Kwaku Anansi and the Turtle - West African

In the sunny grasslands lived a Turtle with a shiny, strong shell. Turtle moved very, very slowly. One day, his friend Kwaku Anansi, a quick and clever spider, came to visit with a big smile. Anansi was making a yummy dinner and invited Turtle to come and eat. This is the story of Kwaku Anansi and the Turtle, and it teaches us about sharing.

Turtle walked a long, long way to Anansi’s house. Sniff, sniff! The food smelled so good. But when Turtle reached for a sweet yam, Anansi said, "Stop! Your hands are dusty from your walk. You must go to the river and wash them." So, Turtle walked all the way to the river. He walked all the way back. His hands were dusty again! While he was gone, tricky Anansi ate and ate until the food was all gone. Turtle felt very sad, but he had a smart idea. He invited Anansi to his house for dinner the next day. Turtle's house was at the bottom of a cool, clear river.

Anansi arrived at the river, but he was too light. He just floated on top of the water! Bob, bob, bob. He could not reach the yummy food. "Oh dear," said Turtle from his table below. "You cannot reach the food." Anansi was very clever, so he put heavy stones in his coat pockets. Splash! He sank right down to Turtle's table. They had a wonderful dinner together. But when Anansi was full, he was too heavy to float back up! Turtle was a kind friend and helped him take the stones out. Anansi learned that it is always best to be kind and fair. It is more important to share with friends than to play tricks.