Anansi and the Yam Hills
Anansi and the Yam Hills
Anansi the spider discovers some mysterious hills covered with delicious yams. He must decide whether to keep this wonderful secret to himself or share it with others.
Long ago, Anansi the spider was very lazy.
Long ago, Anansi the spider was very lazy.
He did not like to work.
He did not like to work.
But he was always hungry.
But he was always hungry.
One day, Anansi saw big hills covered with yam plants.
One day, Anansi saw big hills covered with yam plants.
The yams looked big and sweet.
The yams looked big and sweet.
Anansi wanted to eat them all.
Anansi wanted to eat them all.
"I will make these yam hills mine,"
"I will make these yam hills mine,"
said Anansi.
said Anansi.
"But I don't want to work for them."
"But I don't want to work for them."
Anansi had a clever idea.
Anansi had a clever idea.
He went to the village and told everyone,
He went to the village and told everyone,
"I own all the yam hills now."
"I own all the yam hills now."
"No one can take yams without paying me."
"No one can take yams without paying me."
The people were surprised.
The people were surprised.
"But we planted these yams,"
"But we planted these yams,"
they said.
they said.
"We worked hard to grow them."
"We worked hard to grow them."
"That doesn't matter,"
"That doesn't matter,"
said Anansi.
said Anansi.
"The hills are mine now."
"The hills are mine now."
"You must give me half of everything you take."
"You must give me half of everything you take."
The people were angry, but Anansi was very clever with words.
The people were angry, but Anansi was very clever with words.
He made them believe his story.
He made them believe his story.
Soon, Anansi became rich.
Soon, Anansi became rich.
He sat in the shade while others worked.
He sat in the shade while others worked.
He ate the best yams while others went hungry.
He ate the best yams while others went hungry.
But the Sky God was watching.
But the Sky God was watching.
He saw what Anansi was doing.
He saw what Anansi was doing.
One morning, Anansi woke up and went to his yam hills.
One morning, Anansi woke up and went to his yam hills.
But something was wrong.
But something was wrong.
All the yams were gone!
All the yams were gone!
The hills were empty.
The hills were empty.
"Where are my yams?"
"Where are my yams?"
cried Anansi. A voice came from the sky.
cried Anansi. A voice came from the sky.
It was the Sky God.
It was the Sky God.
"Anansi, you did not plant these yams."
"Anansi, you did not plant these yams."
"You did not water them."
"You did not water them."
"You did not work for them."
"You did not work for them."
"So they are not yours."
"So they are not yours."
"But I was so clever!"
"But I was so clever!"
said Anansi.
said Anansi.
"Being clever is good,"
"Being clever is good,"
said the Sky God.
said the Sky God.
"But using your cleverness to cheat others is wrong."
"But using your cleverness to cheat others is wrong."
"The yams have gone back to the people who really worked for them."
"The yams have gone back to the people who really worked for them."
Anansi learned that day that cleverness without hard work and honesty brings nothing good.
Anansi learned that day that cleverness without hard work and honesty brings nothing good.
From that day on, Anansi had to work for his own food like everyone else.
From that day on, Anansi had to work for his own food like everyone else.