5. Mighty Little Hedgehog

Read an online collection of African Folklore short stories.

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