The High Pot and the Deep Meal
Two child-friendly retellings of Akan Anansi folktales from Ghana invite readers to compare a spider's trouble carrying wisdom with a turtle's trouble getting a meal.
Play the quiz as a gameThe first heading is "The High Pot."
Anansi the spider put wisdom in a pot. He wanted to keep it for himself. He tied it to his front and tried to climb a tree. The pot bumped the tree. He could not climb.
His son said, "Put it on your back!" Anansi did, and he climbed. His son had wisdom too! Anansi tipped the pot. Wisdom blew out for everyone to share.
The next heading is "The Deep Meal."
Turtle saw Anansi eating yams. "May I join you?" he asked.
"Wash your dusty feet first," said Anansi. Turtle washed, but his feet got dusty on the way back. Anansi sent him back to wash again. While Turtle washed, Anansi ate the yams.
Later, Turtle invited Anansi to eat. Turtle's meal was deep in a pond. Turtle could reach it, but Anansi could not. Now Anansi knew how it felt to be left out.