Home › Anansi Stories › Ages 7-8
AGES 7-8 • 12 pages • about 3 min to read together
Kweku sends Sefu the lion away with a false rumor so he can drink from a hidden spring, but the water makes him sluggish and he learns that respect comes from honesty and wisdom, not borrowed strength.
Listen on Spotify
Watch on YouTubeRead the story
PAGE 1 OF 12
On the wide golden plains beyond Kweku Anansi’s village lived Sefu the lion. Sefu was strong, calm, and respected by every animal that crossed the grasslands.
PAGE 2 OF 12
Kweku watched Sefu from a safe hilltop and wondered, “Why does everyone listen when he walks by? If I had that kind of strength, everyone would respect me too.”
PAGE 3 OF 12
One morning, a bright parrot chattered about a hidden spring deep in the forest. “Sefu drinks there every day,” the parrot said. “Its cool water keeps him strong.”
PAGE 4 OF 12
Kweku’s eyes widened. He imagined himself lifting heavy baskets, standing tall before the village, and being praised for strength instead of clever tricks.
PAGE 5 OF 12
But the hidden spring was near Sefu’s resting place. Kweku knew he could not simply walk there, so he made a risky plan.
PAGE 6 OF 12
Kweku whispered through the grasslands that a mysterious creature, stronger than any lion, had been seen beyond the far rocks. The animals repeated the rumor from ear to ear.
PAGE 7 OF 12
When Sefu heard the rumor, he lifted his head. Proud and curious, he walked toward the far rocks to see whether the story was true.
PAGE 8 OF 12
With Sefu gone, Kweku slipped through the forest and found the hidden spring. The water shone clear and cool between smooth stones.
PAGE 9 OF 12
Kweku knelt and drank. He waited for his arms to feel powerful and his feet to feel fast. Instead, his eyelids drooped, and his whole body felt heavy.
PAGE 10 OF 12
Kweku sat beside the spring, too sluggish to run. Sefu returned and looked at him, not angry, but disappointed. “Why did you send me away with a false story?”
PAGE 11 OF 12
Kweku lowered his head. “I wanted your strength,” he admitted. Sefu answered, “Strength is not only in muscles. It is in truth, patience, and how you use what you already have.”
PAGE 12 OF 12
From that day, Kweku still liked clever ideas, but he remembered that respect is earned by honesty. Borrowed power without wisdom can make a person stumble.
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 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
