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AGES 5-6 • 10 pages • about 3 min to read together
Kweku finds a glowing helping stick, grows lazy with it, and learns that even magic-like tools need kind, careful words and shared responsibility.
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PAGE 1 OF 10
One hot afternoon, Kweku Anansi walked near the edge of the forest. Under a bright green bush, he saw a smooth wooden stick glowing softly in the shade.
PAGE 2 OF 10
Kweku picked it up. “Move that little stone,” he said. To his surprise, the stick rolled the stone aside. Kweku’s eyes grew wide. “A helping stick!” he whispered.
PAGE 3 OF 10
At first, Kweku used the stick kindly. It helped sweep leaves from the path. It helped carry yams in a basket. It helped stack firewood neatly by Auntie Ama’s hut.
PAGE 4 OF 10
Soon Kweku grew lazy. “Stick, do everything,” he said, while he rested under a tree. The stick swept and carried and stacked while Kweku drank cool water and grinned.
PAGE 5 OF 10
The village animals watched. Monkey scratched his chin. “That stick listens to words?” he said. “Then maybe it will listen to me too.”
PAGE 6 OF 10
While Kweku napped, Monkey grabbed the stick and shouted, “Rain, rain, come down!” Clouds gathered quickly. Big drops splashed on the dusty path.
PAGE 7 OF 10
The rain grew stronger. Puddles spread everywhere. Kweku’s basket of yams floated away, chickens squawked from a dry porch, and Monkey danced in the warm rain.
PAGE 8 OF 10
Kweku woke with a jump. “Stop, stick!” he cried. But the stick kept listening to Monkey. Kweku had never taught it to listen carefully or work kindly.
PAGE 9 OF 10
Kweku ran to Monkey. “Please help me stop the rain,” he said. Monkey blinked. Together they held the stick and said, “Rain, rest now. Sun, come back gently.”
PAGE 10 OF 10
The rain slowed. The sun returned. Kweku helped dry the path, gather the yams, and sweep the porch himself. From then on, he used the helping stick only when everyone agreed, and he never forgot to do his own share.
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
