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AGES 7-8 • 12 pages • about 4 min to read together
Kweku misuses a strange moss-covered rock to make animals fall asleep and take their food, but Little Bush Deer turns the trick back on him so everyone can return what was taken.
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Deep in the green forest beyond the village, Kweku Anansi found a round rock wrapped in soft moss. It sat beside a clear stream, quiet and ordinary-looking.
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When Kweku said, “Isn’t this a strange moss-covered rock?” his eyelids drooped, his knees folded, and he fell into a deep harmless sleep beneath the trees.
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Kweku woke later with leaves in his hair and a new idea in his mind. “If this rock can make anyone sleep,” he whispered, “I can use it to get treats.”
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First, Kweku invited Lion to the forest. When Lion wondered aloud about the strange rock, he yawned, curled beside it, and fell peacefully asleep.
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While Lion slept, Kweku hurried to Lion’s den and took a small basket of roasted yams. “Just a few,” he told himself, though he knew they were not his.
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Next, Kweku led Elephant to the mossy rock. Elephant looked at it with wide eyes, gave a sleepy trumpet, and settled gently onto the grass.
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Kweku carried away Elephant’s peanuts. Soon he had yams, peanuts, fruit, and honey stacked inside his little house. His clever smile grew wider than it should.
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Little Bush Deer watched from behind leaves. She saw Kweku lead animals to the rock, saw them sleep, and saw their food disappear. She decided the trick had gone far enough.
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The next morning, Little Bush Deer visited Kweku’s house and praised it loudly. Kweku puffed up with pride and asked her to say it again, but nothing strange happened.
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Then Little Bush Deer invited Kweku to see something in the forest. Kweku followed, curious as always, and forgot to be careful around his own trick.
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When Kweku saw the moss-covered rock, he said the very words himself. Down he went into a deep sleep, safe under the trees while Little Bush Deer smiled kindly.
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The animals returned their food to the right homes. When Kweku woke, he felt embarrassed and wiser. From then on, he remembered that cleverness should never be used to take what belongs to others.
Talk about it together
- What was your favourite part of the story?
- What do you think Anansi learned?
- What would you have done differently?
ABOUT THIS TALE
Anansi (Kwaku Ananse) is the clever spider of Ashanti folklore from Ghana. These tales were told aloud for generations and travelled the world with the Akan people. This is an original retelling that keeps the wit and warmth of the tradition alive for young readers.
More Anansi stories
Anansi and Sefu’s Hidden Spring →
Anansi and Allo’s Secret Well →
Explore more Anansi
- Who is Anansi? — meet the clever trickster spider of Ghana.
- See Anansi in 360° — his spider and human forms.
- More free stories for ages 7–8
