Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

My name is Anansi, and some say I'm the cleverest spider in all the world! One very warm afternoon, as the sun made the forest floor sleepy, my stomach rumbled a mighty rumble, but I was feeling far too lazy to go hunting for food. I decided to take a walk along my favorite path, hoping a tasty bit of something might just appear. It was on this walk that I stumbled upon something truly peculiar, a discovery that led to the famous story of Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock. I found a large, round rock covered in the softest, greenest moss I had ever seen. Out loud, I said, 'Isn't this a strange moss-covered rock?' and just like that—BAM!—I fell down fast asleep for a whole hour. When I woke up, my head was spinning, but a brilliant, tricky idea was spinning right along with it. This rock wasn't just strange; it was magic! And I, Anansi, was going to use that magic to fill my belly. Can you imagine finding something so magical right in your own backyard?

My plan was simple and, I thought, perfectly clever. I gathered all the delicious yams, coconuts, and berries I had been saving and arranged them in a pile near the magical rock. Then, I hid behind a large leaf and waited. Soon, Lion came strolling down the path, his tail swishing grandly. 'Greetings, Lion!' I called out. 'Would you like to share some of my food?' Lion, who was always hungry, eagerly agreed. As he sat down, I pointed a leg toward the rock. 'Before we eat,' I said, 'have you ever noticed this spot? Isn't this a strange moss-covered rock?' Lion looked at it, squinted his big yellow eyes, and repeated, 'Why yes, it is a strange moss-covered rock.' And THUMP! He fell fast asleep. I quickly gathered up all the food and scurried home to enjoy my feast. I did the same thing to Elephant, who came by next, and then to Zebra. Each time, my trick worked perfectly, and my pile of food grew bigger and bigger. I felt so smart, laughing to myself as each animal snoozed away while I feasted on their share. I thought my brilliance knew no bounds.

I was feeling quite proud of myself until Little Bush Deer came tiptoeing down the path. She was small, but her eyes were sharp and she missed nothing. I tried my trick on her, offering her a sweet mango. But Little Bush Deer was wiser than the others. She had been watching from behind the bushes! 'Anansi,' she said sweetly, 'this is a lovely mango, but I cannot see it very well. Could you tell me again what that big thing behind you is called? The one covered in moss?' My belly was so full and my mind so giddy with success that I didn't think. I puffed out my chest and declared, 'That? Why, that is the strange moss-covered rock!' And just as the words left my mouth, my own magic turned on me. KERSPLASH! I fell into a deep, deep sleep. When I woke up, Little Bush Deer was gone, and so was every last crumb of my food. She had woken up all the other animals, and together they had taken everything back. I was left with nothing but a headache and a very empty stomach.

My story about the moss-covered rock has been told for hundreds of years, passed down from grandparents to grandchildren in West Africa and across the ocean to the Caribbean. It’s a funny story, yes, but it’s also a reminder that being too greedy or too clever for your own good can get you into trouble. It teaches us that it’s better to share with your friends than to trick them. Today, my adventures continue to pop up in books, cartoons, and plays, inspiring new generations to laugh and think. This tale shows that a good story is like a magical rock—it has the power to capture your attention and teach you something important, reminding us that the best tricks are the ones that bring us closer together, not the ones that pull us apart.