106. Anansi and the Snake (2)

Anansi grabbed a long stick and sat down outside Snake’s hole, muttering loudly. “He is! Or maybe he isn’t? He is! Or maybe not?”
Snake slithered out of his hole and asked, “What’sssss wrong, Ananssssssssi?”
“God says you aren’t as long as this stick,” Anansi replied, “but I say you are.”
“Of coursssssse I am asssss long as that sssssstick,” hissed Snake. “I’ll prove it!”
Snake wiggled along the stick. Then Anansi grabbed Snake’s head and tied it to the stick, and also his tail.
Laughing, Anansi ran back to God and gave him Snake.
“Now bring Leopard!” said God.

[a story from Ghana] 


Inspired byWest African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilia Sinclair.
Notes: This is a continuation of God and Anansi Make a Bargain, and you can see what happens next in Anansi and Leopard.

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