Storytelling Week 7: Anansi the Lazy

Anansi started his job at the market seeping floors. It was all they had available and Anansi was in no situation to be picky. After one full day at work, Anansi had done an average job at cleaning the market. He was giving his pay at closing time and promised to come back the next morning. With the money he had earned he bought a Pig. The Pig was small and was the cheapest available. Anansi crossed the stream on his way home with his Pig trailing behind him. The Pig stopped before crossing the bridge. Anansi predicted the Pig was scared by the sound of the rushing river. Anansi would not put the Pig under his arm because it was dirty, nor would he pay anyone to do it for him. Anansi was lazy and broke.

Anansi saw a Pig running across a field near by and called for it. He asked the Dog to bit the Pig, so that it would move across the bridge. Anansi was tried and wanted to go home and rest his feet. Instead of doing what Anansi asked of him, the Dog watched as Anansi convinced others to do his work for him. 

Anansi told the Stick to hit the Dog so that it may bit the Pig to have it cross over the bridge. The Stick said no and waited and watched with the Dog. Again, Anansi begged Fire to light the Stick so the Stick could hit the Dog and so the Dog would bit the Pig to have it cross over the bridge. Just like the others the Fire said no, and took its place next to the Stick. Anansi called to the Water rushing under the bridge to put out the Fire so that the Fire would burn the Stick and the Stick would hit the Dog so the Dog would bit the Pig and the Pig would cross the bridge. Again, like the others the Water said no and continued its way down stream. 

Anansi was growing tried of asking and his temper began to flair up. He wanted one simple task to be done. He asked a Cow, a Butcher, Rope, Grease, and a Rat. All of whom said no. A black Cat was watching all of this happen near the south bank of the bridge. The Cat interjected into Anansi's conversation and said he would kill the Rat. With this each of the former subjects agreed to do as Anansi wished. The Cat killed the Rat, the Rat eat the Grease, the Grease greased the Rope, the Rope hung the Butcher, the Butcher killed the Cow, the Cow drank the Water, the Water set out the Fire, the Fire burned the Stick, the Stick hit the Dog, the Dog bit the Pig and the Pig ran across the bridge.

Black Cat

Anansi made it through the day with minimal effort and maximum reward. 

Author's Note: Honestly, I felt pretty uninspired to write this story. I don't think I did the best job of making it my own. I think when I go back and revise I will add something a little more magical to make it my own. Anyway, the story is a retelling of Anansi and the Pig Coming from Market. I originally like this story from this unit because it was an interesting concept. Anansi had been set up as a fool is all the other stories, but in the one he actually gets what he wants.

Bibliography: Anansi and the Pig from Market, Jamaica Anansi Stories, Martha Warren Beckwith, 1924