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AGES 0-4 • 12 pages • about 3 min to read together
Kweku Anansi tries to protect a new red clay pot with soft leaves, but his clever pot pillow becomes a messy, funny lesson in careful work.
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PAGE 1 OF 12
Kweku Anansi was a very clever boy who loved big ideas. One sunny day, he walked to the potter’s yard. Yao, the potter, was busy spinning clay into beautiful shapes.
PAGE 2 OF 12
Yao handed Kweku a small, smooth clay pot. It was a beautiful red color. “Be very careful, Kweku,” Yao said with a smile. “This pot is brand new!”
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Kweku did not want to drop the pot. He looked at the hard, bumpy path. “I have a trick!” Kweku shouted. “I will make a pot pillow!”
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Kweku ran to a big green bush. He pulled off many soft, floppy leaves. Rip, snap, rustle! He gathered a giant pile of leaves in his arms.
PAGE 5 OF 12
Kweku’s younger cousin, Abena, came to watch. Kweku wrapped the leaves all around the red pot. He tied them tight. Now the pot was soft and safe.
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Kweku started to walk home. He held his leafy “pot pillow” high. But as he walked, the leaves began to slip. Slide, glide, plop!
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Kweku didn’t notice at first. He kept walking and the leaves kept falling. Soon, there was a long trail of green leaves all over the brown path.
PAGE 8 OF 12
Suddenly, Kweku felt the pot getting cold in his hands. He stopped and looked back. “Oh no!” he cried. “My pot pillow is falling apart!”
PAGE 9 OF 12
Kweku bent down to pick up the leaves. Just then, a bright orange butterfly named Akua fluttered down. Flutter, flutter, landing! Akua sat right on top of the clay pot.
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Abena giggled as Kweku tried to move. He had to pick up the leaves, hold the pot, and stay very still for the butterfly. It was a very wiggly dance!
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Finally, all the leaves were back in a pile. The pot was safe, but the path was still a bit messy. Abena helped Kweku carry the pot the rest of the way.
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Kweku reached his house and set the pot down. He looked at his dusty hands and the pile of leaves. “Well,” Kweku chuckled, “my pot is safe, but being clever is very hard work!”
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
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 0–4
