Author Stories | Mythopia

The Mantis and Will-o-the-Wisp

The Mantis caught sight of Will-o-the-Wisp walking about; he asked where Will-o-the-Wisp came from....

The Greedy Mantis and the Aardwolf

Kwammanga and his family were going to see other people, to visit Kwammanga's people. He was going...

The Golden Rooster and the Greedy King

Once upon a time there lived a great King who ruled over many thousands of men. The city in which he...

The Magic Eggs and the Brave Mother: A Southern African Folktale of Courage and Transformation

It was very early morning in mid-winter. The sun was just rising over the great plains in a silver...

The Clever Hare and the Community Well: A Southern African Folktale About Cooperation and Cunning

Once there was a terrible drought. No rain fell, the lakes dried up, and the animals had no water....

The Hare Who Believed the Rooster's Dream: A Timeless African Folktale About Wisdom and Gullibility

One day, Shulo the Hare was visiting Jongwe the Rooster's home and he saw the Rooster standing on...

Ananse's Wedding Feast Theft: Why Cat and Dog Became Enemies

Ananse arrived early for the wedding feast of Mister Cat and Miss Cat."I'll take care of the food,"...

Ananse's Fiddle Trick: How the Spider's Music Led to Tacoomah's Demise

Someone was stealing Tacoomah's corn during the night.Tacoomah blamed Ananse. "You're stealing my...

Ananse's Egg Count: How Tacoomah Tried to Hide His Greed

Tacoomah visited Ananse.Ananse had one hundred eggs in a nest, and greedy Tacoomah ate ninety-nine...

Ananse's Yam Plot: How the Spider Stole Tacoomah's Pork-Stuffed Feast

Tacoomah was planting yams, and Ananse gave him some advice. "You should boil those yams, put pork...

Ananse's Jumbee House Betrayal: How the Spider's Greed Led to Tacoomah's Doom

Ananse found a jumbee house. He heard the jumbees say "Jollup-Jellup!" to open the door and...

Ananse's Beef-Fat Deception: How the Spider Tricked His Children Out of Food

Ananse's fire went out."Child," said Ananse, "go to Tacoomah and get fire."Tacoomah gave the child...

Ananse's Tar-Stump Trick: How the Spider Framed Goat for His Theft

Ananse and Tacoomah were neighbors.During the night, somebody was stealing Tacoomah's crops.It was...

Ananse's Barrel Plot: How Goat Escaped Tacoomah's Deadly Trap

Ananse told Tacoomah, "We need meat!""I've got a plan," said Tacoomah. "Pretend I'm sick and call...

Ananse's Riding-Horse Humiliation: How Tacoomah Tricked the Spider in Love

Ananse and Tacoomah were courting the same woman.Tacoomah told her, "Ananse was my father's...

Ananse's Apple Tree Trial: How the Fire's Justice Left the Spider Naked"

Ananse, Tacoomah, and Lion had an apple tree, and Ananse ate all the apples."Who ate the apples?"...

Ananse's Fatal Greed: The Tale of How the Spider Was Tricked By His Own Son

Hyena was supposed to throw Cunning-More-Than-Father in the sea, but Cunning-More-Than-Father came...

Ananse's Coffin Plot: How Cunning-More-Than-Father Escaped Death with a Shepherd's Help

Hyena and Ananse finally caught Cunning-More-Than-Father."I'll nail him inside this coffin," said...

Ananse's Coconut Plot: How Cunning-More-Than-Father Outsmarted His Father with Stinging Ants

Ananse wanted to kill his son Cunning-More-Than-Father.Cunning-More-Than-Father had gotten away...

Ananse's Yam Plot: How Cunning-More-Than-Father Tricked the Hyena

Ananse wanted Hyena to kill his son."I'll send Cunning-More-Than-Father to get yams," Ananse said....

Ananse's Failed Plot: How Cunning-More-Than-Father Outwitted His Father and the Hyena

Ananse hated his son Cunning-More-Than-Father and wanted to kill him.While Ananse plotted with...

Ananse's Pea Patch Plot: How the Spider Got Stuck in the Rafters

Mrs. Ananse planted peas, but Ananse didn't help.He pretended he was dying."Bury me in the...

Ananse's Fatal Greed: The Tale of the Spider's Mango Tree Reflection

Ananse climbed a mango tree by the river. He wanted to eat all the mangoes by himself. Greedy Ananse...

Ananse's Yam-Foofoo Trick: How His Clever Son Discovered the Secret Nam

Ananse planted a special yam named yam-foofoo, and it grew big!He took some home and cooked it."Tell...

Ananse's Soup Scheme: The Spider's Failed Plot for Chicken Soup

"I'm so sick," Ananse said to his wife. "Consult the doctor!"When she left, Ananse ran to the...

Ananse's Pork Plot: How the Spider Tricked His Wife with a Doctor's Disguise

Ananse's wife raised a pig."Let's eat your pig!" Ananse said."No!" she said. "I'm going to sell...

Ananse's Plantain Plot: The Spider's Clever Scheme for Extra Food

Ananse and his family were starving.At last, Ananse found some food: plantains.There were four...

Ananse's Hat-Dance Disaster: The Tale of How the Spider Lost His Hair

Ananse's mother-in-law died, and Ananse went to the funeral dressed in his fancy funeral-clothes.He...

Ananse's Failed Death Trick: How Ground-Dove Outsmarted the Trickster Spider

"We need food!" Ananse said to his wife. "I'll lie here, and you'll shout that I'm dead.""My poor...

Ananse's Ash Escape: A Dark Tale of Theft and Tragedy

Ananse stole the plantains from Goat's plantain-tree. "Baaa-a-a, where are my plantains?" yelled...

Ananse's Dead Lion Tale: A Dark Story of Trickery Gone Wrong

Lion played dead in the road. Ananse found him and carried him home to eat. "Look at this!" Ananse...

Ananse's Underground Donkey Trick: How He Fooled Lion with a Tail

Ananse and Lion bought supplies in town. They were almost home when Ananse said, "I forgot molasses!...

Ananse's Shape-Shifting Feast: How He Fooled Lion Twice

After Ananse left Lion tied to a tree, a woman found Lion and freed him. Grateful Lion invited her...

Ananse's Revenge: The Rope and String Trick That Caught Lion

Lion had stolen Ananse's fish, and Ananse wanted revenge. "Let's play a game!" said Ananse to Lion....

Ananse Tricks the Lion with a Knife and Fork Tale: A Classic African Trickster Story

Hyena stole cattle at night. One night, by accident, he grabbed Lion, thinking it was a cow. "That's...

Ananse's Pepper Sauce Escape from the Lion: A Clever African Tale

Hyena stole cattle at night. One night, by accident, he grabbed Lion, thinking it was a cow. "That's...

How Ananse Learned to Weave: The Tale of the Banana Tree Escape

Hyena and Monkey were chasing Ananse. "Help me, Banana-Tree!" shouted Ananse. "Take this fiber!"...

Ananse and the Fling-a-Mile Hole: A Tale of Greed's Fatal Price

Ananse stuck his hand in a hole. The hole said, "I'm Fling-a-Mile!" Then he flung Ananse one mile....

Ananse's Fatal Counting Trick: How Monkey Outsmarted Him - A Twisted African Tale

Ananse decided to play a trick. He dug five yam-hills, and then he sat beside his yam-field,...

Ananse's Deadly Funeral Trick: Only Monkey Survives - A Dark African Tale

Ananse and his wife sat under a tree. Monkey was in the tree, listening. "We need meat!" Ananse...

Ananse's Ant-Filled Suit: How Monkey Lost His Elegance - A Classic African Tale

Ananse used to be elegant and refined. Elegant speech. Refined manners. All the animals respected...

Ananse's Deceptive Christening Oven in Monkey-Country: A Sinister African Tale

Ananse went to Monkey-Country. "I'm here to christen you," he said, "and this is my christening...

Ananse's Deadly Cooking Pot in Monkey-Country: A Dark African Folk Story

Ananse went to Monkey-Country, carrying a big pot. He filled the pot with water and put it on the...

Ananse's Magical Rope and the Witch Monkey: A Dark African Folktale

Ananse owed Monkey money, but couldn't pay, so Monkey whipped Ananse. The next day Monkey came and...

Ananse, Monkey and Hyena's Clever Escape: A Traditional African Trickster Tale

Ananse and Monkey were friends. "How many tricks do you know?" Ananse asked. "I know plenty of...

Ananse Tricks Hyena by the River: A Clever African Folktale

Ananse and Hyena went to the river. "Take out your guts before your bath!" Ananse told Hyena, and...

Ananse Tricks the Hungry Hyena with Sweet Golden Honey: A Classic African Folktale

"What's that?" Hyena asked him. "Monkey piss!" said Ananse, smiling. "Try it!" Hyena tasted the...

The Curious Queen-Bee: How Ananse's Trick Won Him the Stories - A West African Tale

"All the stories will be yours if you bring me bees in a gourd," Hyena told Ananse. Ananse took a...

The Clever Gourd Trap: How Ananse Caught the Hornets - A West African Folk Story

"All the stories will be yours if you bring me hornets in a gourd," Hyena told Ananse. Ananse knew...

How Ananse Won All the Stories: The Tale of the Measured Snake - A West African Folk Story

All the stories will be yours if you can catch Snake alive and bring him here," Hyena told Ananse....

The Cursed Counting Game: How Ananse Outsmarted King Hyena - A West African Trickster Tale

King Hyena had one golden stool and four silver stools. Anyone who counted all the stools would fall...

The Magic Yams: How Hyena Learned Not to Steal from Ananse - A West African Folktale

Ananse's yams were magic! Only Ananse could pull them out of the ground. Hyena was hungry. "Let me...

African Folktale: The Hunter Becomes the Hunted | West African Trickster Tales

Leopard and Ananse hunted Mr. Man's pigs.Every time Leopard shot, Ananse shot too.Leopard hit the...

African Folktale: Why Ananse Has a White Belly | West African Origin Stories

Ananse kept tricking Leopard, and Leopard wanted revenge!"Come eat breakfast with me," Leopard told...

African Folktale: Ananse's Breakfast Trick | West African Trickster Stories

Leopard fed Ananse a good breakfast."I'll feed you breakfast tomorrow!" Ananse told Leopard. "Come...

African Folktale: Ananse and the Sheep Disguise | West African Trickster Tales

Ananse kept stealing a lady's sheep until there was only one sheep left."I'll kill Ananse for you,"...

African Folktale: How Ananse Framed Leopard for Stealing Sheep | West African Trickster Tales

Mr. Man hired Ananse to guard his sheep, but Ananse was stealing the sheep."Find out who's stealing...

African Folktale: How Ananse Tricked Tiger with a Knife | West African Trickster Tales

Tiger and Ananse went walking together."I have a knife," Ananse said. "Do you?""I do!" said...

The Hunting Tale

Ananse and Tiger went hunting.Tiger caught a goat, but Ananse didn't catch anything.Ananse didn't...

The Cooking Pot Tale

Tiger came to see Ananse."Hard times!" said Ananse. "No food here."Tiger went away.Then Tiger heard...

The Coconut Tale

Ananse was eating a coconut, smacking his lips happily."What's that?" Tiger asked him."It's one of...

Ananse and his Grandmother

Ananse killed his grandmother, put her body in his wagon, and drove into town.He told the barkeeper,...

Anansi’s Riding-Horse

Anansi kept saying Tiger was his father’s riding-horse.This made Tiger angry!Tiger went to Anansi’s...

Ananse and Tiger in the Pit

Ananse heard Tiger roaring.He looked around.There was Tiger, trapped in a deep pit!Tiger was leaping...

Celebrate Love: The Princess's Wedding - An Enchanting Akan Story

There was joy in the air as the villagers of the Asante tribe in Ghana gathered for the three day...

The King's Magic Drum

Efriam Duke was an ancient king of Calabar. He was a peaceful man, and did not like war. He had a...

The creation of the world

The entire world was filled with water when God decided to create the world. God sent his messenger...

How wisdom became the property of the human race

There once lived, in Fanti-land, a man named Father Anansi. He possessed all the wisdom in the...

The Tortoise, the Dog, and the Farmer: A Lesson in Friendship

Once upon a time, there was a famine in the land of Kurumi in southwestern Nigeria, everyone was...

The man who never lied

Once upon a time there lived a wise man by the name of Mamad. He never lied. All the people in the...

Why The Cheetah Cheeks Are Stained

Long ago, a wicked and lazy hunter was sitting under a tree. He was thinking that it was too hot to...

Ananse and the Pot of Wisdom

Long long ago people didn’t know anything. They didn’t know how to plant crops, or how to weave...

Why Ananse has Eight Skinny Legs

Once upon a time, there lived a spider called Ananse. Though Ananse’s wife was a very good cook, the...