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Ò . . . a major addition to the literature on oral traditions.Ó ÑJournal of Religion in Africa The famous epic of Son-Jara, celebrating the exploits of the legendary founder of the Empire of Old Mali some 750 years ago, is widely recited today among the Mandekan-speaking peoples of West Africa. As performed by Griots, or professional bards, it constitutes a virtual social, political, and cultural charter and embodies deep-rooted aspects of Mande cosmology and worldview. The text presented here is the first full linear translation of a performance of the Son-Jara epic recorded in its heartland in west central Mali. The fully annotated translation is accompanied by an introduction that provides a historical and contextual framework for understanding the recitation of this African epic. Reproducing the translated text of the epic from John William JohnsonÕs earlier analytical edition of The Epic of Son-Jara, this new volume makes available a convenient readerÕs edition.