Do you know what Ananse will do in this episode? Read Ananse and the idiot souls episode 2 to the end and relay your comment.
After enjoying a hearty meal of fufu and yam stew, Ananse relaxed beneath a sprawling baobab tree, stretching his eight legs and patting his full belly. "These fools are truly the best thing that’s ever happened to me," he chuckled to himself.
At that moment, the old woman with the leaf and the rock approached him, her voice shaky. "Oh wise Ananse," she said, "I’ve been trying to start a fire for my soup, but this rock just won’t cooperate. Can you lend a hand?"
Suppressing a laugh, Ananse stood up with a flourish. "Ah, Mama," he replied, shaking his head. "The issue isn’t with the rock; it’s the leaf! Everyone knows you need a special leaf to start a fire. Fortunately, I have one at my home."
The old woman’s face brightened. "Oh, that’s wonderful! How can I get this magical leaf?"
Ananse stroked his chin thoughtfully. "You must first offer me a pot of your finest soup. Then I’ll make the journey to my house to fetch the leaf just for you!"
Eagerly, the old woman nodded. "Thank you, wise Ananse!" She hurried back to her hut to prepare the soup.
"Ha! By the time she figures out there’s no magic leaf, I’ll be long gone," Ananse muttered, his laughter ringing through the village.
Meanwhile, a small boy named Kofi was observing him from behind a bush. Kofi was different from the other villagers; he wasn’t as gullible, but he often kept quiet because no one paid attention to him. This time, however, he decided to take action.
Kofi dashed to the villagers and exclaimed, "Have you noticed that Ananse keeps eating our food and taking our things, yet nothing ever gets fixed? I think he’s pulling a fast one on us!"
The villagers hesitated. "But he’s so wise," one remarked.
"Yes," another added, "and he speaks with such authority!"
"But think about it," Kofi pressed on. "The man with the baskets still has no water. The children’s corn hasn’t been planted. And the old woman still can’t start her fire.
"What has Ananse done to help us?"
The villagers scratched their heads, slowly coming to the realization that Kofi was right. "Ananse has been fooling us!" they shouted in unison.
Meanwhile, Ananse was busy persuading another group of villagers to part with their yams in exchange for his so-called "secret planting powder," which was nothing more than sand. He was oblivious to the crowd gathering behind him.
“Ananse!” a voice boomed. It was the old woman, hands firmly on her hips. "Where is my magic leaf?"
"And where is the water you promised me?" demanded the man with the baskets.
"And what about our corn?" the children chimed in.
Ananse froze, his legs trembling as he turned to face the furious villagers. "Oh, uh, well, you see..." he stammered.
"Get him!" someone shouted.
Before Ananse could make a run for it, the villagers grabbed a large basket and tossed him inside. "Let’s teach him a lesson!" they declared.
They carried the basket to the river and dumped it into the water. But clever Ananse, always quick on his feet, used his web to climb out and escape downstream.
As he floated away, he called out, "You may have caught me this time, but you’ll never outsmart Kwaku Ananse!"
The villagers laughed and waved. "Good riddance, Ananse! Don’t come back!"
From that day on, Ananse steered clear of the Land of Idiots. However, his adventure imparted an important lesson to the villagers: even the most intelligent-sounding person can be a trickster, and it’s always wise to think for yourself.
Questions
What problem did the old woman present to Ananse?
List the characters in this episode in chronological order
Who drew the villager's mind to the trickery of Ananse?
Who is Kofi?
What is the magic leaf?
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