Anansi Tries to Steal
All the Wisdom in the World
Anansi the spider knew that he was not wise. He was a sly trickster who could use his
wit to fool many different people. But he knew that he did not have much wisdom.
Then one day he had a clever thought. "If I can get all of the wisdom in the village and
put it in a hollow gourd," he thought, "I will be very wise indeed. In fact, I will be the wisest
of all!"
So he found a hollow gourd and began to carry out his plan. He went from door to door
to collect the village's wisdom. People chuckled at poor Anansi, for they knew that more than
any other creature, he needed wisdom. So each person put a bit of wisdom in his gourd and
wished him well.
Soon the gourd was overflowing with wisdom and could hold no more. Now Anansi
needed to find a place to store it. "I am certainly the wisest person in the world. But if I don't
find a good hiding place for my wisdom, I am sure to lose it."
He looked around and spotted a very tall
tree. "Ah," Anansi said, "I will hide my wisdom
high in that tree. Then I will never have to worry
about someone stealing it from me!"
Anansi set out to climb the towering tree
with the heavy gourd tied to the front of his belly
where it would be safe. As he climbed, however, the
gourd full of wisdom kept getting in the way. He
tried and tried, but he could not climb very high.
Just then, Anansi's youngest son walked by. "What are you doing, Father?" asked
the little spider.
"I am climbing this tree with my gourd full of wisdom," Anansi replied.
"But Father," said the son, "wouldn't it be much easier if you tied the gourd behind
you instead of in front?"
Anansi sat there quietly for a very long time. Then he said, "Shouldn't you be going
home now?"
After his son left, Anansi moved the gourd so that it was behind him. Then he
proceeded up the tree without a problem. When he reached the top, he cried out, "I collected
so much wisdom that I am the wisest person ever, and still my baby son is wiser than me.
Here! Take back your wisdom!"
He lifted the gourd high over his head and spilled its contents into the wind. The wisdom
blew far and wide and settled across the land. And this is how wisdom came back to the world.