Anansi had six children, and each one had a very special talent. See Trouble was able to spot danger from miles away – giving him plenty of time to run away! River Drinker could gulp down an entire river, so he never needed to bother trying to find a bridge. Stone Thrower could hit a ten penny piece at five hundred yards with any shape pebble. Carrie Plenty wasn’t just able to run like the wind, but could be carrying an entire tree on her back while doing so. Plunger could pull just about anything out of anywhere.
And finally, there was Cushion, who was very small, and very soft, and very fluffy.
Every day, the children would argue about which one had the best talent. Was it Stone Thrower, because he could hit that ten penny piece at five hundred yards? Well, Stone Thrower thought so! Or was it Carrie Plenty, because she could run fast while carrying that entire tree on her back? Well, Carrie Plenty thought so! All the children argued, all the day long.
All of them except for Cushion. Cushion didn’t think she was very special at all. What was so good about being very small, and very soft, and very fluffy?
At last, Anansi had enough of their arguing. One day he was about to head off to hunt. But before he did, he turned to them all and said,
“Now look here! If you lot are still arguing when I get back, not a single one of you is going to get any dinner!”
With that, off he went.
But that didn’t stop Anansi’s children. They continued to argue, and boast, and fight, until the sun was beginning to leave the daytime sky.
Suddenly, See Trouble saw trouble! He looked out right to the other side of the forest, and cried,
“Brothers! Sisters! I can see our father, Anansi! He’s in terrible trouble! He’s just been swallowed by a fish!”
“What can we do?” all the children cried.
Then the children said, “Carrie Plenty! You can get us there!”
So the children all climbed onto Carrie Plenty’s back. And Carrie raced through the forest faster than any of them could have done alone. They were by the lake in no time, and the children got off Carrie’s back.
“Now what can we do?” all the children cried.
Then the children said, “River Drinker! You can drink the lake!”
So River Drinker knelt down by the side of the lake, pulled out a straw, and began to suck up every last drop of the lake. Soon they could all see a fish flapping on the bare mud, with Anansi somewhere inside...
At last, Cushion thought she had her chance! She could use her fluffiness tickle the fish until he laughed, and then he would spit out their dad! Excited at the chance to use her talent, Cushion ran up to the fish and began tickling and tickling and tickling.
But if you’ve ever seen a fish, you’ll know that they never, ever, ever smile. And the fish didn’t laugh, and Anansi stayed inside. And Cushion felt even more useless than before.
“Now what can we do?” all the children cried.
Then the children said, “Plunger! You can pull our father from the fish!”
So Plunger crouched down in front of the fish’s gaping mouth, reached in, and pulled. Sure enough, out popped Anansi, and he spun through the air...
At that moment, a kestrel was circling in the sky when his nose twitched. What was that? A fish-flavoured spider? Yum yum yum! The kestrel swooped down. Barely had Anansi left the mouth of the fish than he was in the talons of the kestrel, being drawn further and further into the sky.
“Now what can we do?” all the children cried.
Then the children said, “Stone Thrower! Knock that kestrel out of the sky!”
So Stone Thrower picked up a pebble, aimed carefully, and launched it towards the bird. It hit the kestrel right in the chest, sending the bird spiralling down towards the ground...
...and also Anansi!
Anansi was falling from a great height...
“Now what can we do?” all the children cried.
...and falling from a great height is not a good thing if you’re a spider...
Then the children turned to Cushion. “Cushion! Run underneath and catch our dad!”
“Me?” thought Cushion. “I can help? Yes! I can help!”
So Cushion ran underneath their father, just in time to let him land safely on her very soft, very fluffy back.
Anansi stepped onto firm ground at last. “My children!” he said, gathering them all before him. “I am so proud of every one of you. Not only did you save me, but you did it by working together. You didn’t argue once! Every one of you is special, and now you all know.”
Anansi’s children agreed happily. And then they all went home, to share a massive dinner... of fish and kestrel pie!