Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters is set in Zimbabwe and weaves a tapestry of vivid colors, traditional chanting and African son. based on the Caldescott Award-winning book by John Steptoe, it was inspired by one of the folk tales collect by G.M. Theal and published in 1895. The timeless story celebrates goodness generosity and love and is designed to help all young people take pride in who they are.

In the story, the dignified, caring villager Mufaro has two beautiful daughters- selfish, angry Manyara and positive, kind Nyasha. When a messenger brings word that the Great King is inviting all of the “Most Worth and Beautiful Daughters in the Land” to appear before him so that he might choose his Queen, Mufaro is very pleased that both his daughters have been included and agrees to accompany them at sunrise. Believing herself to be better and prettier than her sister, Manyara sets out alone through the lush forest that night so she can be presented to the king first. Along the way, she encounters hotting owls, a hungry boy, enchanted trees and strange beings and finally discovers that true beauty really is more than skin deep and that goodness will triumph.