CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

INTRODUCTION

I. ANANSI, OR SPIDER, TALES

I. HOW WE GOT THE NAME ‘SPIDER TALES’

II. HOW WISDOM BECAME THE PROPERTY OF THE HUMAN RACE

III. ANANSI AND NOTHING

IV. THUNDER AND ANANSI

V. WHY THE LIZARD CONTINUALLY MOVES HIS HEAD UP AND DOWN

VI. TIT FOR TAT

VII. WHY WHITE ANTS ALWAYS HARM MAN’S PROPERTY

VIII. THE SQUIRREL AND THE SPIDER

IX. WHY WE SEE ANTS CARRYING BUNDLES AS BIG AS THEMSELVES

X. WHY SPIDERS ARE ALWAYS FOUND IN THE CORNERS OF CEILINGS

XI. ANANSI THE BLIND FISHERMAN

XII. ADZANUMEE AND HER MOTHER

XIII. THE GRINDING-STONE THAT GROUND FLOUR BY ITSELF

XIV. “MORNING SUNRISE”

XV. WHY THE SEA-TURTLE WHEN CAUGHT BEATS ITS BREAST WITH ITS FORE-LEGS

XVI. HOW BEASTS AND SERPENTS FIRST CAME INTO THE WORLD

XVII. HONOURABLE MINŪ

XVIII. WHY THE MOON AND THE STARS RECEIVE THEIR LIGHT FROM THE SUN

II. MISCELLANEOUS TALES

XIX. OHIA AND THE THIEVING DEER

XX. HOW THE TORTOISE GOT ITS SHELL

XXI. THE HUNTER AND THE TORTOISE

XXII. THE TAIL OF THE PRINCESS ELEPHANT

XXIII. KWOFI AND THE GODS

XXIV. THE LION AND THE WOLF

XXV. MAKU MAWU AND MAKU FIA OR ‘I will die God’s death’ and ‘I will die the King’s death’

XXVI. THE ROBBER AND THE OLD MAN

XXVII. THE LEOPARD AND THE RAM

XXVIII. WHY THE LEOPARD CAN ONLY CATCH PREY ON ITS LEFT SIDE

XXIX. QUARCOO BAH-BONI (The Bad Boy)

XXX. KING CHAMELEON AND THE ANIMALS

XXXI. TO LOSE AN ELEPHANT FOR THE SAKE OF A WREN IS A VERY FOOLISH THING TO DO

XXXII. THE UNGRATEFUL MAN

XXXIII. WHY TIGERS NEVER ATTACK MEN UNLESS THEY ARE PROVOKED

XXXIV. THE OMANHENE WHO LIKED RIDDLES

XXXV. HOW MUSHROOMS FIRST GREW

XXXVI. FARMER MYBROW AND THE FAIRIES

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