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Page 1

"Anansi and Turtle"

A Folktale From Africa
Author: Unknown
Rewritten by D. Quinitchette and R. Eschenbach


One day, Anansi the spider picked some very fat and tasty yams from his garden. He baked them with much care and they came out smelling quite delicious. He could not wait to sit down and eat the tasty yams. 

Just then, there was a knock at his door. It was Turtle, who had been traveling all day and was very tired and hungry. 

"Hello, Anansi," said Turtle. "I have been walking for so long, and I smelled the most delicious yams I've ever smelled. Would you be so kind as to share your meal with me?" 
Anansi could not refuse, as it was the custom in his country to share your meal with visitors at mealtime. But he was not very happy, for Anansi was a little too greedy and wanted the delicious yams all to himself. So Anansi thought to himself and came up with a scheme. 

"Please do come in, Turtle. I would be honored to have you as my guest this evening. Sit down, have a chair and help yourself." 


Turtle came inside and sat down, but just as he reached for a yam, Anansi yelled, "Turtle, don't you know better than to come to the table with dirty hands?" 

Turtle looked down at his hands and saw that they were filthy. He had been crawling all day and had not had a chance to clean up. Turtle got up and went to the river to clean his hands and feet. He walked all the way back up to the house and Anansi had already begun to eat. 
"I didn't want these tasty yams to get cold, so I had to begin," said Anansi. "But please do join me now, Turtle." 

Turtle sat down again and reached for a yam, but again Anansi yelled at him. 

"Turtle, did you not hear me before? It is not polite to come to the table with dirty hands!" 

He looked down and saw that his clean hands had turned dirty once more, since he had to crawl on them to get back to the house. So Turtle walked down to the river once more to wash himself off. And when he returned this time, he was careful to walk on the grass so his hands would stay clean. But by the time he sat down at the table, Anansi had finished up the last bit of the tasty yams and not so much as a morsel was left.


Turtle looked at Anansi for a moment and then said, "Thank you for  sharing your meal with me. If you ever find yourself near my house, please let me return the favor." And then he slowly walked out the door and continued on his way. The days went by and Anansi thought more and more of that meal that Turtle had offered. Anansi got more and more interested in a free dinner and finally could not stand it anymore. He set off one day to find Turtle's house. 

 

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