Anansi e suo figlio Ntikuma

Anansi il ragno era molto furbo.

Anansi the spider was very clever.

Conosceva molti trucchi.

He knew many tricks.

Aveva un figlio di nome Ntikuma.

He had a son named Ntikuma.

Anche Ntikuma era molto intelligente.

Ntikuma was also very smart.

Un giorno, Anansi voleva ingannare la gente del suo villaggio.

One day, Anansi wanted to trick the people in his village.

Aveva un piano.

He had a plan.

Avrebbe finto di essere morto.

He would pretend to be dead.

Allora la gente si sarebbe dispiaciuta per lui.

Then people would feel sorry for him.

Porterebbero cibo e regali.

They would bring food and gifts.

Anansi raccontò a suo figlio del suo piano.

Anansi told his son about his plan.

Mi sdraierò e non mi muoverò.

"I will lie down and not move,"

disse.

he said.

"Dì a tutti che sono morto."

"Tell everyone I am dead."

"Quando le persone portano del cibo, lo mangerò di notte."

"When people bring food, I will eat it at night."

A Ntikuma non piacque questo piano.

Ntikuma did not like this plan.

Ma ascoltò suo padre.

But he listened to his father.

Anansi si sdraiò sul suo letto.

Anansi lay down on his bed.

Chiuse gli occhi.

He closed his eyes.

Non si mosse.

He did not move.

Ntikuma corse al villaggio.

Ntikuma ran to the village.

Aiuto!

"Help!"

"Aiuto!"

"Help!"

gridò.

he cried.

"Mio padre è morto!"

"My father is dead!"

La gente arrivò velocemente.

The people came quickly.

Videro Anansi disteso immobile.

They saw Anansi lying still.

Erano molto tristi.

They were very sad.

"Povero Anansi,"

"Poor Anansi,"

dissero.

they said.

"Era così furbo."

"He was so clever."

La gente portò molto cibo.

The people brought lots of food.

Portarono carne, frutta e pane.

They brought meat, fruit, and bread.

Misero il cibo vicino al letto di Anansi.

They put the food near Anansi's bed.

Quella notte, Anansi si alzò.

That night, Anansi got up.

Mangiò tutto il cibo.

He ate all the food.

Era molto contento del suo trucco.

He was very happy with his trick.

The next day, more people came.

They brought more food.

This happened for many days.

But Ntikuma felt bad about lying.

He did not want to trick the good people anymore.

One day, the chief of the village came.

He was very sad about Anansi.

"Anansi era il miglior narratore,"

"Anansi was the best storyteller,"

disse il capo.

said the chief.

"Dobbiamo fargli un grande funerale."

"We must have a big funeral for him."

La gente fu d'accordo.

The people agreed.

Fecero un grande fuoco.

They made a big fire.

Volevano mettere il corpo di Anansi nel fuoco.

They wanted to put Anansi's body in the fire.

Questo era il loro modo di dire addio.

This was their way to say goodbye.

Ntikuma era spaventato.

Ntikuma was scared.

Corse da suo padre.

He ran to his father.

"Padre!"

"Father!"

"Padre!"

"Father!"

"Svegliati!"

"Wake up!"

"Vogliono metterti nel fuoco!"

"They want to put you in the fire!"

Ma Anansi stava dormendo.

But Anansi was sleeping.

Aveva mangiato troppo cibo.

He had eaten too much food.

Non riusciva a svegliarsi facilmente.

He could not wake up easily.

La gente venne a prendere il corpo di Anansi.

The people came to get Anansi's body.

Lo portarono al grande fuoco.

They carried him to the big fire.

gridò Ntikuma.

"Wait!"

"Mio padre non è morto!"

shouted Ntikuma.

"Aspettate!"

"My father is not dead!"

gridò Ntikuma.

"He was tricking you!"

"Mio padre non è morto!"

But the people did not believe him.

"Vi stava ingannando!"

"You are too sad,"

Ma la gente non gli credette.

they said.

"Sei troppo triste,"

"Sometimes children say strange things when their father dies."

dissero.

They were about to put Anansi in the fire.

"A volte i bambini dicono cose strane quando muore il loro padre."

Then Anansi woke up!

Stavano per mettere Anansi nel fuoco.

He jumped up quickly.

Poi Anansi si svegliò!

"I am alive!"

Saltò su velocemente.

"I am alive!"

he shouted.

The people were very angry.

gridò.

"You tricked us!"

La gente era molto arrabbiata.

they said.

"Ci hai ingannati!"

"You lied to us!"

dissero.

"You ate our food!"

"Ci hai mentito!"

Anansi was ashamed.

"Hai mangiato il nostro cibo!"

He had to give back all the food.

He had to say sorry to everyone.

From that day, Anansi learned something important.

Tricks might work for a short time, but they always cause trouble in the end.

And Ntikuma learned that telling the truth is always better than lying.