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AGES 7-8 • 12 pages • about 5 min to read together
When Efe accidentally throws Kweku’s enchanted drum out of tune, Kweku learns that powerful gifts are safest when their secrets are taught and shared.
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PAGE 1 OF 12
Every evening, beside the whispering river, Kweku Anansi played his enchanted drum. Boom-ba, boom-ba, boom!
PAGE 2 OF 12
When Kweku tapped a joyful beat, babies clapped, elders smiled, and goats skipped as if their hooves had learned a dance. The village square filled with laughter until even the river seemed to hum along.
PAGE 3 OF 12
The drum was old and beautiful. Its wooden sides were carved with waves, stars, and tiny birds. Kweku had won it through one of his cleverest tricks, and he liked to remind everyone of that.
PAGE 4 OF 12
“Only I know the drum’s secret,” he would say, puffing out his chest. “Only I can play the beat that keeps the village happy.”
PAGE 5 OF 12
A young villager named Efe listened more closely than anyone. Efe loved music. He watched Kweku’s fingers dance across the drumskin and whispered the rhythms into his own hands.
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One afternoon, while Kweku was helping at the market, Efe saw the drum resting in the shade. “Just one soft tap,” he said. “I only want to hear it.”
PAGE 7 OF 12
Tap. The drum answered with a wobbling groan. The air shivered. Chickens scattered. The river rippled backward. A grey cloud rolled over the sun.
PAGE 8 OF 12
Efe stumbled away, frightened. “Kweku! I made the drum angry!” Kweku ran to the square. At first, he wanted to scold Efe. Then he saw Efe’s shaking hands and the worried faces around him.
PAGE 9 OF 12
“The drum is out of tune,” Kweku said. “It needs the golden feather of the Akon bird. The feather carries the first morning song.” Efe swallowed bravely. “Then I will find it.” “Not alone,” said Kweku. “This time, my clever plan will help.”
PAGE 10 OF 12
Together they followed the river into the forest. They crossed muddy roots, ducked under vines, and listened for a song that sounded like sunrise. At last, high in a silk-cotton tree, the Akon bird shook one golden feather loose.
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Back in the village, Kweku laid the feather across the drum and invited Efe to sit beside him. “Watch first,” he said. “Then we play together.” Kweku tapped a steady heartbeat rhythm. Efe added a soft answer. Boom-ba. Tap-tap. Boom-ba. Tap-tap.
PAGE 12 OF 12
The grey cloud opened. Sunlight poured over the square. The chickens returned. The river flowed forward again, and the villagers began to sway. From that day on, Kweku still loved being clever, but he did not keep every secret for himself. He taught Efe the careful beats, and the enchanted drum became a gift the whole village learned to respect.
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
