Anansi and the Pot of Beans
Spider Anansi's greed and impatience led to a failed attempt to steal a pot of beans, leaving him hungry and burnt.
A long, long time ago, in a vibrant village in West Africa, before everyone knew Anansi for being sneaky, he and his wife, Aso, went to a big family party. It was a special party for them because it was a beautiful spring day.
Anansi wanted to look his best. "Let's wear our best clothes," he told Aso. Aso loved the idea because she had really pretty dresses and colorful scarves. Anansi put on his best outfit and a very tall hat.
"I look so important in this hat," he told Aso, and she agreed.
They went to the party, and everyone was amazed by how they looked, especially Anansi’s hat. All evening, Anansi walked around, showing off his hat, his fancy clothes, and telling everyone how successful he was. He wanted everyone to think he was amazing.
Anansi also loved food a lot and was very greedy. He went to the table filled with delicious things. There was lemon soup, spicy corn, different kinds of meat, eggs, rice, yams, potatoes, and so much more. Anansi ate so much that he felt he couldn't eat any more.
But he realized something was missing. "Where are the beans?" he asked Aso quietly. Anansi loved hot beans more than anything.
"I don’t know," Aso answered, "but there’s a lot of other food."
Even though Anansi tried to eat other things, he couldn’t stop thinking about the hot beans.
He started to think that maybe his father-in-law knew he loved beans and was hiding them. So, he pretended he wanted to go outside for fresh air, but he really wanted to check the kitchen.
When he got there, he found a pot of beans! "They're trying to hide these from me!" he thought. But the truth was, his mother-in-law had just forgotten to bring them out.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Anansi took a bag and filled it with the hot beans. Then, he put the bag on his head and covered it with his tall hat.
He went back to the party and told Aso they should leave. But just then, her father wanted to give a speech about how great Anansi was.
As he was talking, Anansi started to sweat. The beans under his hat were very hot! He wanted to leave, but everyone kept clapping and asking for more nice words about him.
Anansi was in so much pain from the hot beans that he tried to lift his hat a little to cool off. But oh no! The beans spilled everywhere, all over his nice clothes and the floor.
"What's happening?" his father-in-law shouted. "Are you stealing?"
"Thief!" everyone yelled. Anansi ran away, and Aso ran after him.
"Anansi is a thief!" they shouted.
From that day on, Anansi has had no hair on his head. It’s a reminder of what happened because of his greed.
Audio available for B1 version
A long time ago, in a bright and happy village in West Africa, there was a clever spider named Anansi.
He lived with his wife, Aso.
One sunny spring day, they were invited to a big family party.
"Let's wear our best clothes," Anansi said.
Aso was excited because she had beautiful dresses and colorful scarves.
Anansi wore his nicest outfit and a very tall hat.
"I look very important in this hat," he told Aso, and she agreed.
At the party, everyone admired their clothes, especially Anansi’s tall hat.
Anansi loved showing off his hat and telling everyone how great he was.
Anansi also loved food and was very greedy.
He went to the table filled with delicious food.
There was soup, spicy corn, different kinds of meat, eggs, rice, yams, potatoes, and so much more.
Anansi ate so much that he felt full.
But then he thought, "Where are the beans?"
Anansi loved hot beans more than anything.
"I don’t know," Aso said, "but there’s a lot of other food."
Even though Anansi tried to eat other things, he kept thinking about the hot beans.
He thought maybe his father-in-law knew he loved beans and was hiding them.
So, he pretended he wanted to go outside for fresh air, but really, he wanted to check the kitchen.
When he got there, he found a pot of beans!
"They’re hiding these from me!" he thought.
But really, his mother-in-law had just forgotten to bring them out.
Anansi looked around to make sure no one was watching.
He took a bag and filled it with hot beans.
Then, he put the bag on his head and covered it with his tall hat.
He went back to the party and told Aso they should leave.
But just then, her father wanted to give a speech about how great Anansi was.
As he was talking, Anansi started to sweat.
The beans under his hat were very hot!
He wanted to leave, but everyone kept clapping and asking for more nice words about him.
Anansi was in so much pain from the hot beans that he tried to lift his hat a little to cool off. But oh no!
The beans spilled everywhere, all over his nice clothes and the floor.
"What’s happening?" his father-in-law shouted.
"Are you stealing?"
"Thief!" everyone yelled.
Anansi ran away, and Aso ran after him.
"Anansi is a thief!" they shouted.
From that day on, Anansi has had no hair on his head.
It’s a reminder of what happened because of his greed.
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Reflection Questions
- Why did Anansi want to hide the beans under his hat during the party?
- How did Anansi feel when his father-in-law started to praise him, knowing he had hot beans hidden under his hat?
- Why do you think Anansi's greed made him steal the beans even though there was plenty of other food?
- What do you think Anansi learned from this experience about honesty and greed?
- How do you think Anansi felt when everyone found out about the beans and called him a thief?
Fable Quotes
Greed is a flame that consumes all and leaves only regret.
Truth prevails, where cunning fails.
Even the slyest spider can't escape the web of their own actions.
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