Anansi & Tiger

Anansi the Spider and the Tiger

Long ago, Tiger ruled the countryside, as he was the strongest of all the animals. Everybody did what Tiger said. Everything was called whatever Tiger had named it. Moths, lilies and even stories were named after Tiger. Anansi the spider was the weakest creature in the countryside. He had to tiptoe around on his eight hairy legs, walking very quietly around Tiger. But Anansi did not think that Tiger should have everything.

One night, when the storyteller was reading one of the "Tiger stories", Anansi thought of what he wanted from Tiger. He wanted all the stories to be

named after him instead - "the Spider stories". When the storyteller had finished, Anansi crept closer and closer to Tiger. "Tiger, oh Tiger," began Anansi in his whispering voice. "I want something of yours. I want the stories to be named after me - the Spider stories". All the other animals started to laugh. The green parrot squawked, the owl hooted, the bullfrog croaked, and the monkeys screeched. Then was a sudden, silent moment as they waited for Tiger's reply.

"Very well, have your wish", said Tiger. All the animals were shocked and surprised - how could Tiger give in to feeble Anansi so easily? But Tiger hadn't finished ... "But first, you must do me two favors" said Tiger, gruffly. "I have always wanted my own hive of bees for honey", said Tiger, hungrily. "You must bring me a big pot filled with live, buzzing bees. That is the first favor". When the other animals heard this, they began to twitter and laugh again. How could weak little Anansi catch a pot of live, buzzing bees? Just one or two stings would kill him! "And for the second favor", roared Tiger, "you must bring me Mr. Snake alive. Mr. Snake lives by the river near a grove of bamboo trees. I have often wanted to sit and talk with Mr. Snake as I hear he knows many things. But he never comes close to me".

Tiger then jumped up and disappeared quietly into the night. The other animals began to twitter and laugh all over again. The green parrot squawked, the owl hooted, the bullfrog croaked and the monkeys screeched. How could little weak Anansi capture Mr. Snake, long, long Mr. Snake, and bring him back alive? Anansi did not hear them. He went to his house that night thinking of a way he could get the pot of bees for Tiger. The next morning, Anansi woke up very early to find a large, empty pot. When he did, he crawled through the woods, talking and whispering to himself. Iguana asked him why he was carrying an empty pot. Centipede asked him why he was whispering to himself. And when Queen Bee flew by, she was curious too. Queen Bee buzzed, "Why are you carrying an empty pot, Anansi? And why are you talking to yourself?" Anansi replied, "Queen Bee, I made a bet with Tiger, but I am going to lose the bet. Tiger bet that I could not tell him how many bees this empty pot can hold. Queen Bee, what can I tell him?" "There is only one way", said Queen Bee. "You have to count us while we fly inside. Then when the pot is full we will fly out. That way, you will win the bet with Tiger". "That will do it, yes, it will!" exclaimed Anansi. He held up the opening of the pot to the sunlight so that the bees could see their way inside. Then Queen Bee gave the word and all the bees in her hive, filled with honey, flew into the pot.

While they flew in, Anansi counted each one.

One, two, three buzzing bees, Oh!

Come to me, fly to me, all you bees.

One, two, three hundred buzzing bees,

One, two, three hundred ... spider stories!

When the last bee flew in, Anansi sealed up the opening and hurried off to Tiger. There he found Tiger at the clearing, yawning. "Look, Tiger!" cried Anansi in his high-pitched voice. "Here is your pot of living bees filled with honey. Do you hear them buzzing? You have your own hive of honey bees, Tiger!" Tiger stared, without believing what he saw and heard. "Is this enough, Tiger? Or do you still want Mr. Snake?" asked Anansi proudly. "What! Of course I want Mr. Snake. Bring me Mr. Snake tomorrow" growled Tiger.

Before dawn the next morning, Anansi went down to the river where Mr. Snake lived. He took his sword with him and soon passed Mr. Snake's hole. He woke up Mr. Snake, who hissed at him. "What are you doing here so early, Anansi? I might as well eat you for waking me up," said Mr. Snake. "And why are you carrying a sword?" "Oh, Mr. Snake, I am sorry, very sorry. I came to win a bet with Tiger. I told Tiger that you are the longest animal in the world, longer than the tallest bamboo tree. He says that you are shorter than the tallest bamboo tree". "Of course I am longer than that bamboo tree - can't you see?" hissed Mr. Snake, loudly. "Now that the sun is up, you look very, very long. But the bamboo tree looks just a little bit longer. I cannot be sure - I have lost my bet", replied Anansi. "What are you saying, you stupid spider! I am much, much longer than that tree. Cut it down with your sword. Put the tree next to me and I will prove it to you. You have won your bet". Anansi quickly scampered over to the clump of bamboo trees. He cut down the tallest and trimmed its branches off. He placed the tree on the ground next to the snake. Then he tied Mr. Snake's tail to the end of the tree. But the tree was longer. "Stretch, Mr. Snake!" called out Anansi. "I want to win my bet!"

The animals were all awake now and heard Anansi call out to Mr. Snake. They came to see what was going on. The white herons flew in and joined in by shouting, "Stretch, Snake, Stretch!" Mr. Snake began stretching his long body longer and longer. But the tree was still longer. Anansi suggested, "I will tie you at the middle and you can stretch even more".

Turtle came along the riverbank, and the bullfrog came hopping too. The herons, the turtle and the bullfrog were all shouting to Mr. Snake.

"Stretch, Snake, Stretch!"

But at that moment, Anansi tied Mr. Snake's head to the bamboo tree. All the animals fell silent. Now Mr. Snake was trapped and ready to be carried to Tiger.

From then on, all stories have been called, "Spider Stories".