How Wanto Released the Waters
In short: Gbason blocks the water with a rock. Wanto learns the spring’s secret from the top of a tree.
¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question
Origin and tradition
Southwest of Bouar · Gbaya ’Bodoe collection area
In Pierre Zalo’s telling, only a trickle reaches the people. When Gbason grows thirsty, he shifts the rock at the spring, drinks and puts it back. Wanto climbs a tree overlooking the spring and waits. From there he learns how the water is kept back. Careful observation gives him the first opening in a story about access to water.
Dated records and sources
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1977 · Southwest of Bouar · Gbaya ’Bodoe collection area
Pierre Zalo / Paulette Roulon · Comment Wanto libéra les eaux · Wanto… et l’origine des choses · Published collection
Country pages
Fairy Tale Glossary
Origin
Black Horse. How Wanto Released the Waters. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-wanto-releases-water/