Anansi the Spider's Trick
Anansi the Spider's Trick — an illustrated stories story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Books.
Page 1
"Hurry, Kwaku! The sun scorches my carapace!" Anansi, the spider, scurried sideways across the hot sand, his many legs a blur. Kwaku, his young son, trailed behind, swatting at flies with a palm frond. Before them shimmered a hidden oasis, where towering sand sculptures whispered ancient secrets in the desert wind.
Page 2
"Father, look!" Kwaku gasped, pointing to a small, ornate wooden box half-buried in the sand. Anansi, his eight eyes gleaming with curiosity, carefully brushed the sand away. The box was carved with intricate patterns and felt warm to the touch. "Hmm, this feels important, Kwaku. Maybe this is what old man Sibo, the desert elder, told us about. Let's remember this peculiar box.
Page 3
"We must find the Wisdom Stone," Anansi declared, hefting the box. Kwaku frowned. "But father, old Sibo warned us that the path is fraught with peril!" Anansi chuckled. "'The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' as the great philosopher Lao Tzu said, Kwaku! We cannot cower from difficulty." Anansi turned toward the whispering sand sculptures. "They hold the key, I feel it."
Page 4
"Riddle me this, little spider," rumbled a deep voice. One of the sand sculptures, a giant with emerald eyes, had stirred to life. "I have cities, but no houses, forests, but no trees, and water, but no fish. What am I?" Kwaku gulped. "A map!" Anansi blurted out, after a moment's thought. The giant sand sculpture chuckled, a sound like the grinding of stones. "Correct, little spider, now go!"
Page 5
From above, the oasis appeared as a tiny emerald jewel nestled in the vast expanse of golden sand. Anansi, following the clues hidden within the riddle, noticed a pattern in the arrangement of the palm trees. "The trees, Kwaku! They mark the path!" he exclaimed. It was a cleverly disguised map, revealing the route to the Wisdom Stone.
Page 6
Suddenly, a swirling sandstorm erupted, blotting out the sun! "A Ghole!" Kwaku cried, pointing to the monstrous dust devil swirling towards them. "It guards the next passage!" The Ghole roared, its voice like the scraping of a thousand skeletons, snatching the wooden box from Anansi's grasp and tossing it high into the air.
Page 7
"We must get it back, Kwaku!" Anansi shouted over the howling wind. "Remember what old Sibo taught us? The Ghole is vulnerable to music!" Kwaku grabbed his panpipes from his bag and began to play a lively tune. The swirling sand slowed, the Ghole faltering, momentarily distracted by the sweet melody.
Page 8
As Kwaku's music softened the Ghole, Anansi saw his chance. He remembered the pattern on the wooden box. It wasn't just decoration; it was a map! Aiming perfectly, he tossed a handful of sand at the Ghole. The sand struck the Ghole and the Ghole dissipated like it was never there. The sand hit a small gem in its center. It was the Wisdom Stone, the size of a pebble! "I have the stone!"
Page 9
The Wisdom Stone pulsed with warmth in Anansi's grasp. Immediately a map appeared in Anansi's mind, showing a way back to the oasis. Anansi and Kwaku hurried towards the oasis. With the Wisdom Stone in tow they could solve any riddle.
Page 10
Back at the oasis, Anansi placed the Wisdom Stone back within the sand sculpture. "We faced our fears, Kwaku," Anansi said, smiling at his son. Kwaku grinned. "And we learned that even a small spider can overcome great obstacles!" Before them, the oasis sparkled, a testament to their bravery and cleverness.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)