Third re-read for the World Lit I course I am teaching.
Sundiata might have been the basis for the Lion King (or Hamlet, though there are plenty of reasons why I give source material credit for that story to the Danes and such - but there is a possibility). Unlike the European stories which focus on the son far more than the mother, the Mali epic does a large attempt of backstory for Solgon, who is not one of those wonderous beautiful creatures.
The story is a good quick read, and this version keeps the oral tone of the tale. If you haven't read this, you really should. If everyone in the world knows about Beowulf, they should also know about this.
