Narrator: Welcome, everyone, to our reader's theater performance of a traditional Ashanti tale featuring four characters. In this story, we follow the mischievous spider Anansi on a perilous journey, saved only by his cunning and his sons. So, without further ado, let us begin.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors take their positions.)
Actor 1: I am Anansi, the spider, a trickster and a rogue who sets out on a dangerous journey.
Actor 2: I am Fish, a fierce predator who threatens Anansi on his journey.
Actor 3: I am Falcon, another predator who also poses a threat to Anansi.
Actor 4: I am one of Anansi's sons, who comes to his father's aid in his time of need.
Narrator: And so, these four characters embark on a journey filled with danger and deception, where only the cunning of the spider can save him.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors prepare to begin their dialogue.)
Anansi: (speaking to the audience) I set out on a long journey, facing many dangers along the way.
Fish: (suddenly appearing on stage) Halt, Anansi! You shall not pass!
Anansi: (thinking to himself) Hmm, what shall I do? (speaking to Fish) Oh, dear Fish, I am but a poor, humble spider. What harm could I do to you?
Fish: (unconvinced) I know your tricks, Anansi. You are a rogue and a thief. You shall not pass.
Anansi: (thinking to himself) I must think quickly. (speaking to Fish) Wait! I have a proposition for you. If you let me pass, I will give you a feast of delicious insects.
Fish: (intrigued) Hmm, I do like a good feast. Very well, Anansi. Pass, but remember your promise.
Anansi: (slyly) Of course, my dear Fish. Of course.
(Fish exits, and Falcon enters the stage.)
Falcon: Halt, Anansi! You shall not pass!
Anansi: (thinking to himself) Not again! (speaking to Falcon) Oh, dear Falcon, please do not harm me. I am but a poor, humble spider.
Falcon: (unconvinced) I know your tricks, Anansi. You are a rogue and a thief. You shall not pass.
Anansi: (thinking to himself) I need another plan. (speaking to Falcon) Wait! I have a proposition for you. If you let me pass, I will give you a feast of delicious insects.
Falcon: (intrigued) Hmm, I do like a good feast. Very well, Anansi. Pass, but remember your promise.
(Anansi exits, and his sons enter the stage.)
Son 1: Father, are you alright?
Anansi: (relieved) Oh, my sons! You have come to my rescue!
Son 2: What happened, Father? Why were you in danger?
Anansi: (proudly) I was on a dangerous journey, my sons, and I faced many foes. But with my cunning and your help, I triumphed over them all.
Narrator: And so, Anansi and his sons continue on their journey, facing new dangers and new adventures. For the spider, the world is full of tricks to play and games to win, and he will never cease to amaze us with his cunning and his wit.(Scene opens with four actors standing on stage. The narrator steps forward to begin.)
Narrator: Welcome, everyone, to our reader's theater performance of a classic African folktale. In this story, we follow the adventures of Anansi the spider as he tries to trick his way into a feast. So, without further ado, let us begin.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors take their positions.)
Actor 1: I am Anansi, the clever spider who is always looking for a way to get something for nothing.
Actor 2: I am Turtle, the slow and steady creature who is often the target of Anansi's tricks.
Actor 3: I am Lion, the proud and powerful king of the jungle who is hosting the feast that Anansi wants to attend.
Actor 4: I am Elephant, the wise and respected elder of the jungle who is not easily fooled by Anansi's tricks.
Narrator: And so, these four characters set out on a journey filled with trickery and deceit, each with their own goals and motivations. Along the way, they will face many challenges and dangers, and must use their unique skills and abilities to overcome them.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors prepare to embark on their journey.)
Anansi: My friends, I have heard that Lion is hosting a feast and I want to attend. But I don't have any food to bring with me.
Turtle: Why don't you bring some of your famous stories, Anansi? They always make us laugh.
Lion: Ah, Anansi, my old friend. I am happy to have you at my feast, but you must bring something of value to share with everyone.
Elephant: Yes, Anansi. It's not polite to show up to a feast empty-handed.
Anansi: Don't worry, my friends. I have a plan. I will trick Lion into giving me some of his food.
Narrator: And so, Anansi sets out to trick Lion into giving him some of his food. He uses his cunning and quick wit to come up with a clever plan.
(As the curtains close, the actors bow.)
Narrator: And so ends our reader's theater performance of this classic African folktale. Thank you for joining us today.
Main Idea: The story of Anansi the spider teaches us that while it is important to use our skills and talents to achieve our goals, it is equally important to treat others with respect and not take advantage of their kindness. Anansi learns that his tricks can only take him so far, and that true friendship and generosity are the keys to a happy and successful life.
Narrator: Welcome, everyone, to our reader's theater performance of a classic African folktale. In this story, we follow the adventures of Anansi the spider as he tries to trick his way into a feast. So, without further ado, let us begin.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors take their positions.)
Actor 1: I am Anansi, the clever spider who is always looking for a way to get something for nothing.
Actor 2: I am Turtle, the slow and steady creature who is often the target of Anansi's tricks.
Actor 3: I am Lion, the proud and powerful king of the jungle who is hosting the feast that Anansi wants to attend.
Actor 4: I am Elephant, the wise and respected elder of the jungle who is not easily fooled by Anansi's tricks.
Actor 5: I am Monkey, the mischievous trickster who is always trying to outdo Anansi.
Actor 6: I am Rabbit, the quick and agile creature who is always looking for a challenge.
Narrator: And so, these six characters set out on a journey filled with trickery and deceit, each with their own goals and motivations. Along the way, they will face many challenges and dangers, and must use their unique skills and abilities to overcome them.
(As the narrator steps back, the actors prepare to embark on their journey.)
Anansi: My friends, I have heard that Lion is hosting a feast and I want to attend. But I don't have any food to bring with me.
Turtle: Why don't you bring some of your famous stories, Anansi? They always make us laugh.
Lion: Ah, Anansi, my old friend. I am happy to have you at my feast, but you must bring something of value to share with everyone.
Elephant: Yes, Anansi. It's not polite to show up to a feast empty-handed.
Anansi: Don't worry, my friends. I have a plan. I will trick Lion into giving me some of his food.
Monkey: Ha! I bet I can come up with a better plan than you, Anansi.
Rabbit: Count me in too! I'm always up for a good challenge.
Narrator: And so, the competition between Anansi, Monkey, and Rabbit begins, each trying to outdo the other and come up with the best plan to get some of Lion's food. But they soon realize that their tricks are no match for Lion's cunning and intelligence.
(As the curtains close, the actors bow.)
Narrator: And so ends our readers theater performance of this classic African folktale. Thank you for joining us today.
Main Idea: The story of Anansi the spider teaches us that while it is important to use our skills and talents to achieve our goals, it is equally important to treat others with respect and not take advantage of their kindness. Anansi learns that his tricks can only take him so far, and that true friendship and generosity are the keys to a happy and successful life. The competition between Anansi, Monkey, and Rabbit also teaches us the value of cooperation and teamwork, and that we can accomplish more when we work together instead of against each other.
Anansi the Spider
Ten Readers' Theater Scripts from Ashanti Folk
Tradition
An
original collection for classroom fluency and oracy practice
These scripts are original retellings drawn from
traditional West African (Ashanti/Akan) Anansi trickster tales passed down
through oral folk tradition. They are written fresh for classroom performance
and are not adapted from any single published edition.
Table of Contents
1. How Anansi Got the Sky
God's Stories — Grades 3–5
2. Anansi and the Wisdom
Pot —
Grades 2–4
3. Anansi and the Talking
Melon — Grades 2–4
4. Anansi and Turtle's
Dinner — Grades 1–3
5. Anansi and the
Moss-Covered Rock — Grades 3–5
6. Why Anansi Has a Thin
Waist — Grades 3–5
7. Anansi and the
Hat-Shaking Dance — Grades 3–5
8. Anansi Brings Rain to
the Animals — Grades 3–5
9. Anansi and the Guinea
Fowl's Lesson — Grades 2–4
10. How Anansi Lost His
Hair — Grades 2–4
1. How Anansi Got the Sky God's Stories
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
3–5
Cast: 6 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Nyame the Sky God, Osebo the Leopard, Mmoatia the Fairy)
— Mmoboro the Hornets may be read by the whole class as a chorus
Long ago, all the tales of
the world belonged to Nyame, the Sky God, and people called them 'Sky God's
Stories.' This is how a small, clever spider changed that forever.
Script
Narrator 1: Long ago, before the stories of the world
had a name, they all belonged to Nyame, the Sky God, who kept them locked in a
golden box in the sky.
Narrator 2: Down on the earth, a spider named Anansi
looked up at the sky every day and thought about those stories.
Anansi: I am small, yes. But small does not mean
empty-headed. I will go to Nyame myself and ask for his stories.
Narrator 1: So Anansi spun a long silver thread,
climbed all the way up to the sky, and stood before the Sky God's golden stool.
Nyame: (booming, but not unkind) Little Anansi.
Many great chiefs and kings have asked me for my stories, and I have refused
them all. What makes you think a spider will succeed where kings have failed?
Anansi: Great Nyame, I do not ask for a gift. I
ask for a fair trade. Name your price.
Narrator 2: Nyame laughed — a laugh like thunder
rolling over the mountains — for he was certain he would name a price no one
could ever pay.
Nyame: Very well, spider. Bring me three things,
and the stories are yours forever. Bring me Osebo the leopard, whose teeth are
like spears. Bring me Mmoboro, the hornets whose sting is like fire. And bring
me Mmoatia, the fairy whom no man has ever caught.
Narrator 1: Anansi bowed low and climbed back down
his silver thread, already spinning a plan in his mind — the same way he spun
his webs.
Narrator 2: First, Anansi wove a net from strong
web-silk and went walking near Osebo's path, singing to himself.
Osebo: (sneering) Little spider, what are you
doing wandering so close to my hunting ground?
Anansi: Oh, Osebo, I was only testing whether
this net was strong enough to hold even the strongest cat in the forest. But
perhaps I was wrong to doubt you — surely you could break free of it easily.
Narrator 1: Proud Osebo could not resist proving his
strength. He leapt straight into the web to show he could tear it apart.
Osebo: (struggling) This is nothing! I will
break it in a moment —
Narrator 2: But the more he thrashed, the tighter the
web wound around him, until Anansi carried the leopard, net and all, straight
up his silver thread to Nyame.
Narrator 1: Next, Anansi took a hollow gourd and a
leaf, and filled the gourd halfway with water. He walked to the nest of
Mmoboro, the hornets.
Anansi: Mmoboro! Rain is coming — I can smell it
in the wind! Come hide in my gourd where you will stay dry, and I will cover
you with this leaf to keep out the storm.
Narrator 2: (All readers, as Mmoboro the swarm) Yes!
Thank you, clever spider! We will hide from the rain!
Narrator 1: The moment every hornet had buzzed
inside, Anansi sealed the gourd tight with the leaf, and carried the hornets up
to Nyame.
Narrator 2: Last of all, and hardest of all, was
Mmoatia the fairy, who could vanish before any hunter's hand closed around her.
Narrator 1: So Anansi carved a small doll from wood,
covered it with sticky sap, and set it beneath the odum tree where Mmoatia
loved to dance. In the doll's hands he placed a bowl of pounded yam.
Mmoatia: (curious) Little doll, may I have some of
your yam? (pause) You do not answer? How rude. I shall slap you for your
silence!
Narrator 2: Mmoatia slapped the doll — and her hand
stuck fast in the sap. Furious, she slapped it again with her other hand, and
that one stuck too!
Mmoatia: (struggling) Let me go, foolish doll! Let
me — oh! Oh, I am stuck!
Narrator 1: Anansi came out from behind the tree,
gently freed her from the sap, and carried her — along with Osebo and the
sealed gourd of hornets — all the way up to the golden stool of the Sky God.
Nyame: (astonished) Small spider... you have
done what kings and chiefs could never do. From this day forward, the stories
of the world no longer belong to me. They belong to you, Kwaku Anansi. Let them
be called Anansi's stories.
Narrator 2: And that is why, to this very day,
whenever someone tells a wonder tale — a story of tricksters and wisdom, of
small creatures outsmarting the mighty — it is still called an Anansi story.
All Readers: (together) And that is how the stories
came down from the sky!
Discussion Questions
1. Anansi never uses strength to
complete any of Nyame's three tasks. What does he use instead?
2. Osebo, the hornets, and
Mmoatia are each fooled in a different way. What weakness of theirs does Anansi
notice and use?
3. Why do you think the
storyteller says the stories are 'called Anansi's stories' — what does a name
change like that mean?
2. Anansi and the Wisdom Pot
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
2–4
Cast: 5 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Ntikuma his son, Village Chorus)
Anansi decides that all the
wisdom in the world belongs to him alone — and learns a lesson about sharing it
instead.
Script
Narrator 1: One day, Anansi the spider looked around
at all the foolish mistakes people made, and he had an idea.
Anansi: If I could gather up every bit of wisdom
in the world into one pot, I would be the wisest creature who ever lived — and
no one else would need to think at all!
Narrator 2: So Anansi traveled from village to
village, collecting every wise saying, every clever trick, every bit of good
sense he could find, and sealing it inside a great clay pot.
Village Chorus: (together) Where has our wisdom gone? We
used to know how to solve our problems — now we feel lost!
Narrator 1: When the pot was full to bursting, Anansi
decided to hide it at the very top of a tall, tall tree, so no one else could
ever reach it.
Anansi: I will tie this pot to my belly, in front
of me, and climb the tree. Then all the world's wisdom will be safe with me
forever.
Narrator 2: Anansi tied the heavy pot to the front of
his body and began to climb. But the fat pot bumped against the trunk with
every move, and he could not get a good grip.
Narrator 1: He slipped. He struggled. He tried again
and again, and still the pot banged uselessly against the bark, blocking his
arms and legs.
Narrator 2: Watching from below stood his son,
Ntikuma, who had followed him all the way from the village.
Ntikuma: Father, if you truly held all the wisdom
of the world in that pot, wouldn't you have thought to tie it to your back
instead of your belly, so your arms and legs were free to climb?
Narrator 1: Anansi froze. His son's simple words
struck him like a slap of shame.
Anansi: (quietly) Here I thought I had gathered
all the wisdom there was — and my own child has just shown me more sense than
the whole pot holds.
Narrator 2: In his anger and embarrassment, Anansi
threw the pot down from the tree. It shattered against the rocks below, and all
the wisdom inside scattered across the wind — over every hill, every river,
every village.
Village Chorus: (together, delighted) Look! Good sense
has returned to us! A little wisdom for you, a little for me, a little for
everyone!
Narrator 1: And that is why, to this day, no single
person holds all the wisdom in the world.
Narrator 2: Wisdom is scattered everywhere instead —
a little in a farmer, a little in a child, a little in an elder, a little in a
stranger — so that we must always listen to one another to find it all.
All Readers: (together) For no one is wise enough all
alone.
Discussion Questions
1. Why does Anansi want to keep
all the wisdom for himself instead of sharing it?
2. What does Ntikuma's question
reveal that Anansi couldn't see about his own plan?
3. The story ends with wisdom
scattered among everyone. Why might that be a better ending than if Anansi had
kept the pot?
3. Anansi and the Talking Melon
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
2–4
Cast: 6 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Elephant, Melon Voice, Animal Chorus)
Anansi gets stuck inside a
giant melon and turns his bad luck into a clever trick on the whole forest.
Script
Narrator 1: One dry season, when food was scarce,
Anansi found a farm with one single melon growing enormous and ripe in the sun.
Anansi: What a magnificent melon! No farmer is
watching. I will just take one small bite...
Narrator 2: Anansi bit through the melon's tough skin
and squeezed inside to eat his fill of the sweet flesh within. He ate, and ate,
and ate — until he was too fat and full to squeeze back out through the hole.
Anansi: (muffled, from inside) Oh no. Oh no, no,
no. I have eaten myself into a trap of my own making.
Narrator 1: Just then, Elephant came walking down the
path, admiring the very same melon.
Elephant: My, my — what a fine, plump melon this
farmer has grown!
Anansi: (disguising his voice, from inside the
melon) A fine melon indeed — the finest in this whole field, wouldn't you say?
Narrator 2: Elephant jumped back in surprise, looking
all around for who had spoken, since he could see no one nearby.
Elephant: (nervous) Who — who said that?
Anansi: (from inside) I did. I am the Talking
Melon, and I have grown so wise sitting here in the sun that I can speak
whenever I please!
Elephant: (backing away) A talking melon! I must
tell the others at once!
Narrator 1: Elephant ran through the forest,
gathering every animal he could find, until a great crowd stood around the
melon, whispering and pointing.
Animal Chorus: (together) A talking melon! Impossible!
Let us hear it speak!
Anansi: (from inside, grandly) Silence! I am the
Talking Melon, wisest fruit in the forest, and I will speak only if you carry
me gently to the chief's compound so all may hear me properly!
Narrator 2: Delighted and amazed, the animals lifted
the great melon carefully onto their shoulders and carried it — with Anansi
hidden snugly inside — all the way to the chief's compound in the village.
Narrator 1: There, in front of the gathered crowd,
the melon suddenly went completely silent.
Animal Chorus: (together, confused) Speak, Talking
Melon! Speak for the chief!
Narrator 2: But Anansi, snug and full inside, said
nothing at all — and the animals waited, and waited, growing more and more
frustrated.
Elephant: (annoyed) This melon is being stubborn!
Perhaps it only speaks when it is angry. Let us throw it down hard against the
ground to wake it up!
Narrator 1: With one great heave, the animals hurled
the melon down onto the stone courtyard — and it split wide open with a
tremendous crack.
Narrator 2: Out tumbled Anansi, round and
full-bellied, blinking in the sudden sunlight in front of the whole astonished
crowd.
Animal Chorus: (together) Anansi?! It was Anansi all
along!
Anansi: (brushing himself off, grinning) Well. I
suppose I have finally spoken. And I must say, that was a wonderful ride to the
village — thank you all for the lift!
Narrator 1: The animals were too astonished — and
honestly, too amused — to stay angry for long, and even Elephant found himself
laughing.
All Readers: (together) And that is how Anansi turned
a sticky situation into one more tale worth telling.
Discussion Questions
1. Anansi's trouble starts
because of his own greed. How does he use his cleverness to fix a problem he
created himself?
2. Why do you think the animals
believe so quickly that a melon could talk?
3. Do you think Anansi should be
forgiven at the end? Why or why not?
4. Anansi and Turtle's Dinner
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
1–3
Cast: 4 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Turtle)
A short, classic tale of two
dinner invitations, muddy feet, and a lesson in fairness.
Script
Narrator 1: One evening, Turtle walked a very long
way, tired and hungry, and arrived just as Anansi was setting out a wonderful
pot of stew.
Anansi: Turtle! Friend! You are welcome to eat
with me — but in my house, we always wash our hands before we eat.
Narrator 2: Turtle went to the river to wash his
hands, but by the time he walked back across the dusty path, his feet had
turned muddy all over again.
Anansi: Turtle, your hands may be clean, but look
at your muddy feet! We cannot eat at my table with feet like that.
Narrator 1: Turtle sighed, walked all the way back to
the river, washed his feet carefully, and walked all the way back — only to
find his feet muddy once more from the very same path.
Anansi: (shaking his head) Still muddy, Turtle! I
am afraid the stew will simply have to be eaten without you tonight.
Narrator 2: Anansi ate the entire pot of stew by
himself, while Turtle went home with an empty stomach — but Turtle did not
forget.
Narrator 1: Some weeks later, Turtle invited Anansi
to dinner at his home under the river.
Turtle: Anansi, my friend, please come and eat
with me tonight! The meal is ready and waiting below the water.
Narrator 2: Anansi tied on his very best fine coat
and hurried to the riverbank, eager for a free meal.
Anansi: Wonderful! Let us go down and eat at
once, Turtle!
Turtle: Of course — but in my house, under the
river, we never wear our fine coats to the table. Please, take it off before
you dive down.
Narrator 1: Anansi removed his fine coat, but the
moment he dove into the water, he became so light that he simply floated back
up to the surface, unable to sink down to Turtle's table at all.
Anansi: (sputtering) Turtle! I cannot get down to
the table — I keep floating up!
Narrator 2: So Anansi filled his pockets with heavy
stones to weigh himself down, and finally sank all the way to Turtle's
underwater table, where a wonderful feast was spread out.
Turtle: Welcome, Anansi! But of course, in my
house we never eat with our hats on at the table.
Narrator 1: Anansi removed his hat — and without it
weighing him down along with the stones shifting in his pockets, he floated
straight back up to the surface before he could take a single bite.
Anansi: (from the surface, frustrated) Turtle! I
keep floating away from your table!
Turtle: (from below, calmly eating) What a shame,
friend Anansi. I suppose the meal will simply have to be eaten without you
tonight.
Narrator 2: And so Turtle enjoyed his whole dinner
alone, just as Anansi once had — and from then on, the two remembered to treat
each other exactly as they wished to be treated.
All Readers: (together) What goes around, comes back
around — even under the water.
Discussion Questions
1. How is Turtle's trick similar
to the trick Anansi played earlier in the story?
2. Do you think Turtle was right
to treat Anansi the same way Anansi treated him? Why or why not?
3. What lesson about fairness
does this story teach?
5. Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
3–5
Cast: 6 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Bush Deer, Lion, Elephant, Warthog —
Lion/Elephant/Warthog can double as one 'Animal' reader)
Anansi discovers a strange
rock that knocks any animal senseless — and uses it to trick his neighbors out
of their food, until clever Bush Deer turns the tables.
Script
Narrator 1: Deep in the forest stood a strange,
moss-covered rock. One day, while walking past it, Anansi muttered to himself.
Anansi: What a peculiar-looking stone!
Narrator 2: The instant he said the words, Anansi
fell down flat, as if struck by an invisible hand, and lay still upon the
ground.
Narrator 1: A little while later, he shook himself
awake, rubbed his head, and realized what had happened.
Anansi: (rubbing his head) So! Any creature who
says those exact words in front of this rock falls down senseless. Now, how
might I use such a strange rock to my advantage?
Narrator 2: Anansi went to visit Lion, bringing along
a fine haunch of meat he had prepared.
Anansi: Lion, my friend, come walk with me — I
want to show you a very peculiar-looking stone I found in the forest.
Lion: A peculiar-looking stone? Show me,
Anansi.
Narrator 1: The moment Lion repeated the words aloud
in front of the rock, he crashed to the ground, unconscious.
Narrator 2: Anansi calmly carried Lion home,
pretending great sorrow to the rest of the animals, and claimed the meat and
goods left behind for himself — as payment, he said, for his trouble.
Narrator 1: He did the very same thing to Elephant.
Elephant: A peculiar-looking stone, you say? Let me
see it, Anansi!
Narrator 2: Down went Elephant, just like Lion before
him.
Narrator 1: And then to Warthog.
Warthog: A peculiar-looking stone? I would like to
see this for myself!
Narrator 2: Down went Warthog, too — and each time,
Anansi collected a bit more food and treasure for his trouble, until the other
animals began to whisper amongst themselves.
Narrator 1: At last, clever Bush Deer decided to see
for herself what was truly happening in that part of the forest.
Narrator 2: She followed Anansi quietly and watched
from behind a bush as he led yet another animal toward the rock, repeating his
same trick.
Bush Deer: (to herself) So that is his secret. The
rock, not bad luck, is what fells them. Let me test this myself — carefully.
Narrator 1: The next day, Bush Deer visited Anansi,
all smiles and friendliness.
Bush Deer: Anansi, I hear you have found a very
peculiar-looking stone. Would you show it to me?
Anansi: (delighted, thinking of more free food)
Of course, Bush Deer! Right this way!
Narrator 2: But when they arrived, Bush Deer stopped
several steps away from the rock, and spoke the fatal words herself — from a
careful distance.
Bush Deer: What a peculiar-looking stone!
Narrator 1: Nothing happened to her at all, standing
safely apart — but Anansi, standing right beside the rock as always, crumpled
instantly to the ground!
Narrator 2: Bush Deer had realized that it was not
the words alone, but standing close to the rock while saying them, that caused
the spell.
Bush Deer: (calling to the forest) Come quickly,
everyone! I have found where all our missing food and friends have gone!
Narrator 1: When Lion, Elephant, and Warthog woke and
learned the truth, Anansi had to return everything he had taken — and endure
the embarrassment of being caught by his own trick.
All Readers: (together) The trickster who stands too
close to his own trap may fall into it himself.
Discussion Questions
1. What mistake does Anansi make
that Bush Deer avoids?
2. Why do you think Bush Deer
tests the rock carefully instead of just trusting Anansi?
3. What does this story suggest
about the difference between being clever and being wise?
6. Why Anansi Has a Thin Waist
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
3–5
Cast: 5 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Village One Chorus, Village Two Chorus)
A hungry Anansi tries to
attend two feasts at once and learns why greed leaves you empty in the end.
Script
Narrator 1: One season, Anansi heard that two
villages, far apart from one another, were each holding a great feast on the
very same evening.
Anansi: Two feasts, on the very same night! I
simply cannot choose between them. I shall attend both!
Narrator 2: So Anansi called for two long, strong
ropes. He tied one end of the first rope around his own waist, and sent his son
running to the first village to tie the other end around a great tree there.
Narrator 1: He tied the second rope around his waist
as well, and sent his other son running to the second village to tie that end
to a tree there, too.
Anansi: Now, when the drumming and singing begin
at either village, they will pull the rope to signal me, and I will hurry there
at once to eat!
Narrator 2: Anansi lay down in the middle of the road
between the two villages to wait, with a rope tied tightly around his waist on
each side.
Narrator 1: As it happened, both feasts began at
exactly the same moment.
Village One Chorus: (together) The feast is ready! Pull the
rope for Anansi!
Village Two Chorus: (together) The feast is ready! Pull the
rope for Anansi!
Narrator 2: Both ropes pulled taut at once, tugging
Anansi's waist in two opposite directions with tremendous force.
Anansi: (strained) Wait — not yet — I haven't
decided which way to — ahh!
Narrator 1: He was yanked one way, then the other,
back and forth, the ropes squeezing tighter and tighter around his middle as
each village pulled harder, wondering why he did not come.
Village One Chorus: (together) Anansi is not coming — pull
harder!
Village Two Chorus: (together) Anansi is not coming — pull
harder still!
Narrator 2: The two ropes squeezed Anansi's waist
tighter and tighter, until it was pulled thin as a thread, right in the middle
of his round little body.
Narrator 1: By the time both feasts finally ended,
hours later, the villagers untied their ropes at last — and Anansi lay in the
road, having missed both feasts entirely, with a waist pinched thin from all
the pulling.
Anansi: (groaning) I wanted so much that I ended
up with nothing at all — and a waist to remind me of it forever.
Narrator 2: And that, the storytellers say, is why
spiders to this day have such a small, thin waist between their round head and
their round belly — a lesson in greed, pulled tight for all to see.
All Readers: (together) Trying to have it all can
leave you with nothing but a thin waist.
Discussion Questions
1. Why does Anansi refuse to
simply choose one feast?
2. What does his thin waist come
to represent by the end of the story?
3. Can you think of a time when
trying to do two things at once made both of them go wrong?
7. Anansi and the Hat-Shaking Dance
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
3–5
Cast: 5 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Hyena, Animal Chorus)
Anansi invents a dance to
hide his stolen food from the other animals — until Hyena figures out his
secret.
Script
Narrator 1: During a season of famine, Anansi
discovered a small farm no one else knew about, and he took to visiting it
secretly every day to fill his belly.
Anansi: If the others knew of this farm, they
would want to share it — and there is barely enough for one hungry spider, let
alone a whole forest!
Narrator 2: But Anansi could not eat all the beans at
once, so each day he hid a handful of extra beans inside his own hat before
walking home.
Narrator 1: The trouble was, the beans made his hat
rattle and shake with every step, and the other hungry animals began to notice.
Animal Chorus: (together) Anansi, why does your hat
shake so strangely when you walk?
Narrator 2: Anansi thought quickly on his feet —
quite literally.
Anansi: Oh, this? This is nothing strange at all
— it is simply a new dance I have invented! Watch — the Hat-Shaking Dance!
Narrator 1: And Anansi began to shuffle and spin and
shake his shoulders, so that the rattling of the beans inside his hat seemed to
be part of a wild, joyful dance.
Animal Chorus: (together, delighted) What a wonderful
dance! Teach it to us, Anansi!
Anansi: (nervously) Oh — well — it takes years of
practice to master properly, I'm afraid. Perhaps another time.
Narrator 2: He hurried home before anyone could ask
to see his hat up close, and this continued for many days, with Anansi
performing his Hat-Shaking Dance every evening as he passed through the
village.
Narrator 1: But Hyena, who missed very little, grew
suspicious of a dance that only ever seemed to happen when Anansi was walking
home from the same direction each evening.
Hyena: (to himself) A new dance every single
day, always at the same time, always coming from the same path? I think I shall
follow our clever friend tomorrow.
Narrator 2: The next evening, Hyena hid behind a bush
along Anansi's path and watched closely as Anansi walked by, shaking and
shuffling as always.
Hyena: (stepping out suddenly) Anansi! Might I
ask you to remove your hat, just for a moment, so I may admire your fine
dancing form more closely?
Narrator 1: Anansi hesitated, but with Hyena's sharp
eyes fixed upon him and no clever excuse coming to mind quickly enough, he had
no choice but to lift his hat.
Narrator 2: Out spilled a shower of beans onto the
ground, right in front of the whole gathering crowd that had come to watch the
famous dance.
Animal Chorus: (together) Beans! He has been hoarding
food from a secret farm this whole time!
Anansi: (sheepishly) Well... at least you all
enjoyed the dance?
Narrator 1: The animals were too hungry and too
annoyed to laugh, and Anansi was made to lead them all straight to the secret
farm to share what remained.
All Readers: (together) Even the best dance cannot
hide beans forever.
Discussion Questions
1. Why does Anansi decide to
keep the farm secret instead of sharing it right away?
2. What clue tips Hyena off that
something is wrong with the 'dance'?
3. Is there a difference between
being clever to solve a problem and being clever to hide a selfish choice?
Discuss.
8. Anansi Brings Rain to the Animals
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
3–5
Cast: 5 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Nyame the Sky God, Animal Chorus)
During a terrible drought,
Anansi travels to the Sky God to beg for rain — and must think cleverly to
prove his village deserves it.
Script
Narrator 1: For many long months, no rain fell upon
the land. The rivers shrank to muddy trickles, the crops withered in the
fields, and the animals grew thin and desperate.
Animal Chorus: (together, weary) We cannot go on much
longer without water. Someone must do something!
Anansi: I will climb to the sky and speak with
Nyame myself. Someone must ask him plainly why the rain has stopped.
Narrator 2: So Anansi spun his silver thread once
more and climbed all the way up to the golden stool of Nyame, the Sky God.
Nyame: Anansi. I wondered when someone from
below would finally come and ask.
Anansi: Great Nyame, the animals below are
suffering. The rivers are dry, the crops have failed, and the little ones grow
weaker every day. Please — send us rain.
Nyame: I do not withhold rain out of cruelty,
little spider. I send rain to those who show they can work together and share
what little they have. Tell me honestly — when the last good harvest came in,
did your village share it fairly, or did each creature hoard what it could for
itself?
Narrator 1: Anansi opened his mouth to boast that all
had been fair and equal — but he thought of the secret hoarding, the selfish
grumbling, the arguments over the smallest scraps of food, and he could not
bring himself to lie to the Sky God's face.
Anansi: (quietly) No, great Nyame. If I am
honest, we did not share as we should have. Many of us — myself included — kept
more than we needed, while others went hungry.
Narrator 2: Nyame considered this admission for a
long moment.
Nyame: Your honesty pleases me more than any
excuse would have, Anansi. I will send the rain — but you must carry a message
back down with you, and see that it is followed.
Anansi: I will carry it faithfully, great Nyame.
Nyame: Tell them: the rain will fall on all
equally, whether the field is large or small, whether the creature is mighty or
humble. Let the animals learn to share the harvest as freely as the sky shares
its rain.
Narrator 1: Anansi climbed back down to the parched
earth and gathered every animal together to deliver Nyame's message.
Anansi: Nyame will send the rain. But he asks
that we remember his words: share the harvest as freely as the sky shares its
rain.
Narrator 2: That very night, dark clouds rolled in
from the horizon, and the first fat drops of rain began to fall upon the
grateful, upturned faces of the animals.
Animal Chorus: (together, joyful) Rain! At last, rain!
Let us remember Nyame's words, and share what grows from it!
Narrator 1: And from that season onward, whenever the
harvest came in generous, the animals remembered to divide it fairly — for they
had learned that the sky was always watching to see whether they would.
All Readers: (together) Rain falls freely on all — and
so should what we gather from it.
Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think Nyame asks
Anansi a question instead of simply refusing or granting the rain right away?
2. What is significant about
Anansi telling the truth instead of making an excuse?
3. How does this story connect
fairness in a community to something as large as the weather?
9. Anansi and the Guinea Fowl's Lesson
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
2–4
Cast: 3 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Guinea Fowl) — 4 total
Anansi tries to trick Guinea
Fowl out of her dinner, but her sharp eyes and patience turn his trick back on
him.
Script
Narrator 1: Guinea Fowl had spent all morning
scratching in the dirt for seeds and worms, and by afternoon she had gathered a
fine little pile to eat.
Narrator 2: Anansi, who had spent the morning doing
nothing at all but wishing for a meal, spotted her pile from a distance.
Anansi: (to himself) Guinea Fowl has worked hard
for that food. Far too hard, in fact — surely she would not mind sharing with a
hungry friend.
Narrator 1: Anansi approached with his most charming
smile.
Anansi: Guinea Fowl! What a magnificent pile of
seeds you've gathered! I wonder, though — have you heard the news from the
river today?
Guinea Fowl: (without looking up) No, Anansi, I have
not heard any news. I have been quite busy gathering my dinner.
Anansi: They say the river has become full of the
sweetest, largest snails anyone has ever seen! If you hurry now, you could
gather twice what you have here in half the time!
Narrator 2: Guinea Fowl continued pecking calmly at
her pile, not moving an inch.
Guinea Fowl: That does sound like wonderful news,
Anansi. Why don't you go check on the snails yourself, and let me know how it
turns out?
Narrator 1: Anansi's smile faltered slightly, but he
tried once more.
Anansi: Ah, but Guinea Fowl, I would hate for you
to miss such a chance! Perhaps I could watch over your seeds for you while you
go see for yourself?
Narrator 2: Guinea Fowl finally looked up at him,
unbothered, and gave a small knowing tilt of her head.
Guinea Fowl: Anansi, I have scratched in this dirt
long enough to know the sound of a story built only to move my feet away from
my own dinner. My seeds are staying exactly where they are — and so am I.
Narrator 1: Anansi opened his mouth to try one more
excuse, but found he had none left worth trying.
Anansi: (sighing) You are sharper than you let
on, Guinea Fowl.
Guinea Fowl: I have simply learned to watch a spider's
feet as closely as I watch a beetle's — both like to scuttle off with something
that isn't theirs.
Narrator 2: Anansi, for once outsmarted, wandered off
to find his own dinner the honest way — and Guinea Fowl finished her seeds in
peace, exactly where she had earned them.
All Readers: (together) A patient eye sees through
even the sweetest story.
Discussion Questions
1. What trick does Anansi try to
use on Guinea Fowl? Have you seen a trick like this before, in another story or
in real life?
2. How does Guinea Fowl stay one
step ahead of Anansi without ever raising her voice?
3. What does Guinea Fowl mean
when she compares Anansi's feet to a beetle's?
10. How Anansi Lost His Hair
Suggested Reading Level: Grades
2–4
Cast: 5 readers (Narrator
1, Narrator 2, Anansi, Fire, Village Chorus)
A playful pourquoi tale
explaining why spiders have no hair on their heads — the result of Anansi's
dangerous friendship with Fire.
Script
Narrator 1: Long ago, Anansi was covered head to toe
in soft, thick fur, and he was quite proud of it.
Anansi: Not a creature in the forest has finer
fur than I do! Soft, warm, and beautiful in the sunlight.
Narrator 2: One cold season, Anansi made an unlikely
new friend: Fire, who crackled and danced along the edge of the village
clearing.
Fire: (crackling merrily) Anansi! Come sit
close and warm yourself beside me. I make excellent company on a cold night.
Anansi: You do indeed, Fire! I have never felt so
warm and cozy.
Narrator 1: Every evening after that, Anansi visited
Fire, sitting closer and closer each time, enjoying the delicious warmth
against his fur.
Village Chorus: (together) Anansi, be careful! Fire is a
good servant but a poor master — do not grow too comfortable beside him!
Anansi: (waving them off) Nonsense! Fire is my
dear friend. He would never harm me.
Narrator 2: One particularly cold night, Anansi sat
closer to Fire than ever before, determined to soak up every bit of warmth he
could.
Fire: (crackling, growing brighter) Come closer
still, Anansi — the night is bitter, and I have plenty of warmth to share.
Narrator 1: Anansi shuffled closer, and closer again,
until he was nearly touching Fire's dancing edges, his fur soaking in more heat
than it ever had before.
Anansi: Ahh, this is wonderful — I have never
felt so — wait — is something —
Narrator 2: A spark leapt from Fire and caught in the
fur atop Anansi's head. In an instant, the flame raced across his scalp before
he could even cry out.
Anansi: (yelping) My hair! My hair is burning!
Help!
Narrator 1: Anansi rolled and rolled in the dirt,
smothering the flames as fast as he could, while the village rushed to help him
with handfuls of dust and water.
Village Chorus: (together, rushing over) Anansi! Are you
all right? We warned you not to sit so close!
Narrator 2: When the smoke cleared, Anansi sat up,
patting his head — and found not a single hair remained upon it, though the
rest of his body was untouched.
Anansi: (mournfully) My beautiful hair... gone.
All because I would not listen to a friendly warning.
Fire: (quietly, almost apologetic) I did warn
you to come closer, Anansi, but I never warned you it was wise. I only ever do
what fire does — I cannot help my own nature, even for a friend.
Narrator 1: And from that day to this, spiders have
gone about with a smooth, bald head, though the rest of their body remains
covered — a permanent reminder of the night Anansi got too comfortable beside a
dangerous friend.
All Readers: (together) Some friends will warm you —
and some will only ever burn.
Discussion Questions
1. The village warns Anansi more
than once. Why do you think he ignores their warning?
2. What does Fire mean when it
says, 'I only ever do what fire does'? How is this different from Fire meaning
to hurt Anansi?
3. This story explains why
spiders look the way they do. Can you think of another 'why' story — from any
culture — that explains something about an animal?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you!