~ 79. Elephant and Anansi's Dance Party ~


Elephant and Anansi were hungry, so they invited Goat and Dog to a dance.
Elephant sang, "I'll guard the door; you know what for!"
Anansi sang, "I'll tell you when! Do it then!"
Dog sang, "Hear that song? There's something wrong!"
Goat sang, "Time for running; time for cunning!"
"Now!" shouted Anansi, but Elephant was slow: Goat and Dog escaped.
Dog swam the river, but Goat couldn't swim.
Goat turned into a rock.
"You can't hit me!" shouted Dog, so Anansi threw the rock.
Goat sprang up on the other side, laughing.
Elephant was so mad that he ate Anansi!


Inspired byJamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Warren Beckwith
Notes: This is story 40 in the book. Beckwith heard this story from Elizabeth Hilton; additional information in Beckwith's notes. This story is about "assono" which Beckwith calls a "large animal, unidentified" but Cassidy and Page's Dictionary of Jamaican English identifies "assono" as "asunu," the elephant; compare the Twi word, asono, meaning elephant. This character shows up in Anansi stories, and the word is also used as a term of abuse for someone who is big and clumsy.


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