Anansi and the Firefly

One day Firefly came to visit Anansi, the spider. "Anansi," Firefly asked, "Would you like to come out with me tonight and collect eggs?" Anansi was delighted, so that night Anansi and Firefly went out into the darkness to collect eggs for their dinner.

Firefly would shine his light into the night and in this way Anansi could find them easily. But each time they came to a collection of eggs, Anansi would take all of them and put them in his bag, leaving none for Firefly.

Finally, Firefly grew tired of this and said, "Anansi, this is not fair. You have all of the eggs and I have none. Give some to me."

"But," Anansi said, "these eggs are mine. I have put them in my bag." Firefly grew angry and flew off into the night.

Now Anansi could not see. He stumbled in the darkness looking for his home. Finally Anansi bumped into a doorway. He called out, "Godfather, are you home?" to see who was there.

Now this was the home of Tiger, whom Anansi had fooled many times before. He decided to be clever.

"Hello, Godson. Please come in."

Anansi was frightened when he saw whose home it was, but he pretended not to notice.

"Look Godfather, I have brought us some supper!" Tiger looked into Anansi’s bag and saw the eggs there. He called his wife to put a pot on the stove and bring it to boil.

"Come Godson, sit by the fire."

Anansi came and sat by the fire. He watched nervously as Tiger put all of the eggs from his bag into the boiling pot. He said nothing as Tiger and his family ate all of the eggs in the pot. They did not offer him one. Anansi’s stomach growled. But he stayed silent, for he did not want to anger Tiger.

"Well Godson," Tiger said after the family had eaten all of Anansi’s eggs, "That was delicious. Please, stay with us; you may sleep by the fire. My family would love to have you for breakfast." Anansi was not at all sure what Tiger meant by that, but when Tiger smiled and flashed his sharp teeth at him, Anansi thought he had an idea.

"Oh no, Godfather," Anansi said, "I must be going."

"But we insist!" Tiger flashed his toothy grin again and Anansi stayed shivering by the fire. Tiger went over and placed a lobster in the boiling pot when Anansi wasn’t looking. "We left you some eggs, Godson. Help yourself. We must get some sleep."

With that, Tiger went over to his bed and pretended to sleep with his family. Anansi sat watching for a while and then his growling belly got the best of him. He crawled up to the pot and reached in to grab a bite. "Ouch!" Anansi said, "It bit me!"

"What was that?" Tiger called out, laughing to himself.

"Nothing, Godfather, good night." Anansi waited again and then reached in for another bite for he was very hungry. The lobster snapped at him. "Oww!" cried Anansi, "It bit me again!"

Tiger jumped up and growled, "You have awakened my family, and now, I will bite you!"

With that, Tiger jumped at Anansi who ran quickly from his home.

Anansi ran and ran, bumping and stumbling all the way home.

Never again did Anansi take all of the eggs for himself.