Anansi lived in a tree.
He'd go robbing and come sing this song: "Send down rope! Anansi-O! Send down rope! Anansi-O!"
Nobody knew who the robber was or where he went.
But Tiger followed one night and heard the song.
Next, Tiger needed Anansi's voice. He told the goldsmith, "Hammer my tongue! Make it fine!"
Then Tiger went and sang Anansi's song.
Anansi's wife let down the rope.
Anansi saw from a distance Tiger going up on the rope, so he sang: "Cut the rope! Tiger-O! Cut the rope! Tiger-O!"
Anansi's wife cut the rope and Tiger fell down dead.
Inspired by: Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith
Notes: This is story 17a in the book. Beckwith heard this story from Simeon Falconer; additional information in Beckwith's notes. In the original story it is Anansi's mother who cuts the rope. Anansi sings: "Mama, mama, sen' down rope, / Sen' down rope, Brer Nansi deh groun' a!"
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