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AGES 5-6 • 10 pages • about 2 min to read together
Kweku challenges Lion to a cloth-making contest and learns that strength is wonderful, but patience and careful craft can shine too.
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PAGE 1 OF 10
On the golden grassland near Kweku Anansi’s village lived Lion. Lion was strong, brave, and proud. When he walked through the tall grass, every animal made room.
PAGE 2 OF 10
Kweku watched Lion with wide eyes. “Lion is mighty,” he said, “but clever hands can do mighty things too.” The animals leaned closer to hear his idea.
PAGE 3 OF 10
“Let us have a contest,” Kweku said. “By sunrise, we will each make a cloth. The most careful and beautiful cloth will show a different kind of strength.”
PAGE 4 OF 10
Lion shook his mane and smiled. “I accept,” he said. He gathered broad leaves, long vines, and bright flowers. “Mine will be the biggest cloth on the grassland.”
PAGE 5 OF 10
Kweku gathered soft raffia, moon-pale thread, and little beads from Auntie Ama’s basket. He sat under an acacia tree, took a slow breath, and began to weave.
PAGE 6 OF 10
All night, Lion worked with great strength. His paws pressed vines tight. His teeth tugged leaves into place. But the vines slipped, and the leaves tore at the edges.
PAGE 7 OF 10
Kweku worked slowly. Over, under, over, under went the raffia. He made patterns like stars, moonlight, river waves, and tiny grassland flowers.
PAGE 8 OF 10
Before dawn, Lion looked at his huge leafy cloth and sighed. It was grand, but messy. Kweku looked at Lion kindly. “Your strength helped you try,” he said.
PAGE 9 OF 10
When the sun rose, the animals gathered. Kweku’s small cloth shimmered in the light. Lion’s cloth rustled proudly beside it, big and bold like Lion himself.
PAGE 10 OF 10
The animals cheered for Kweku’s careful work. Lion bowed his head with respect. Kweku smiled and said, “Strength is wonderful, but patience can shine too.”
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 5–6
