Stories in South Africa kept the dream of freedom alive during the colonial and apartheid years; and the tradition of the people and elders of a village meeting under the shade of a tree is based on telling stories as a way of arriving at an understanding. From the fertile land of Cycadia to the suburbs of Johannesburg, this rich tradition is brought to life here, by women who write of and from the landscape and its people. These contemporary tales are informed by a rich folkloric history, as well as a recently troubled past, and offer a tantalising glimpse of modern-day South Africa.