Kwaku Ananse: The Cunning Spider

Once upon a time, in a happy village, there was plenty of food, water, peace, and friendship. But then the rain stopped, and a terrible drought began. The animals worried that they had upset the gods or that their crops were the problem. With no food outside, the animals stayed in their homes to save energy. They searched for food for days but found nothing, and soon many became sick, malnourished, and some even died. The birds were the only animals that could fly far away to find food.

One day, Kwaku Ananse, a clever trickster, was also looking for food when he saw the birds eating. He asked them for help, hoping to trick them. The birds, knowing his reputation, were cautious but finally decided to listen. Ananse asked each bird to give him a feather so he could sew them together and learn to fly like them. Although the birds were hesitant, they were convinced by his charming words and each gave him a feather.

The next day, with his new wings, Ananse followed the birds to a farm far away, where they found plenty of food to eat. After they finished, Ananse lied and said the farm belonged to his uncle. He warned the birds never to come back, saying he would tell his uncle if they did. The birds, angry and confused by his lies, took back their feathers, leaving Ananse alone at the farm with no way to fly home.

Realizing what he had done, Ananse began to walk back home, which took him several days. On his journey, he came to a river where a crocodile was sunbathing. Ananse asked the crocodile to take him across, offering to pay for the ride, but the crocodile was wary, having heard of Ananse's tricks. To convince him, Ananse said he could write a note on the crocodile's back saying he owed him money, which he could wipe off once he was paid. The crocodile agreed, curious about the deal.

As they crossed the river, Ananse drew an ugly picture instead of the promised note. Once they reached the other side and the crocodile asked a lizard to check the writing, the lizard confirmed it was just an ugly drawing. Feeling tricked, the crocodile was furious and started searching for Ananse to get his revenge.

One day, the crocodile found Ananse hiding behind a rock. Ananse realized he couldn't run, or the crocodile would kill him. So instead, he pretended to push the rock and acted innocent, saying he had never seen the crocodile before. He cleverly told the crocodile that he forgave him for accusing him of a crime he didn't commit. Confused by Ananse’s words, the crocodile began to doubt himself and let Ananse go.

Taking advantage of the situation, Ananse asked the crocodile to help him move the rock he was pretending to lift. He asked which part of the crocodile's body was the strongest and which was the weakest. The crocodile said his back was strong enough but warned that if the rock fell on his head, he would die. Ananse was secretly planning to harm him.

As they lifted the rock together, Ananse purposely dropped it on the crocodile's head, killing him instantly. Ananse had succeeded in his trick, making the river safe from the crocodile forever.

In the end, Ananse's tricks helped him win for a short time, but they reminded him that being sneaky can lead to serious problems. His actions showed that while trickery might seem smart at first, it can lead to loneliness and harm. Ananse’s story teaches us that real wisdom comes from treating others with respect and keeping trust because the effects of betrayal can last a long time.