Proverbs, and their everyday usage, are just as relevant to contemporary society as a reflection of the human condition as they were to our ancestors. Set against the struggle to save our planet and issues of environmentalism, proverbs with imagery originating from the natural world will resonate with most of us. Dianne Stewart has compiled this treasure trove of African nature proverbs sourced from isiZulu and isiXhosa, and has provided both literal translations and their figurative interpretations.

Dianne Stewart is a highly acclaimed author with multiple degrees in African languages and literature, as well as creative writing. Drawing on the oral tradition in her books for both children and adults, a number of them have been translated into various European, African and Eastern languages. To mention just a few of the numerous books she has written, these include collections such as The Zebra's Stripes and Other African Animal Tales, The Singing Turtle and Other Folk- and Fairy Tales, Wisdom from Africa, The Boy Who Hated Insects and Time of the Swallows. In recent years Dianne has been facilitating writing workshops in South Africa and overseas.