Many children the world over are read fairy tales and fantasy stories as they clamber into bed at night. We can all remember the fables of ogres, witches, dwarves and beasts that left us both enraptured and intrigued, and also too scared to turn the light off. Each country has its own set of fairy tales which have been passed down the generations, and Cape Town is no exception to this rule. So, though you might not be read a bedtime story whilst you’re in South Africa, how can you still enjoy the fairytale and fantasy?

Overlanding on an Ostrich

Many of Cape Town’s inhabitants will be familiar with the story of ‘the Daughter of the Ostrich Egg.’ This native fable tells the tale of a young man, Ohale, who found an ostrich egg and took it home to eat when the wind changed. However, from the egg stepped a beautiful young woman, who not only promised to marry Ohale but to turn him into a great chief who would rule over a tribe of warriors, on the simple condition that he never referred to her as the ‘daughter of the ostrich egg.’ For many months Ohale lived in splendour and comfort as the ruler of his tribe, his rags turned to furs and his hut turned into a royal dwelling, until one day too much to drink caused him to quarrel with his wife. In the course of the quarrel, he broke his promise, and the next morning he awoke to find himself sleeping under rags in his old hut, his tribe disappeared. Whilst you may not come across Ohale during your time in South Africa, you can still enjoy the idea of the ostrich egg. In Oudtshoorn, not too far from Cape Town, you will not only find the opportunity to sample the delights of ostrich meats and eggs in the restaurant, but you can also have a go at riding an ostrich. If you should really take to it there’s even an ostrich derby, though this will really mean putting your money where your mouth is.

Between Rocks and Hard Places

‘The Kingdom Above Earth’ is a fairy tale about cannibals living up in the mountains behind great walls of rock. Though sounding scary, this story about a maiden who was captured and chased by a group of cannibals did have a happy ending fortunately, as the young girl was rescued from her spot high up a tree by her brother. However, if you’re visiting Cape Town today, whilst you are unlikely to stumble across any man-eaters on your travels, you will be able to visit the areas where the characters from the story lived. Walking the pathways on and around Table Mountain you will pass many boulders, large rock faces and other formations which might well have been the hiding places of cannibals in years gone by.

Snakes and Dragons

There are seldom fairy tales that do not include snakes and dragons, and those originating from Cape Town are no exception. The tale of ‘the snake with five heads’ tells of the varying fortunes of two sisters, the first of which was complacent and idle, the second willing and kind. The first sister went off to marry a chief from a town far away, but found him to be a five-headed snake. Dissatisfied by her baking skills, the chief killed her and sought a new wife. The second sister heard of this and travelled to take up the position. When the chief tasted her cakes, made with caring and generous hands, he turned from a five-headed monster into a young human chief, a curse having been lifted. Though it may be wise to steer clear of snakes during your time in Cape Town, dragons are a completely different matter. Dragon boating is an energetic and popular sport in South Africa, and from the Victoria and Albert Waterfront you can watch the training sessions. If you’re lucky, you might even time your visit with a regatta, and experience dragon boating at its finest.

So, if you enjoy fairytales and fantasy, brush up on your South African tales before you head to Cape Town, and you may be able to incorporate them into your trip.

Author Bio: Rachel Hill is a Southern Africa Travel specialist, a company specialising in luxury, tailor-made Cape Town holidays, as well as holidays to other destinations in Southern Africa. Our experienced consultants will help you design your very own luxury holiday, and will be happy to provide you with a free quote.

Category: Travel
Keywords: cape town