Long ago, in a sunlit village of Ghana, there lived Ananse, the clever spider whose name was known in every household. He was no ordinary creature. Ananse thrived on boasting, weaving tales of his cleverness until even the children rolled their eyes at his constant bragging. Yet he was never satisfied. He wanted proof that he was the wisest, the most important, the one above all others.
One day, whispers spread through the village about a magical treasure, the chief’s talking drum. It was unlike any other. This drum could summon rain to quench the thirst of the fields, gather warriors to defend the land, or call villagers together for a feast. When its deep voice echoed, people obeyed, for the drum carried truth and power in every beat.
Ananse’s eight legs twitched with envy. “If I possess this drum,” he thought, “I will rise above chiefs and elders. All will bow to me.”
So he crept to the chief’s courtyard, his sly voice smooth as palm wine.
“Great Chief,” Ananse said, bowing low, “allow me to borrow your noble drum. I wish to play it in your honor, so that your name will thunder across the village.”
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The chief narrowed his eyes. He knew the spider’s tricks. Still, he handed over the drum with one warning:
“Ananse, remember this, this drum speaks only with honesty. Beat it with lies, and it will betray you.”
Ananse nodded eagerly, though in his heart he had already planned mischief. The moment he touched the drum, he felt a thrill. It was warm, alive, pulsing with hidden strength.
He tested it at once. Raising his spindly legs, he struck. “Come, rain!” he cried, not for the whole village, but for his farm alone. The clouds darkened, and rain fell where he stood, leaving the rest of the village thirsty. His crops gleamed green, while others withered. He laughed.
Next, he beat the drum again. “Gather, people! Gather and praise me!” Villagers came, thinking the chief had called them. But they found Ananse preening, boasting that he, not the chief, was the true master of the drum. Murmurs of unease spread, but Ananse ignored them. His lies swelled larger than his web.
“See me!” he shouted, beating the drum louder. “I am greater than the chief himself!”
The drum quivered beneath his touch. Its once clear sound grew heavy, dull. Each false word Ananse spoke weighed upon the drum, as if it swallowed his dishonesty whole. Soon, its weight doubled, then tripled. Sweat rolled down his small body as he tried to carry it. But with every lie, the drum pressed harder against him, heavier than stone.
At last, his eight legs trembled. He stumbled, fell, and the drum rolled from his grasp, thudding back down the path to the chief’s house as though it had chosen to return home.
The villagers erupted in laughter, pointing at the spider sprawled in the dust. The chief stepped forward, shaking his head with calm authority.
“Ananse,” he said, “you sought greatness, but you found shame. Wisdom does not live in boasting. It lives in truth and in sharing with others.”
Ananse lowered his eyes, but in his heart, he still plotted new schemes. And so it is told: though Ananse lost the sacred drum, he never lost his hunger for tricks. That is why, even today, tales of his cleverness, and his foolishness, still live on in the stories of Ghana.
Moral Lesson
This story reminds us that dishonesty carries a weight heavier than any burden. Power gained through lies cannot last; it will betray the liar and return to its rightful place. True wisdom lies not in boasting or selfishness, but in honesty, humility, and using one’s gifts to uplift the community.
Knowledge Check
Q1. Who is the main character in this Ashanti folktale?
A1. The trickster spider, Ananse.
Q2. What was special about the chief’s talking drum?
A2. It could summon rain, gather warriors, or call people to feasts.
Q3. What condition did the chief give Ananse when lending the drum?
A3. The drum must be beaten with honesty.
Q4. Why did the drum become unbearably heavy for Ananse?
A4. Because he lied and misused it for selfish gain.
Q5. What lesson did the chief teach Ananse after his failure?
A5. True wisdom is in honesty and sharing truth, not in boasting.
Q6. What cultural origin does this folktale belong to?
A6. The Ashanti people of Ghana.
Source: Ashanti folktale, Ghana.
