ANANSE AND THE SKY KINGDOM

The world was dark without light. The animals couldn’t even see their children.  King lion called to the animals “who would go to the king of the sky and ask for light?” Eagle screamed

“meeeeeee, I can fly the highest”. Off he went in to the cloud but eagle could not fly high enough.
Monkey chattered “me, I can climb into the sky” Off he went into the trees but monkey could not climb
high enough. “Meeeeeeee” screamed the elephant.

“Me me me me meeeeee” called all the big animals but the all failed. Finally, Ananse came forward. “Me, I can spin my web into sky”. “You? hahahahaha”
laughed king lion. “No Ananse, you are too little” “I may be tinny but my friends and I can do anything if
we work together” Ananse replied. “Hahaha hihihi hohoho” the animals laughed.

But lion roared “ENOUGH! We shall see what Ananse and his friends can do.” Ananse called out “ant, fly, let’s go. Ananse began to weave a web from the earth “Sssss sssss ssss.” It stretchd high into the clouds.

“Ant, you and I would climb up the web and fly would join us. You can bite an opening into the sky kingdom,”
explained Ananse. Up they went “kro chia kro chia kro chia” until they reached the clouds. “Crunch” ant
chewed an opening in the clouds and the three friends crawled into the sky kingdom.

They were surrounded by bright lights and beautiful colors. Suddenly, the king of the sky stood in front of them. “What do you want here?” the king demanded. “We have come for light,king.

Would you please share with the earth below?” Ananse said. We would share but you must prove you are worthy. You must first pass three test. Said the king. “We can pass any test. Tell us what to do”
Ananse answered.

“Wait here. My wise men and I would prepare the test.” Said the king. The king and the wise men went into a golden tent. ”Oooooo how I wish I could be a fly on the wall of that tent” said Ananse.

“I can be a fly on the wall.” buzz fly. And he zipped into the tent to listen. “They would ask us to
cut down every blade of grass in that huge field over there before sunrise tomorrow.” Cried Fly when he
came out. Fly showed them an area, the size of a football field. “It is impossible.

We are doomed.” Cried fly. “Well the three of us can’t do it but ant and his family can.” Ananse said. “Yes my family can cut down every blade. Ant yelled. Ant run down Ananse’s web to get his mother, father and his seventy￾seven sisters and eighty-two brothers and all of his cousins and aunts and uncles. They chopped down every blade of grass and they went back down.

The sun came up the next day. “huh’ the king huffed. Well, that was the easiest task. We shall prepare the next task. Again fly followed the king and his wise men to the tent. Soon fly zoomed back out.

“Oh noooo” he mourned. “We must eat all the fruits on the trees before sunrises tomorrow.” Fly showed them a thousand fruit trees. “We are doomed” ant moaned. “The three of us cant but fly and his family can” Ananse said. Go and invite them to a feast. Fly zipped down to eat and brought his hungry family to the orchid. Thousands of flies swan into the trees and begun to eat.

‘Buzzzzzz Cho choc choc choc choc’ they ate until the last fruit. The king was angry when he saw the
empty fruit trees. You must still pass the last test. Said the king. Again fly became a fly on the wall.

He hurried out to buzz into Ananse’s ears and said to Ananse “choose the grey box” just as the king and his
wise men carried two boxes out of the tent. This is the final test said the king.

There is light in one of the boxes. If you choose correctly it is yours. He held out a small grey box and a huge yellow one. Ananse looked at the boxes.

He sniffed them. He turned them shook them. He pointed at the grey box. “This box.” He yelled. The king was enraged. “Take it and leave.” The king shouted. Ananse, ant and fly grabbed the box and rushed down the web. When they reached the earth, king lion lifted the top of the box but a rooster came out.

The rooster puffed out his chest and crowed KOKRO KOOOOOO. For the first time, the sun rose. Ananse, fly and Ant said proudly “when we work together, we can do anything”