The Legendary Kweku 3

FOREWORD

This is the third in the series – THE LEG­ENDARY KWEKU ANANSE STORIES. As the children like the stories, I will continue to research and give them more.

I have noticed that some of me wisdom in the Ananse Stories are profound and will instil moral discipline in most children.

I hope all children of school going age will embrace the habit of reading by enjoying such stories.

Many thanks to my copy – editor, William Agbakpe and all those who helped in the preparation of the manuscript.

This book is dedicated to Alexandra and Marjorie and to all children everywhere.

Greg Clifford

 

THE GRAIN OF MAIZE

Once upon a time, Kweku Ananse went to the sky-god, Nyankopong and promised, “With a grain of maize, I can bring you a whole village.”

Nyankopong did not say anything and Ananse added, “If I’m not able to do it, I should he killed.”

Ananse was given the grain of maize and he went to a far away village. He told the chief, “The sky-god had sent me with this grain of maize. I want it to sleep with your two-legged animals.”

The chief never liked the idea but he agreed because everyone fears the sky-god.

The next day, the grain of maize could not be found, so Ananse was allowed to take one big cock to replace the grain of maize.

Ananse went to another village and told the chief, .”Nyankopong had sent me with this cock. I want it to sleep with your sheep.”

In the darkest hour of the night, Ananse secretly went and killed the cock. He then smeared the blood on one of the big sheep.

The next day, it was found out that the cock had been killed, Ananse was given the big sheep smeared with the cock’s hlood.

Ananse went to a third village and told the chief, “Nyankopong had sent me with this sheep and I want it to sleep with the cattle.”

The chief said, “Let it sleep with the sheep.”

Ananse replied, “No, no, this is a special sheep of Nyankopong. Let it sleep with the cattle.”

It was allowed and again in the darkest hour of the night, Ananse went and killed the sheep, then bathed the biggest cow with the blood.

With the first light of the morning, the sheep was found killed. Ananse was then asked to take the cow with the sheep’s blood.

Ananse moved to another village with the cow. In the evening, he learnt that a slave boy belonging to the chief had died and was to be buried.

Ananse ran to the chief and told him, “I would like to exchange my cow with your dead slave.”

The chief refused but Ananse convinced him, “You can sell the cow and buy another slave.”

The chief liked the idea and agreed to exchange the dead slave with the cow.

Ananse went further to another village and told the chief, “Let this boy sleep with your children. When he misbehaves in the night by giving.bad smell, your children should beat him very well.”

True to Ananse’s words, the body started giving bad smell. The children did exactly what they were told by beating the dead body very well.

The next morning, everybody saw that the boy was dead. Ananse told the Chief, “Your children have killed the boy given to me by Nyankopong.”

The Chief replied, “Take the children to Nyankopong.”

Ananse said, “No, no, I want you, the children and the whole village to go with me to Nyankopong to tell him your story.”

The Chief’s messenger was asked to beat the ‘gong-gong’ (the talking drums) to call all the villagers. They were told what had happened and they followed their Chief and Ananse to meet Nyankopong.

Ananse sent a messenger to tell Nyank­opong that he was coming. The Sky-god and his elders received Ananse very well. He told, them in songs how with a grain of maize he was able to bring a whole village as a gift.

Ananse was greatly rewarded for his clev­erness but he remained poor.

 

ANANSE AND THE CROCODILE

There came a time when Kweku Ananse said to himself, “I’ve eaten every kind of animal in the world except Crocodile.” And he asked, “How can I get him?”

Ananse and Crocodile were good friends, yet he wanted to eat his flesh. For a whole week, Ananse sent his cutlass to be sharp­ened. The cutlass became so sharp that a housefly which flew over it was cut into two.

He then prepared ‘eto’ (mashed yam mixed with palm oil). He placed some boiled eggs on top. This is the favourite food of Crocodile. Whenever Ananse wanted to meet Crocodile, he prepared that kind of food and sent it to the riverside. As soon as Crocodile smelt the food, it came out from the river.

Ananse called his eldest son, Ntikuma and said to him, “We are going to kill my friend, Crocodile. Take this sharp cutlass.”

Ananse looked towards the sky and asked, “Do you know that the skin of Croco­dile is very hard?”

Ntikuma nodded his head.