AGES 0-4 • 10 pages • about 3 min to read together

Kweku Anansi uses a trail of seeds to move a proud hen from the cooking hut, but his clever trick brings a whole crowd of happy chickens.

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Kweku smells soup outside a village cooking hut while a hen blocks the doorway.

PAGE 1 OF 10

Kweku Anansi has a very rumbly tummy. Rumble, rumble! He smells yummy soup cooking inside the hut. But someone is standing in the doorway!

A proud big hen fluffs her feathers in the cooking hut doorway.

PAGE 2 OF 10

It is a Big Hen. She is very proud. She fluffs her feathers and says, “Cluck! This is my spot!” Kweku wants to go inside, but the Big Hen will not move.

Dzifa watches as Kweku smiles with a clever idea.

PAGE 3 OF 10

Kweku’s younger cousin, Dzifa, watches from the corner. “How will you get inside, Kweku?” Dzifa asks. Kweku smiles a clever smile. “I have a trick!”

Kweku drops tiny seeds in a trail along the dusty village path.

PAGE 4 OF 10

Kweku finds a bowl of tiny, crunchy seeds. He takes a big handful. He drops one seed. Plink! He drops another seed. Plonk! He starts to make a long trail on the dusty ground.

A blue butterfly flutters near Kweku's trail of seeds.

PAGE 5 OF 10

A bright blue butterfly flutters down from the sky. It follows the trail of seeds. Flutter, flap! Kweku giggles. “Wait for the Big Hen, little butterfly!” he says.

The Big Hen pecks at seeds and follows the trail away from the doorway.

PAGE 6 OF 10

The Big Hen sees the seeds. Her eyes go wide. Peck, peck, peck! She follows the trail. She moves away from the doorway, one delicious seed at a time.

Kweku and Dzifa run toward the clear cooking hut doorway.

PAGE 7 OF 10

“It worked!” Kweku cries. He and Dzifa run toward the cooking hut. The doorway is finally clear! The Big Hen is far away, busy eating her snack.

A Brown Hen follows the seed trail toward Kweku's sandals.

PAGE 8 OF 10

But wait! Cluck, cluck, cluck! Another chicken sees the trail. A Brown Hen runs over to join the fun. She follows the seeds right toward Kweku’s feet.

Kweku and Dzifa laugh as several friendly chickens gather around the seeds.

PAGE 9 OF 10

Now there are chickens everywhere! Dzifa laughs as a Spotted Hen taps his toe. Peck, peck! “Look, Kweku! Your little trail brought a whole crowd of feet!”

Kweku shares the last seeds with a friendly group of chickens.

PAGE 10 OF 10

Kweku Anansi is surrounded by his new feathered friends. He shares the last of the seeds with them. “One little trail brings many little feet,” Kweku says, “and a lot of happy clucking!”

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.