~ 56. Anansi and the Yam-Foofoo ~


Anansi planted a special yam named yam-foofoo, and it grew big! 
He took some home and cooked it.
"Tell me this yam's name," Anansi said. "Otherwise, you don't eat."
Nobody knew the yam's name, so Anansi ate the whole yam.
Next day, Anansi's youngest son, Cunning-More-Than-Father, mashed some okra and spread it on the ground. Then he hid and watched.
Coming home, Anansi slipped on the okra and fell. "Oh! I dropped my yam-foofoo!" he shouted.
Cunning-More-Than-Father ran home and told everybody.
When Anansi cooked the yam, his wife and children said, "Give us yam-foofoo!" and Anansi had to share.


Inspired byJamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith
Notes: This is story 23 in the book. Beckwith heard this story from George Parkes; additional information in Beckwith's notes. The story is composed of several different episodes; this is just one episode. This same story appears in the form of a song in Beckwith's collection of songs: 143 Red Yam.

2 comments:

  1. I love the fact his youngest son is the most cunning, seeing as I am the youngest in my family and the most cunning too!

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    1. Ha ha, if you have a trickster for a dad, you have to be cunning. :-)

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