THE LEGA PARABLES: MEANING AND CONTEXTS OF USE

The parable is a figure of speech that consists of injecting into a conversation a short allegorical story charged with moral teaching. Among the Balega public palavers are led by the elders. They use an appropriate linguistic register to make the message esoteric and inaccessible to the uninitiated. To this end several figures of speech are used in particular prosopopoeia: animals birds insects or fish are given the floor...By making these sub-human beings speak the aim is to draw moral lessons that are addressed to the universal man.This collection of tales would allow the uncultured Balega to penetrate the meanings of the speeches made in their community during mourning marriages divorces disputes.It is also an attempt to bring Lega literature in line with other world literature.As such the texts contained in this manual could be taught in schools for their conservation and insertion in the heritage of world culture.