This is one of the best-known plays by Africa's major dramatist, Wole Soyinka. It is set in the Yoruba village of Ilunjinle. The main characters are Sidi (the Jewel), 'a true village belle' and Baroka (the Lion), the crafty and powerful Bale of the village, Lakunle, the young teacher, influenced by western ways, and Sadiku, the eldest of Baroka's wives. How the Lion hunts the Jewel is the theme of this ribald comedy.

“勿庸置疑，渥雷·索因卡是非洲最多才多艺、最优秀的作家……”
——《纽约时报书评》
“他拥有丰富的想象，用诗歌和戏剧来表达自己的好奇、沮丧和疑惑。”
——《新闻周刊》
“渥雷·索因卡给了我们一本可爱、神奇的书……讲述了他的童年故事，故事发生在二战前和二战期间尼日利亚的两部小镇阿凯。”
——《华盛顿邮报》
“假如V．S．奈保尔是一个快乐的人，假如V．S．普里切特热爱自己的父母，假如费拉基米尔·纳博科夫在尼日利亚西部的小镇长大，认为政治并非没有价值，会是什么样子呢?我并非滥用以上这些人的名义。尼日利亚小说家、剧作家、批评家、比较文学教授渥雷·索因卡和他们属于同一行列，这些孩子在多元文化的园地里成长，而且将成长过程中的一切都铭刻于心。”
——约翰·里奥那德《纽约时报》
“这是一部快乐的回忆录。”
——《大西洋报》
“无论何时何地，这都是一部非洲自传的经典、童年回忆录的经典。”
这是被誉为非洲的“莎士比亚”、“最伟大的作家”渥雷·索因卡用温情而不无伤感的文字回忆美妙童年的自传。
小主人公索因卡是一个活泼顽皮、对一切充满好奇的孩子。他的童年是在尼日利亚西部的阿凯小镇上度过的，这是一个民风淳厚而热情洋溢的地方。作者始终保持着孩子的视野怀旧，回忆种种新奇而刺激的冒险：偷吃校长太太喂养的火鸡、第一次捕食蛇肉、与父辈们一起狩猎、拜访以投毒害人而闻名的村庄、围观顶着祭品潜入校园的赤裸女子、参与尿床者示众，等等。此书生动展现出在一个传统观念与现代精神交织、冲突的时代，一个非常小地区迷人的社会生活画卷。

Based on events that took place in Oyo, an ancient Yoruba city of Nigeria, in 1946, Wole Soyinka's powerful play concerns the intertwined lives of Elesin Oba, the king's chief horseman; his son, Olunde, now studying medicine in England; and Simon Pilkings, the colonial district officer. The king has died and Elesin, his chief horseman, is expected by law and custom to commit suicide and accompany his ruler to heaven. The stage is set for a dramatic climax when Pilkings learns of the ritual and decides to intervene and Elesin's son arrives home.