Anansi the Spider
Long ago, in a small village in West Africa, there lived a spider named Anansi. Anansi was known far and wide for his cleverness and cunning. He was always looking for ways to outsmart others and gain an advantage, but his tricks often led to trouble. Despite his mischievous nature, Anansi was also curious and eager to learn. He believed that if he could gather all the wisdom in the world, he would become the smartest being alive.
One day, Anansi decided to collect all the wisdom in the world and keep it for himself. He thought, "If I have all the wisdom, no one will ever be able to outsmart me again!" So, he set out on a journey to gather every bit of wisdom he could find. He traveled from village to village, listening to the elders, observing the craftsmen, and learning from the farmers. He collected proverbs, riddles, and secrets, writing them down on scraps of paper and storing them in a large clay pot.
After many months, Anansi's pot was filled to the brim with wisdom. He was thrilled with his accomplishment but realized he needed a safe place to hide the pot so no one else could find it. He thought, "If I keep the pot in my house, someone might steal it. I need to hide it somewhere no one will ever think to look."
Anansi decided to hide the pot at the top of the tallest tree in the forest. He tied a rope around the pot and then tied the other end around his waist. As he began to climb the tree, he struggled because the pot kept bumping against his belly, making it difficult to move. His young son, Ntikuma, who had been watching from below, called out, "Father, why don't you tie the pot to your back instead? It will be easier to climb that way."
Anansi paused and thought about his son's suggestion. He realized it was a good idea and felt a pang of frustration. "If my son can think of this simple solution, then I don't have all the wisdom after all!" he exclaimed. In his anger, he threw the pot down from the tree. It hit the ground and shattered, scattering all the wisdom into the wind.
The wisdom spread far and wide, carried by the wind to every corner of the world. From that day on, wisdom became available to everyone, not just Anansi. People everywhere could learn from each other, share knowledge, and grow wiser together.
Anansi, though disappointed, learned an important lesson. He realized that wisdom is not something that can be hoarded or kept to oneself. True wisdom comes from sharing and learning from others. From that day forward, Anansi became a little less selfish and a little more willing to listen to the advice of others, even his own son.
