Proverbs is an example of oral tradition. Proverbs were used to express a wise judgment, teach, and rebuke negative practices in society. For instance, the West African culture has an adage that states, "What an old man can see sitting down, a young man cannot see even if he climbs on top of a tree. The proverb emphasizes that it is advisable to hear and heed the advice of those older than us since they know and understand what is beyond us (Mansyur $ Suherman, 2020). Proverbs ensure we do not engage in matters that may cause us mayhem afterward and encourage us. Another example of a proverb is "time wasted can never be recovered," meaning that we should hold time preciously and do things in the speculated time to avoid last minute rush.

A folktale is a type of oral tradition about stories that did not really happen in the past (Ben-Amos, 2021). An example of a legend is "the hair-dried rabbit." A sales agent lived in one of a line of residences in Wyoming. Apart from his dog, he lived alone. He was regularly gone due to his extensive travel. This was difficult for the dog, but the guy had a fenced yard and a dog door, so his pet could go outdoors whenever he pleased. Unfortunately, the dog was not satisfied with staying in his territory and would occasionally burrow beneath the fence into a neighbor's yard. The neighbor's children had a pet rabbit, and the neighbor was worried that the dog would kill it. The dog had gotten into his yard twice before the enraged neighbor threatened to call the cops the next time.

The salesman pledged to restrain his dog, but when he returned from a vacation after dark a few weeks later, he discovered his dog, all muddy, with the neighbor's rabbit, equally dirty but dead, in its jaws. The salesperson became frantic. His dog had not only gone into the neighbor's yard but had also killed the rabbit. The neighbor would undoubtedly insist that his dog be removed. So he washed, blow-dried, and combed the rabbit's fur. The man hopped over the fence and returned the rabbit to its cage after making sure the neighbors were asleep. He returned to his yard quietly and slept to make the neighbor believe that the bunny died naturally. The next morning the neighbor asked the salesman if he had noticed anything unusual, only for the neighbor to say that the rabbit had died three days ago, buried, and his children found it again clean in the cage. This example teaches us morals on the impact of fear and telling lies for cover­ up and the importance of caring for and loving animals.

In conclusion, oral tradition is a vital aspect of all societies; they can be told in different ways to reveal different morals and lessons about life to the youth. Oral tradition is a tool for preserving the history and culture of a particular society, thus containing enriching information that could be used to identify a certain culture. Additionally, oral tradition encourages and offers wisdom to people to cope with life experiences.