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How the AnansiStories Began

How the AnansiStories Began

Retold by Terry Saunders Illustrated by Christopher Corr

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Each evening, just before the sun went down over the warm Caribbean Sea, Brer Tiger made his way through the forest to his favourite spot. Waiting for him in

a shady clearing close to the sparkling stream were all the animals who lived on the island. Brer Snake slithered through the branches of the sweet-smelling lemon tree. Underneath, Brer Turtle puffed and panted after his long climb up from the beach. Opposite sat Brer Rat, his whiskers twitching with anticipation. Brer Rabbit was there with all the family and, as usual, was keeping a very close eye on his old enemy, the cunning Brer Fox. The whole monkey troupe swung excitedly through the trees above Brer Snake, playing hide-and-seek with the colourful parrots and delicate humming birds. At the back, stretching his long spindly legs, sat the mischievous spider Brer Anansi, who never tired of playing tricks on everyone he met.

Brer Tiger strolled grandly through the waiting animals and took his place under a huge mango tree. A hush fell over the clearing. The monkeys stopped chattering. The birds stopped flapping their wings. And Brer Turtle woke up slowly from his snooze. Brer Tiger smiled and began to tell his story. Every evening, he told a different tale. Some were set in the forest. Some among the rocky hills and caves on the far side of the island. Others took place along the beautiful palm-fringed sandy beaches that were washed clean daily by the clear blue ocean. But one thing was always the same. In every story, Brer Tiger was the hero – the strongest, wisest and most powerful creature of all. Brer Anansi had always been envious of Brer Tiger; jealous of the way that the other animals listened to his every word. He knew he wasn’t as strong as Brer Tiger. Or as fierce. But he reckoned he could be just as clever, and so he made up his mind to prove it.

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As the sun sank beneath the ocean, Brer Tiger finished his story. Excited but tired, the animals began to make their way home. All except Brer Anansi. He sidled over to Brer Tiger and put on his most charming smile.

‘Brer Tiger,’ he crooned, ‘your stories are wonderful. What I wouldn’t give to have them named after me and for me to be the main character.’

Brer Tiger could hardly stop himself from laughing out loud, but he thought, ‘I’ll play along – it could be quite useful to me to have this foolish fellow doing anything I ask.’ So, he rubbed his large paws together and grinned down at Brer Anansi:

‘Well, what would you give?’‘Anything, I’ll give you anything

you want Brer Tiger, just name your price.’

Brer Tiger’s friendly manner made Brer Anansi even more courageous. He had expected Brer Tiger to rage and roar at him, so he had taken care not to stand too close. But now he crept closer and closer, delighted

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that his plan seemed to be working.‘That’s right Brer Anansi,’ encouraged Brer Tiger, ‘come closer and I’ll tell you what

the deal is. You can have the stories named after you, and you can be the hero, if you carry out two very special tasks for me within the next seven days.’

‘Sounds good to me,’ said Brer Anansi excitedly. ‘What do I have to do?’‘Oh, nothing too difficult,’ grinned Brer Tiger, showing his huge white teeth. ‘Not

for a smart fellow like you.’Brer Tiger could hardly keep a straight face. He would show Brer Anansi who

was the cleverest creature. As if he would give up his stories to this spindly-legged upstart!

‘All you have to do, Brer Anansi, is bring me a potful of the very best honey bees. That is your first task. And for the second, I want you to bring Brer Snake to me – just for a little chat!’

Brer Anansi tried to keep calm but inside he was shaking. Catch honey bees! How could he do that? If he tried to catch just one or two of them he would probably get covered in stings, but a whole potful? He shuddered to think how much that would hurt. And Brer Snake! How would he catch him? He was the most bad-tempered, slitheriest and slipperiest snake on the whole island. Nobody ever messed with Brer Snake. But, despite his concerns, Brer Anansi put on a brave face:

‘No problem, Brer Tiger, I’ll get started straight away.’

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The next morning, Brer Anansi went to his cupboard and brought out his very best pot. As he carried it through the forest to the bees’ favourite place, among the sweet-smelling hibiscus trees, he worked out his plan. He would trick the bees by telling them that he was simply trying to work out how many of them could fit inside the pot. He would ask them to help him with his calculation by flying in one at a time. Then, before they could get out again, he would slam on the lid and take them to Brer Tiger. Easy! He met the Queen Bee first and, smiling his sweetest smile, he asked for her help. To begin with she didn’t answer him. She simply flew around and around him, buzzing away. He wondered if he should run, but instead of scampering quickly away – as he usually did when bees were around – he stood his ground. Then suddenly, to his surprise, Queen Bee stopped buzzing and agreed to his request.

Very quickly she had organized the bees into a long line and told them to fly into the pot one by one so that Brer Anansi could count them. As each bee flew in – one, two, three... 35, 36, 37... 110, 111, 112... the Queen counted them for him. Finally, when they had all squeezed themselves in, there was just room for one more. The Queen Bee flew in and... SLAM! Brer Anansi banged down the lid hard and ran off to show Brer Tiger how clever he had been to complete the first challenge.

When Brer Tiger saw Brer Anansi running towards him with a great big smile on his face and a large buzzing pot in his hands, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Surely that stupid spider couldn’t have managed to capture all of those bees? Then his amazement turned to anger. How dare Brer Anansi make a fool of him! However, he decided not to show Brer Anansi how he felt. After all, he would now have his

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own special store of honey. He offered him a grudging ‘well done’ and then waved him away with his large paw; ‘off you go now and try the second challenge.’

‘Catching bees is one thing,’ chuckled Brer Tiger to himself, ‘but ensnaring the fiercest, most bad-tempered snake on the island is an entirely different matter. Brer Snake will gobble Brer Anansi up in a few seconds and he won’t be troubling me any more.

‘Being clever certainly makes you hungry,’ he thought as he hurried home, clutching the potful of bees and licking his lips at the thought of his own delicious supply of honey.

All night, Brer Anansi lay awake trying to decide how he would catch Brer Snake. He thought about digging a pit and filling it with sweet juicy fruit: bananas, mangoes or avocados. But how would he get Brer Snake out again? He thought about setting a trap with a rope and tempting Brer Snake into it with fresh eggs. But what if the rope broke and Brer Snake managed to escape? All of the following day, and the next and the next, he thought and thought. He didn’t eat, he didn’t sleep and he even stopped playing tricks on everyone. He didn’t go to hear Brer Tiger’s stories anymore either. He was scared that Brer Tiger would ask him how he was getting on with his second challenge. Time was running out. What could he do?

On the sixth day, he was sitting on a stone in the bamboo glade where Brer Snake lived when he

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heard a loud hissing noise. He froze with fear but he tried to appear calm and friendly.‘Oh Brer Snake, I didn’t notice you,’ he

stuttered. ‘What a surprise to meet you here!’‘Don’t try to fool me,’ snarled the snake, ‘I

know all about your little plan. Well, have you found a way to catch me yet?’ And with that

Brer Snake rattled with laughter.‘Oh, I wasn’t trying to catch you, Brer Snake,’

explained Brer Anansi. ‘I just happened to say that you are the longest creature in the world and Brer Tiger disagreed. He said

that Brer Alligator who lives down by the lagoon is miles longer than you – and so is that giant iguana that lives in the caves at the edge of the forest. Why, he even said that you aren’t even as long as that tall bamboo tree that’s growing outside your front door!’

‘How dare he,’ cried Brer Snake angrily. ‘Just cut it down and measure me against it.’

So, Brer Anansi cut down the bamboo and Brer Snake stretched himself out alongside it.

‘See,’ he cried, ‘I’m much longer. There’s no doubt about it.’‘Hold on for a second Brer Snake, you are a little short,’ said Brer Anansi. ‘I’ll

tell you what, I’ll just tie you to the bamboo at this end to hold you still while you

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stretch out.’Brer Snake lay still while Brer Anansi tied him to the bamboo with some vine.‘Stretch some more, Brer Snake,’ encouraged Brer Anansi, ‘just a little more.’Brer Snake stretched his golden shiny skin as far as he could.‘Nearly there,’ shouted Brer Anansi excitedly. ‘Let me just tie you in the middle to

help you.’Brer Snake gave one huge last stretch and Brer Anansi ran to the end of the

bamboo.‘Just let me see,’ he said. And with that, he grabbed the last bit of vine and

quickly tied the top of Brer Snake to the bamboo. He had finally caught him! ‘Right, you can untie me now that we have proved that I am the longest creature

in the world,’ laughed Brer Snake. ‘I can’t wait to tell Brer Tiger that he was wrong.’‘Oh, no,’ said Brer Anansi, ‘you’re staying like that while I take you to Brer Tiger.’‘But you can’t,’ cried out Brer Snake in horror. ‘Untie me at once.’Brer Anansi took no notice. He picked up the end of the bamboo and dragged

Brer Snake through the forest to the clearing where Brer Tiger was just about to start his evening story. As soon as Brer Anansi arrived, everyone started cheering. Everyone, that is, except Brer Tiger. He couldn’t believe his eyes. How could such an insignificant looking spider manage to capture such a ferocious snake?

‘Here we are, Brer Tiger,’ announced a joyful Brer Anansi. ‘Here’s Brer Snake – just as you requested.’

Brer Tiger was almost speechless.‘Well done, Brer Anansi,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘I gave you my word and

now I am keeping my side of the bargain and giving you the stories. In future they will be known as the Anansi stories and you will be the hero.’

Brer Anansi beamed with happiness as he took his place under the huge mango tree and began to tell the story of how clever Brer Anansi managed to woo the beautiful Miss Selina away from Brer Tiger. But that’s another story for another day...

And Brer Snake? Brer Tiger untied him from the bamboo and let him go free. One day perhaps, Brer Snake may want to get his revenge on Brer Anansi. And that, too, is another story...