Anansi, Heron, Lizard, and the Princess

The king had a daughter who wouldn't smile. "Make her smile, and you can marry her!" proclaimed the king.

Anansi, Heron, and Lizard wanted to marry the princess.

Anansi brought an animal band and he sang and danced. The princess didn't smile.

Heron came all dressed up in fancy clothes and a top-hat. The princess didn't smile.

Lizard snapped his fingers and Heron's clothes all came flying off. The princess smiled. Then she laughed, and she married Lizard: that's how he got the gold ring around his throat.

Heron and Anansi were jealous, and they weren't friends with Lizard anymore.

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Inspired by: Ears and Tails and Common Sense: More Stories from the Caribbean by P. M. Sherlock and H. Sherlock

Notes: This story is on p. 89: Lizard and a Ring of Gold. In the story, Heron gets angry because he thinks he is really the winner since he made the princess laugh. He tries to snatch the gold ring from Lizard, but Lizard swallows it.