Elephant was boss of the work-gang.
"Go fetch water!" Elephant said to one of the workmen.
Anansi was there at the water-hole, playing his fiddle:
Zing a ting-ting! Zing a ting-ting!
The music made the man start dancing.
He couldn't stop dancing.
Elephant came looking. "Where's that water?" he shouted.
Anansi stopped playing. The man stopped dancing.
"Give me that gourd!" said Elephant. "I'll fill it myself!"
Then Anansi started playing. Elephant dropped the gourd and started dancing.
Anansi played and Elephant danced ... until Elephant dropped dead.
Then Anansi cut off his head and made it into a drinking cup.
Inspired by: Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith
Notes: This is story 131 in the book. Beckwith heard this story from Sarah Vassel; additional information in Beckwith's notes. Beckwith classifies this with the European stories in the book: Type 592, Dancing in Thorns. For more on Assono the Elephant, see Elephant and Anansi's Dance Party.
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