Long ago, when the earth was young and the skies still echoed with the voices of gods, all stories belonged to Nyame, the sky god. These stories were not shared freely. Nyame’s tales were considered sacred, divine, and powerful, spoken only by his permission. Around fire pits and under starlit skies, humans could only tell the stories that Nyame allowed. No one dared to invent tales of their own, for that would mean challenging the gods themselves.
Down on Earth lived a creature no one would expect to challenge a god: a small spider named Anansi. Though tiny in size, Anansi was known throughout the land for his cleverness, mischief, and unshakable confidence. As he listened to the same divine stories repeated over and over, Anansi grew restless.
“Why should Nyame have all the stories?” Anansi wondered. “Shouldn’t the people be able to tell their own tales? And why not mine?”
Determined, Anansi decided to take a bold step. He spun a gleaming golden thread from his web and climbed all the way up into the heavens, high above the clouds, until he reached the throne of Nyame.
Standing before the sky god, Anansi bowed. “Oh great Nyame, I have come to buy the stories from you, so that the people below may tell them not just as sky god stories, but as Anansi stories.”
Nyame laughed, and the sky thundered with the sound. “You? A mere spider, buying the stories of the gods?” he roared. “Do you know how valuable these tales are? If you truly want them, then bring me three impossible things: a jar full of live bees, a boa constrictor longer than a palm branch, and a wild tiger. Do this, and the stories will be yours.”
Anansi didn’t flinch. “I accept your challenge,” he said calmly, then descended to Earth on his thread.
The Bees
Anansi’s first task was to capture a swarm of bees, alive. He journeyed deep into the forest where bees buzzed in and out of a hollow tree. Sitting beneath the trunk, Anansi began to mutter loudly, as if arguing with himself.
“These bees are too proud to fit in this jar,” he said.
“Of course they could fit!” he answered himself in a mocking tone.
“They absolutely cannot!” he replied again.
The bees overhead heard the debate and grew curious. “What’s this nonsense?” they buzzed. “We can fit in any jar!”
Anansi held up the empty container. “Prove it.”
Buzzing indignantly, the bees began flying into the jar to show their strength in numbers. As soon as the last one entered, Anansi slammed the lid shut and sealed it tight.
The Boa Constrictor
“One down,” he said with a grin.
Next, Anansi sought the mighty boa. He found the enormous snake basking in the sun outside its cave. In his hand, Anansi carried a palm branch.
“It’s a shame,” Anansi said loudly, making sure the snake heard him. “Everyone says the boa is shorter than this palm branch.”
“What? That’s a lie!” hissed the boa, slithering toward him.
Anansi feigned surprise. “If you really think you’re longer, let’s measure.”
The boa agreed and stretched out next to the branch. As it lay still, Anansi quickly tied its body to the palm frond with strong vines. Bound and unable to escape, the boa had fallen for the trick.
“Two complete,” Anansi whispered.
The Tiger
The final challenge was the most dangerous, capturing a wild tiger. Anansi pondered this one carefully, then devised a plan rooted in illusion.
He approached the tiger in the forest, his eyes covered with vine threads. When the tiger asked why his eyes were shut, Anansi said, “I have sewn them closed. It gives me magical sight. I see things no other creature can.”
The tiger was astonished. “Will you do the same for me?”
“Of course,” said Anansi, and he carefully stitched the tiger’s eyes shut with soft vines. Blinded, the tiger stumbled about while Anansi quietly tied him up with ropes.
With the tiger in tow, Anansi ascended once more to the heavens.
The Reward
Nyame was stunned. “You did the impossible,” he said. “You, a little spider, have outwitted creatures much stronger than you. You have proven your worth.”
And with that, Nyame gifted the sacred stories to Anansi. “From now on, let the people call them the Anansi stories.”
Anansi returned to Earth a hero. He cast his web wide across villages and forests, and everywhere the people gathered to share tales of his cleverness. They began their stories with:
“We do not really mean, we do not really mean, that what we are about to say is true, but this is a story of Anansi…”
Story Source:
This version is based on a traditional West African folktale, most commonly attributed to the Ashanti people of Ghana. Anansi stories have been passed down for centuries, often orally, and are now found across West Africa and the Caribbean due to the African diaspora.
Moral Lesson:
With cleverness and courage, even the smallest can achieve greatness.
This story teaches us that success isn’t always about size, strength, or power. Anansi, though small and seemingly insignificant, uses his intelligence and strategic thinking to accomplish what no one else dared. It’s a reminder that wit and resolve can be stronger than brute force.
In a world that often values status and muscle over intellect, the story of Anansi encourages us to look within ourselves and trust our creativity and resourcefulness. The tale also highlights how belief in oneself, regardless of how others see you, can lead to extraordinary achievements. For children, this builds confidence. For adults, it reaffirms the value of strategic thinking and resilience in adversity.
Knowledge Check
- Why did Anansi want to buy the stories from Nyame?
Anansi wanted people to tell the stories as his own, so they would be known as Anansi stories, not just Nyame’s divine tales. - What were the three tasks Anansi had to complete to earn the stories?
Nyame asked Anansi to bring him a jar full of live bees, a boa constrictor longer than a palm branch, and a wild tiger. - How did Anansi trick the bees into the jar?
Anansi pretended to argue with himself about whether the bees could fill a jar, and the bees flew in to prove they could. Once inside, he sealed the jar. - What clever trick did Anansi use on the tiger?
Anansi claimed that sewing his eyes shut gave him magical sight. The tiger begged for the same power, and Anansi used that moment to blind and tie him up. - What lesson does the story of Anansi teach children and adults?
The story teaches that intelligence, creativity, and determination can help anyone—no matter how small or underestimated—overcome challenges and achieve great things. - Where do Anansi stories come from?
Anansi tales originate from the Ashanti people of Ghana and have been preserved across West Africa and the Caribbean, spreading through oral tradition.
