"So, how, exactly, did a spider become the god of stories and all knowledge? The master of words and dance and song?"
"Well, as the tale generally goes, there were no stories in the world. The Sky-Father, Nyame, had them all in a giant box. Anansi liked the world, but without stories he felt it was boring, so he went to Nyame and asked if he could buy them from him. Nyame did not want to give up his stories, but Anansi impressed him because he'd used silk string to reach Nyame, whose home rested in the sky where no others could reach. As a result, Nyame entertained Anansi's offer, but he set a high price, hoping it would be impossible for Anansi to accomplish: Anansi had to capture three of the most dangerous creatures in the world, known as Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, and the Mmoboro Hornets. Hatching up a plan, Anansi set about capturing them.
First, Anansi went to where Onini the Python lived and sat outside of his home. Anansi pretended to debate with his wife, named Aso, over the length of Onini's body and questioned whether the python was as large as Aso claimed, said to be longer than a palm branch. Onini was very vain and soon heard Anansi arguing, so he came to Anansi and asked the spider what he was arguing about. Anansi explained the debate, and Onini quickly agreed to help Anansi prove the claim was true by laying beside a palm tree, unaware of Anansi's trickery. Yet, when Onini stretched beside it, he couldn't do so without coiling. Anansi said that Onini's actual length was impossible to determine because of this, and the snake asked for a solution. Anansi suggested he tie Onini to a palm branch so that the snake's true length could be known, and Onini agreed, oblivious to Anansi's deception. When he was completely tied, Anansi took Onini to Nyame. Nyame acknowledged Anansi's accomplishment but told Anansi he still had the others to capture, and refused to think Anansi would succeed in completing the challenge; he imagined in secret that Anansi would fail on his next try.
Anansi then plotted against Osebo the Leopard, and went to where Osebo normally ventured. Anansi then dug a deep hole inside of the ground, covering it with bush, and waited in the trees overnight, knowing that Osebo would stumble into the pit eventually. Sure enough, when Anansi awoke, Osebo was trapped in the pit that he had dug. Anansi approached the Leopard and then asked if he needed help. Osebo said yes, and Anansi offered to help him with his silken webs, telling the leopard - who often boasted of his strength - that he could simply use it to climb out of the hole. However, Osebo soon became tangled, and Anansi in turn offered him more of his string. Osebo kept attempting to climb, but soon became completely entangled in Anansi's webs by the time he'd reach the top of the pit he was trapped in. Too weak to move, Anansi tied the leopard up and carried him away to Nyame. Nyame also acknowledged Anansi's achievement this time as well, but he still was not convinced Anansi would succeed entirely and told the spider he still had another task, certain that the spider would fail to complete one of the most difficult tasks he'd given him.
Lastly, Anansi went to the land where the Mmoboro Hornets lived, but knew it would not be easy to capture them, as they lived in a nest and never left alone, only together. Anansi wouldn't be deterred, however; he found a calabash and hollowed it out, filling it with water afterward. He collected a banana leaf, holding it above his head. He poured some water from the calabash over him and then poured the rest over the nest. This only made the hornets angry, and they all came out of it, ready to attack Anansi. However, Anansi showed them his banana leaf - still wet - and explained that it had been raining, advising them to seek shelter. The Hornets asked what they should do to avoid the rain, and Anansi suggested they get into the calabash. The hornets flew inside and filled the calabash, then Anansi quickly sealed the opening. Anansi soon returned to the Sky-Father and handed the last of his captives over to him, completing the task Nyame thought it would be impossible for Anansi to fulfill. Though he still didn't want to give over his stories, Nyame was a man of his word and was impressed at Anansi's talent, so he rewarded Anansi by making him the god of all stories.
So, what do you think? Anansi did the impossible tasks, and became a god of stories. Were the tasks fair? They were, in and of themselves, stories, so does that mean Anansi's the most qualified god for the job? Why not pour the stories out of the box altogether, and put the humans in charge? What do you think about all this?"
Story time!
"Well, as the tale generally goes, there were no stories in the world. The Sky-Father, Nyame, had them all in a giant box. Anansi liked the world, but without stories he felt it was boring, so he went to Nyame and asked if he could buy them from him. Nyame did not want to give up his stories, but Anansi impressed him because he'd used silk string to reach Nyame, whose home rested in the sky where no others could reach. As a result, Nyame entertained Anansi's offer, but he set a high price, hoping it would be impossible for Anansi to accomplish: Anansi had to capture three of the most dangerous creatures in the world, known as Onini the Python, Osebo the Leopard, and the Mmoboro Hornets. Hatching up a plan, Anansi set about capturing them.
First, Anansi went to where Onini the Python lived and sat outside of his home. Anansi pretended to debate with his wife, named Aso, over the length of Onini's body and questioned whether the python was as large as Aso claimed, said to be longer than a palm branch. Onini was very vain and soon heard Anansi arguing, so he came to Anansi and asked the spider what he was arguing about. Anansi explained the debate, and Onini quickly agreed to help Anansi prove the claim was true by laying beside a palm tree, unaware of Anansi's trickery. Yet, when Onini stretched beside it, he couldn't do so without coiling. Anansi said that Onini's actual length was impossible to determine because of this, and the snake asked for a solution. Anansi suggested he tie Onini to a palm branch so that the snake's true length could be known, and Onini agreed, oblivious to Anansi's deception. When he was completely tied, Anansi took Onini to Nyame. Nyame acknowledged Anansi's accomplishment but told Anansi he still had the others to capture, and refused to think Anansi would succeed in completing the challenge; he imagined in secret that Anansi would fail on his next try.
Anansi then plotted against Osebo the Leopard, and went to where Osebo normally ventured. Anansi then dug a deep hole inside of the ground, covering it with bush, and waited in the trees overnight, knowing that Osebo would stumble into the pit eventually. Sure enough, when Anansi awoke, Osebo was trapped in the pit that he had dug. Anansi approached the Leopard and then asked if he needed help. Osebo said yes, and Anansi offered to help him with his silken webs, telling the leopard - who often boasted of his strength - that he could simply use it to climb out of the hole. However, Osebo soon became tangled, and Anansi in turn offered him more of his string. Osebo kept attempting to climb, but soon became completely entangled in Anansi's webs by the time he'd reach the top of the pit he was trapped in. Too weak to move, Anansi tied the leopard up and carried him away to Nyame. Nyame also acknowledged Anansi's achievement this time as well, but he still was not convinced Anansi would succeed entirely and told the spider he still had another task, certain that the spider would fail to complete one of the most difficult tasks he'd given him.
Lastly, Anansi went to the land where the Mmoboro Hornets lived, but knew it would not be easy to capture them, as they lived in a nest and never left alone, only together. Anansi wouldn't be deterred, however; he found a calabash and hollowed it out, filling it with water afterward. He collected a banana leaf, holding it above his head. He poured some water from the calabash over him and then poured the rest over the nest. This only made the hornets angry, and they all came out of it, ready to attack Anansi. However, Anansi showed them his banana leaf - still wet - and explained that it had been raining, advising them to seek shelter. The Hornets asked what they should do to avoid the rain, and Anansi suggested they get into the calabash. The hornets flew inside and filled the calabash, then Anansi quickly sealed the opening. Anansi soon returned to the Sky-Father and handed the last of his captives over to him, completing the task Nyame thought it would be impossible for Anansi to fulfill. Though he still didn't want to give over his stories, Nyame was a man of his word and was impressed at Anansi's talent, so he rewarded Anansi by making him the god of all stories.
So, what do you think? Anansi did the impossible tasks, and became a god of stories. Were the tasks fair? They were, in and of themselves, stories, so does that mean Anansi's the most qualified god for the job? Why not pour the stories out of the box altogether, and put the humans in charge? What do you think about all this?"