Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock

In a warm, sunny forest, there lived a tricky spider named Anansi. The flowers smelled sweet, and yummy berries grew everywhere. A kind friend, Little Bush Deer, loved to watch Anansi play his clever games. This is the story of Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock. One bright morning, Anansi felt very lazy and very hungry. He did not want to find his own food. He wanted to play a trick to get some food instead.

Anansi walked through the cool, quiet forest. He found a strange rock. It was a big rock, a round rock, a rock covered in soft, green moss. Anansi looked at the rock and said, “Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock?”. All of a sudden, WHOMP! Anansi fell down and went fast asleep. When he woke up, he had a tricky idea. He saw Lion with a big basket of sweet yams. Anansi said, “Look, Lion! A strange rock!”. Lion said the magic words. WHOMP! Lion fell asleep. Anansi took all the yams. He played the same trick on all the big animals and took their food.

But tiny Little Bush Deer was watching from behind a big, green leaf. She saw the trick. She saw everyone fall down with a thump. She decided to teach the tricky spider a lesson. She filled a basket with her favorite berries and walked past Anansi and his big pile of food. Anansi shouted, “Look at the rock!”. Little Bush Deer pretended she could not hear him. Anansi got so mad he yelled, “This strange moss-covered rock!”. WHOMP! Anansi fell fast asleep. Little Bush Deer woke up all her friends. They took their food back and shared a big feast. They even left a little bit for Anansi. The story teaches everyone that being kind and clever is better than any trick.