Week 6: Reading Diary, Extra: Thunder and Anansi

I choose to highlight the story, Thunder and Anansi from the Africa Unit.

I enjoyed reading this story because it was always catching me off guard. I was always guessing what would happen next and never guessed right. I like it when this happened. Who likes a predictable story? Okay, maybe some people do. I also enjoyed that in the end Anansi got exactly what he deserved.

To sum up the story real quick here is what happened: 

Anansi was a father and husband and very hungry. He went out searching for food and found a tree with nuts up in it. He was lucky to find a boat and get to the bottom of the tree. Once he was at the top of the tree he dropped the nuts down to the boat. Every single nut had missed the boat through and fell into the water. Anansi couldn't go home empty handed so he dove down into the water. Once he arrived at the bottom he came to Thunder's cottage. Thunder had sympathy for this man so he sent him home with a magical pot. This magical pot would make a great meal for him and his family. Anansi was pleased and started to head home with the pot.

This is when he grew greedy and choose to keep the pot for himself. He didn't want the magic to run out. As time went on he got more plum and more plum. His family became thinner and thinner. The family knew something was up and found the pot Anansi had hidden. His wife was not greedy and brought the pot to feed everyone in the village. The pot ran out of magic though and was ruined.

Then Anansi found out and went back to Thunder's cottage. He returned with a stick this time that started to beat him for his greedy acts.


Overall, I think the story had a great lesson. It tells how when one makes an act out of greed it will come back at you. Otherwise known as karma. Anansi was given the pot because he was always out working hard hunting for food. Then he didn't want to work anymore and kept the pot all to himself. He went with his family and let them go hungry. The story was also entertaining and interesting to read.

Nuts in a tree From Wikipedia 

Story Source: From West African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilea Sinclair (1917)