Tit for Tat

There had been a great famine in the land for many months. Meat had become scarce, and only the rich chiefs could afford it. The poor were starving. Anansi and his family were in a miserable state.

One day, Anansi's eldest son, Kweku Tsin, discovered a place in the forest where there were still many animals. Knowing his father's wicked ways, Kweku told him nothing. But Anansi soon noticed that Kweku was returning to the village loaded with meat day after day, selling it at a good price to the hungry villagers. Anansi wanted to know the secret, but his son wisely refused to tell him. The old man decided to find out by a trick.

One night, while Kweku was fast asleep, Anansi slipped into his son's room and cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag Kweku always carried into the forest. He then put ashes into the bag and put it back.

The next morning, Kweku set off to the forest with the bag over his shoulder. Unbeknownst to him, ashes sprinkled on the ground at every step. So when Anansi set out an hour later, he easily followed the trail and arrived at the animals' home. He found Kweku there and drove him away, claiming the place belonged to him by law. Kweku realized he had been tricked and resolved to get the meat back.

He went home and made a tiny image, hanging little bells around its neck. He tied a long thread to its head and returned toward the hunting place. Halfway there, he hung the image on a branch of a tree in the path and hid in the bushes, holding the other end of the thread.

Meanwhile, the greedy father killed as many animals as he could, determined to become rich quickly. He skinned them and prepared the flesh to sell. Taking the first load, he set off for his village. Halfway there, he came to the place where the image hung. Thinking it was a god, he stopped. As he approached, the image shook its head vigorously at him. He felt the gods were angry. To please them, he asked, "May I give you a little of this meat?" The image shook its head. "May I give you half?" he asked. Again the head shook. "Do you want the whole of this meat?" he shouted. This time the head nodded. "I will not give you all my meat!" Anansi cried. The image shook all over as if in a terrible temper. Frightened, Anansi threw the whole load on the ground and ran away, calling back, "Tomorrow I shall go to Ekubon—you won't be able to take my meat there, you thief!"

But Kweku had heard where his father intended to go and set the image in his path again. Once more, Anansi was forced to leave his load, and he called out the next day's destination. The same thing happened day after day until all the animals were killed. By then, Kweku Tsin had grown rich, but his father Anansi was still very poor, forced to go to Kweku's house every day for food.

When the famine was over, Kweku gave a great feast and invited the whole village.

As they gathered, Kweku told the story of his father's cunning and how it had been overcome. The villagers laughed heartily. Anansi was so ashamed that he promised Kweku to give up his evil tricks. But he did not keep that promise long.