Anansi鈥檚 trick to get food from Snake and Lion had worked so well he couldn't wait to play the trick again. And play it again he did - on Monkey. Then on Elephant. On Hippo. Even on Turtle. Before long Anansi had played his trick on every single creature - except one.
Little Deer was small and could move quickly through the forest without being seen. And Little Deer had been watching each time Anansi had tricked the other animals for their food.
鈥業t makes me feel sad to see the animals going hungry,鈥 she thought. 鈥業t's time to do something about it. I'm going to play Anansi at his own game!鈥
First Little Deer went to the moss-covered rock. She walked around the rock鈥 Hmmm, unusual-coloured moss鈥nobbly bits鈥t did indeed look rather strange.
Next Little Deer lowered her head to feel the moss with her nose. 鈥極uch!鈥 This moss wasn鈥檛 soft like ordinary moss鈥his moss felt sharp and prickly. It felt very strange indeed. In fact, it felt so strange, it gave Little Deer an idea鈥
Next Little Deer went to a secret place in the forest where water-melons grew. She knew Anansi loved these sweet, juicy fruits, above all others. So she collected as many as she could, returned home and settled down to wait鈥
All this time, Anansi was just a short distance away, at his own home in the forest. 鈥楬e! He! So far I have tricked Snake, Lion, Monkey, Elephant, Hippo and Turtle!鈥 he said. 鈥楾hat leaves just one creature - Little Deer. I shall have to be careful though. Little Deer is clever - nearly as clever as I am!鈥
Anansi made his way through the forest to where Little Deer lived.
鈥楢h, good afternoon, Anansi,鈥 said Little Deer. 鈥業've been expecting you鈥︹
鈥楿h-oh, this isn't a good start,鈥 thought Anansi to himself. 鈥業f Little Deer has been expecting me, she must know what I've been up to.鈥
But when Anansi saw the water-melons, he forgot about all else. Oh - how his mouth watered as he thought about taking big, juicy bites of melon!
鈥楲ittle Deer, it is rather hot in the forest today, isn't it?鈥 Anansi said. 鈥楤ut I've found a lovely soft, cool place - much softer and cooler than here. Would you like me to show you?鈥
鈥業 would indeed, Anansi,鈥 replied Little Deer. 鈥楧o please lead the way.鈥
Anansi took Little Deer through the forest to the moss-covered rock. 鈥極h look!鈥 he said. 鈥榃hat's this?鈥
Little Deer took a good look. 鈥業 don鈥檛 know,鈥 she replied.
鈥榊es you do!鈥 said Anansi.
鈥楴o, I don鈥檛!鈥 replied Little Deer.
Anansi folded two of his legs. 鈥極h yes you do! Isn't this a strange, moss-covered - 鈥
Just in time Anansi stopped himself from saying the last word!
鈥業 know you're trying to trick me, Little Deer鈥 he said. 鈥楤ut I'm not going to say the words you want me to say.鈥
鈥楢nd what words are they?鈥 asked Little Deer.
鈥業sn鈥檛 this a strange, moss-covered 鈥 鈥
Anansi nearly said the words again right there and then! He would have to be very careful indeed. 鈥業 won't say the words, no matter how hard you make me try!鈥 he said.
Little Deer moved closer. 鈥榊ou're quite right. I do know about the magic words,鈥 she said. 鈥業ndeed, I have tried to trick you into saying them, but Anansi you're just too clever to do that.鈥
Anansi gave a little smile. 鈥榊es, I am rather clever aren't I?鈥
Little Deer nodded her head, and then she pointed to the moss-covered rock.
鈥業'm so tired! And that moss looks so lovely and soft. Won't you sit down with me?鈥
It had been a long day and Anansi felt rather tired too. 鈥楾hat鈥檚 a good idea, Little Deer,鈥 he said, as he lowered himself onto the rock鈥
鈥榊别别-辞飞!鈥
Anansi was back on his feet in a moment. 鈥楬ow very odd! That moss is prickly like brambles!鈥 he cried out. 鈥業sn't this a strange, moss-covered rock!鈥
Crash! Bang! As soon as the words came from Anansi鈥檚 mouth he flopped down fast asleep鈥nd he slept鈥nd slept鈥nd slept!
And when Anansi finally woke up - one whole night and a day later - all the animals were gathered round, laughing鈥
But did Anansi frown and scowl, like any other animal would? Not at all! Anansi joined in! The joke was on him for now鈥ut Anansi knew that soon he'd be back to his tricks!
Anansi鈥檚 trick to get food from Snake and Lion had worked so well he couldn't wait to play the trick again. And play it again he did - on Monkey. Then on Elephant. On Hippo. Even on Turtle. Before long Anansi had played his trick on every single creature - except one.
Little Deer was small and could move quickly through the forest without being seen. And Little Deer had been watching each time Anansi had tricked the other animals for their food.
鈥業t makes me feel sad to see the animals going hungry,鈥 she thought. 鈥業t's time to do something about it. I'm going to play Anansi at his own game!鈥
First Little Deer went to the moss-covered rock. She walked around the rock鈥 Hmmm, unusual-coloured moss鈥nobbly bits鈥t did indeed look rather strange.
Next Little Deer lowered her head to feel the moss with her nose. 鈥極uch!鈥 This moss wasn鈥檛 soft like ordinary moss鈥his moss felt sharp and prickly. It felt very strange indeed. In fact, it felt so strange, it gave Little Deer an idea鈥
Next Little Deer went to a secret place in the forest where water-melons grew. She knew Anansi loved these sweet, juicy fruits, above all others. So she collected as many as she could, returned home and settled down to wait鈥
All this time, Anansi was just a short distance away, at his own home in the forest. 鈥楬e! He! So far I have tricked Snake, Lion, Monkey, Elephant, Hippo and Turtle!鈥 he said. 鈥楾hat leaves just one creature - Little Deer. I shall have to be careful though. Little Deer is clever - nearly as clever as I am!鈥
Anansi made his way through the forest to where Little Deer lived.
鈥楢h, good afternoon, Anansi,鈥 said Little Deer. 鈥業've been expecting you鈥︹
鈥楿h-oh, this isn't a good start,鈥 thought Anansi to himself. 鈥業f Little Deer has been expecting me, she must know what I've been up to.鈥
But when Anansi saw the water-melons, he forgot about all else. Oh - how his mouth watered as he thought about taking big, juicy bites of melon!
鈥楲ittle Deer, it is rather hot in the forest today, isn't it?鈥 Anansi said. 鈥楤ut I've found a lovely soft, cool place - much softer and cooler than here. Would you like me to show you?鈥
鈥業 would indeed, Anansi,鈥 replied Little Deer. 鈥楧o please lead the way.鈥
Anansi took Little Deer through the forest to the moss-covered rock. 鈥極h look!鈥 he said. 鈥榃hat's this?鈥
Little Deer took a good look. 鈥業 don鈥檛 know,鈥 she replied.
鈥榊es you do!鈥 said Anansi.
鈥楴o, I don鈥檛!鈥 replied Little Deer.
Anansi folded two of his legs. 鈥極h yes you do! Isn't this a strange, moss-covered - 鈥
Just in time Anansi stopped himself from saying the last word!
鈥業 know you're trying to trick me, Little Deer鈥 he said. 鈥楤ut I'm not going to say the words you want me to say.鈥
鈥楢nd what words are they?鈥 asked Little Deer.
鈥業sn鈥檛 this a strange, moss-covered 鈥 鈥
Anansi nearly said the words again right there and then! He would have to be very careful indeed. 鈥業 won't say the words, no matter how hard you make me try!鈥 he said.
Little Deer moved closer. 鈥榊ou're quite right. I do know about the magic words,鈥 she said. 鈥業ndeed, I have tried to trick you into saying them, but Anansi you're just too clever to do that.鈥
Anansi gave a little smile. 鈥榊es, I am rather clever aren't I?鈥
Little Deer nodded her head, and then she pointed to the moss-covered rock.
鈥業'm so tired! And that moss looks so lovely and soft. Won't you sit down with me?鈥
It had been a long day and Anansi felt rather tired too. 鈥楾hat鈥檚 a good idea, Little Deer,鈥 he said, as he lowered himself onto the rock鈥
鈥榊别别-辞飞!鈥
Anansi was back on his feet in a moment. 鈥楬ow very odd! That moss is prickly like brambles!鈥 he cried out. 鈥業sn't this a strange, moss-covered rock!鈥
Crash! Bang! As soon as the words came from Anansi鈥檚 mouth he flopped down fast asleep鈥nd he slept鈥nd slept鈥nd slept!
And when Anansi finally woke up - one whole night and a day later - all the animals were gathered round, laughing鈥
But did Anansi frown and scowl, like any other animal would? Not at all! Anansi joined in! The joke was on him for now鈥ut Anansi knew that soon he'd be back to his tricks!
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