Illustration byPhilip Martin

Adapted for the stage by Phoebe Hall From stories by Phillip Martin, Aesop’s Fables, and other

West African folktales.

1

Copyright 2003. Revised 2004 and 2006. Compiled from stories and tall tales from West Africa andsupplemented with additional dialogue.

Phoebe HallFayetteville State University

Performing and Fine Arts Department1200 Murchison Road

Fayetteville, NC 28301(910) 672-1006

FAX (910) 672-1572Email: phall@uncfsu.edu

2

CAST BREAKDOWN

4 males, 2 females, 4 male OR female OR a total cast of 10-20. Dancing, singing, and movement is necessary. Casting can be any combination, really. Costumes can be jeans and brightly colored tank-top tee shirts with costume accessories to indicate characteror masks/hats and fabric ponchos. The alternative would be Africandress. Anansi is in all black. Narrators should have African clothing with head-wraps. Dancers wear tights, leotards, and African fabric and head-dresses. African colored and patterned fabric should be used as much as possible.

Narrator 1………………………………………………..male or femaleNarrator 2……………………………………………..…male or female Anansi…………………………………………………….male King, Rooster, Villager 1, Tiger #2 ………….………..maleLittle Spider, Goose, Tortoise, Queen…..……………femaleGuard, Pig, Young Man, Son.…………………………male Guard, Dairymaid, Rabbit, Lioness …………………..female Ram, Baboon, Villager 2, Jackal………………………maleWolf, Tiger, Ox…………………………………………..male or femaleWolf, Snake, Lion…………………………………….….male or femaleTree……………………………………………………….male or female

(Double casting can be eliminated & single casting employed w/ gender appropriate actors.)

3

Anansi Scene Breakdown

I. Openinga. Dancersb. Two Narrators

II. The King and Ram – Anansi turns to Spidera. Hanging Treeb. Queen/King Area

III. The Tiger and the Snakea. Large Bamboo Stick

IV. Traveling Friends

V. Tortoise and Baboona. Two Houses – Trees

VI. Tigera. Pitb. Branch

VII. Lion and Jackela. High Blocks

VIII. Anansi and Wisdoma. Tree

4

SUGGESTED SOUND CUE LIST

1. Afro Chin 2. Mama Africa3. Afro 118 4. Zumba Viva 5. Martillo6. Explosion 27. Explosion 8. Tightrope Waltz (spider walking) 9. Afro11810. Banana Sample 11. Martillo12. Spirit of Maculele13. Gorilla Walk 14. Afro118 15. Tumbacoco16. Martillo17. Spirit of Maculele 18. Lahara19. Something Good is Gonna Happen Today

Our production featured these songs with permission from each songwriter where music was not in the public domain. I suspect the same music can be used as long as the production company is not attempting to sell the music. Each song writer expressed appreciation that their music was being used for educational purposes. A CD is available upon request or you may find your ownmusic!

5

SCENE I

([‘Something Good is gonna happen today’]…All cast members are on the stage or in the house teaching the song to the children. Music cue fades. Both Narrators shout out “Jambo” to the audience and everyone teaches the audience that “Jambo” is Swahili for ‘hello and ‘Kabo’ is Yoruban for ‘welcome.’)

NARRATOR 1: A story, a story, let it come, let it go. Can you say that? (Narrator gets the students to repeatthe phrase several times.) Ahhhhhh ……very good job! Youmust all be excellent story tellers! How many of you like playing tricks on people? I thought so. How many of you know what a ‘trickster’ is? Trickster tales….tall tales…. legends…. lores…..

NARRATOR 2: …..fables….. folk tales…. myths…..

NARRATOR 1: …. string-a-longs…..potboilers…..

NARRATOR 2: We’ve all heard about them. Paul Bunyan, Anansi, the Jack Tales, even Aesop’s Fables…..

NARRATOR 1: They come from all over the world, from every time, place, land, and culture.

NARRATOR 2: But the one thing they all have in common is that they have a message for you….for you and about you!

NARRATOR 1: The stories often point our mistakes, and as humans, we make a LOT of mistakes sometimes. Each character is so full of them self and wants only to satisfy their own greedy arrogant needs.

NARRATOR 2: These adventures show us how coyote, rabbit, or even the spider use cunning and cleverness tooutsmart everybody in an endless search for…. FOOD! Andhow through total slyness these tricksters bring us the moon and the stars!

6

NARRATOR 1: Sometimes the stories have surprising results. We learn wonderful things about ourselves! Thestories appeal to us because they highlight when people are behaving badly…most often when they are caught beingvery naughty! Like Big Bwoy an’ Gee Gee….

NARRATOR 2: (in dialect) One fine mornin’ Big Bwoy did late fi school so 'im ride 'im father donkey, Gee Gee. Big Bwoy holla’d 'Gee Gee, go a school.’ Him did so in such a hurry dat Big Bwoy nevah tie di punda…di donkey… propaly. Well, guess wha happen? In schule (SHOO-lay)…school, in di midst a spellin’ class, dat donkey Gee Geeget loose. Big Bwoy so frighten wen him look out a di window an see di donkey a gallop wey, he wail so loud! Meanwhile, di teacher ask de class, 'Children, how do you spell egg?' Big Bwoy nah listen di teacher, him only waan di donkey fi stop, so him shout out, 'EE GEE GEE!' (N2 breaks down laughing as N1 just stares. Othercast members step out and laugh…as N1 just stares.)

NARRATOR 2: …..just like dat Big Bwoy! Alla time makin’ peoples laugh!

ANANSI: (as Anansi runs out…) Or just like Anansi, from Africa! ([Mama Africa] African music plays. African dancers cross the stage and chase Anansi into the wings.Music fades.)

NARRATOR 1: Africa is a very large continent, about four times the size of the United States. Isn’t that a big one, now?

NARRATOR 2: Many of the African people still live as their ancestors did thousands of years ago, in communities that keep tribal traditions and beliefs alive through their legends, folktales, and songs…much like what we will show you today in our trickster tales.

NARRATOR 1: In Africa, the folktale was, and still is, an excellent way for people to communicate with each another.

7

NARRATOR 2: Folktales express a tribe’s hopes and fearsas well as their spiritual and religious beliefs. They describe relationships ….explain why things are the way they are.

NARRATOR 1: Folktales can make you laugh.

NARRATOR 2: They can make you cry.

NARRATOR 1: They can make you think.

NARRATOR 2: And they can teach you about the world in which you live.

NARRATOR 1: Each time it is told each person who tells the story molds it to his own mouth, just as each listener molds it to his own ear. So, the same story, told over and over, is never quite the same.

NARRATOR 2: Otherwise the stories don’t live!

NARRATOR 1: Now, on to our stories! We will tell you tales about Anansi the spider…a very clever trickster found in the Ashanti culture of Ghana.

NARRATOR 2: A trickster is usually small, but strong and very, very clever. Tricksters are common in many African stories as well as Asian, Russian, Caribbean, and even American folktales—although they may have many different names like A-Chey in Cambodia, Bamapana in Northern Australia, Birbal in North India….

NARRATOR 1: …. Coyote Old Man in Native American Tribes,Queen Mab in 16th century England, Ti Malice in Haiti, 'Whiskey Jack' in Canada…..

NARRATOR 2: ….. and Anansi the Spider in West African and surrounding countries. (Drum sounds faintly begin. [afro118])

NARRATOR 1: Listen…….Drums! Do you hear them? Listen to them …they talk to you!

8

NARRATOR 2: Talking drums can be used to spread news from village to village, or sometimes in tribal ceremonies to send a message.

NARRATOR 1: If you listen very closely, even you may get a message from the drums! Like this one….which means joy! ([Zumbi Viva] Dancers have a dance break, then Narrator 2 shooes them out.)

NARRATOR 2: When the Ashanti people of West Africa started sharing their stories, they weren't called Anansi stories at first. Anansi was just a silly old farmer with a limp living deep in the forest. He was soinsignificant and puny that no one paid him no never mind. (Anansi walks out and physically conveys his disgust at this comment. N1 runs off… laughing …chased by Anansi. Chase ensues. Dancers cover scene change. [Cha cara] Music fades.)

SCENE II

NARRATOR 2: Alright, alright…to our first story. This is the tale of how Anansi the man came to be Anansi the spider. Once upon an African time, there was a king whohad the finest ram in all the world.

KING: This is the finest ram in all the world and it’s mine…..all mine! What a lucky man am I to have such a fine ram. Fine ram…fine fine ram!

NARRATOR 2: One day, the ram was found grazing on farmer Anansi's crops.

ANANSI: (as a man) Hey! You there….get out of my crops!Lazy animal! Find your own crops! Take that, you ugly ram!

NARRATOR 2: Anansi threw a rock and hit the ram right between the eyes ……instantly killing it. (The ram suddenly falls down dead)

9

ANANSI: Uh oh.

NARRATOR 2: Anansi knew the king would punish him greatly for killing his prized ram, so he immediately began to plot his way out of this trouble.

ANANSI: They’re not going to pin this on me. I won’t take the fall for this. You dirty….you dirty ram! (Edward G. Robinson-like.) He was eating my crops! That’s the ticket. No one need ever know it was me. (Peter Lorre-like.) You’ll never take me alive, Copper!(Jimmy Cagney-like. Play with this!) NARRATOR 2: Anansi sat down under a tree to plan his escape when, all of a sudden, a nut fell and hit him on the head.…(a nut hits Anansi [sound]…but no response from Anansi.) Ahem….a nut fell and hit him on the head (a nut hits Anansi once again [sound]…no response.) I said….a nut fell and hit him the head…..HARD! (The third time the tree smacks Anansi with a LOUD sound. Hefinally responds.)

TREE: Hey!

ANANSI: OW! OW! OW! OW! OH!

NARRATOR 2: Anansi immediately had an idea.

ANANSI: I have an idea!

NARRATOR 2: First, he took the dead ram and tied up in the tree. (Anansi does this.)

TREE: What exactly do you think you’re doing?

ANANSI: None of your business, Tree. Just never you mind!

TREE: These are my branches and MY nuts! It most certainly IS my business, you troublemaker.

NARRATOR: (Interrupting to avoid the impending fight...) Then Anansi found a teeny tiny little Spider some distance away and told him of a wonderful tree he

10

knew that was so full of nuts that they were falling on heads! (Anansi does this.) The little spider was overjoyed and immediately scurried to the nut tree. [violin--sound of spider moving to tree.]

TREE: Hey, watch it spider! (To audience...shivering…branches shaking and rustling) I really don’t like spiders.

SPIDER: Oh thank you so much, Anansi. What wonderful nuts are on this tree! Just right for the munching! (Spider munches.)

NARRATOR 2: Then, Anansi ran to the king and told him the little spider had killed the prize ram. He was positive the spider had done it because the poor ram washanging from the same tree where the spider had just been munching nuts….

ANANSI: And is still munching nuts! Yes sir, that guiltyspider is there even now! Just go and see for yourself!

NARRATOR 2: The king flew into an awful rage and demanded the worst possible penalty for the tiny spider.

KING: Off with his legs! Off with his legs! And squishhis little head, too!

NARRATOR 2: The king then thanked Anansi for his trustyservice and promised him a great reward

KING: Oh thank you, Anansi, dankie, dankie, dankie! (King pumps Anansi’s hand in gratitude.) I will give youa great reward for your allegiance and service to your King! Me!

NARRATOR 2: Anansi jumped for joy, rubbed his hands together greedily and quickly ran off to warn the poor spider of the king's fury.

ANANSI: (Approaching the spider) Oh my poor friend Spider! Alas! Poor you! And you, too, tree…they’ll take you, too, for providing him the nuts! (Wailing

11

loudly for all to hear.) Ohhhhh, Spider, you have killedthe King’s prize ram and hung it in this tree….and now the King is soooo soooo mad at you! Ummm ummmm…..Poor thing! You are in so much trouble! MMMMm…. mmmmm…mmmmm.Poor spider, AND tree, too, indeed! Pooooooor tree! Woooooe is unto you both!

NARRATOR 2: The spider had no earthly idea what Anansi was howling about and knew he certainly hadn’t done anything wrong. Still, he felt it might not be a bad idea to go himself and see the king.

SPIDER: Maybe I should go to His Majesty and beg for mercy?

ANANSI: Maybe. But, then again, maybe not. I mean, that was his prize ram after all, you know. (Spider exits dejectedly whimpering about his fate.)

NARRATOR 2: Poor little spider…..and all the tree coulddo was blubber about bad friends and running with the wrong crowd.

TREE: I knew that spider would mean trouble for me. From the moment I first laid eyes on him! I’m innocent, I tell you, INNOCENT! I’ve done nothing but sway in the breeze and grow nuts! It’s Anansi who’s to blame! ANANSI!

NARRATOR 2: Right. Meanwhile, back at the palace, the king relayed to his wife what had happened to his prize ram. The wife blinked, laughed very loud and very long, and finally said…

QUEEN: King Baby, have you lost your mind? How on earthcould an itsy bitsy spider make a thread strong enough to hold a big ole’ ram? Forget that! How in the world could that teensy little spider hoist that big ole’ ram up in that tree in the first place? Don't you know, silly King, that it was most likely Anansi that killed your ram and now he is playing you AND that silly Spiderfor a fool! (She exits, laughing.)

12

NARRATOR 2: When the king realized he had certainly been tricked, he flew into a rage…a frantic rage. I mean, he nearly had apoplexy. He screamed for the guards to go and fetch Anansi to the palace immediately.

KING: GUARDS! Ohhhhhhhh! That Anansi! Make a fool out of me, will he! I’ll fix him, I will. (Guards enter.) Go and bring Anansi to me immediately! Hurry! NOW, or I will have YOU strung up in a nut tree! (The guards quake, shake and bump into each other and finallyrun out.)

NARRATOR 2: Anansi, upon seeing the guards, thought they were coming to take him to pick up his grand reward, so he went along beside them, grinning and humming. He strutted into the palace as if he owned the place and announced for all to hear…

ANANSI: HA HA! I am here! Here I am! Yes Sir, I have arrived! Where is my reward, Boss? Your Kingpin-ness?I know that you must be ever so eternally grateful to me, your Kingship, so just give it to me. Just let me have it! (He closes his eyes, holds his hands out and grins broadly.)

NARRATOR 2: The king, beside himself with fury at beingswindled drew back his foot and kicked Anansi as hard ashe could, splitting him into many many pieces! (Crash sound effects and lights flicker as Anansi rolls off thestage then returns as a spider.) Anansi was no longer the man he had been, but a body with several long legs and like the spider he had accused, Anansi had turned into the very same! And that, my friends, is how the greedy farmer Anansi became a spider! (Musical dance bridge to cover scene change. [afro chin] Animals chant “story… story… story…” They invite the children to join the chant. Music fades.)

13

SCENE IIINARRATOR 2: Another story? Yes? Yes! Another story for these greedy children!

NARRATOR 1: In the early days of Africa, when Tiger wasking, folk tales were naturally called The Tiger Stories. One day, while Anansi the spider was walking along in the forest (Anansi enters and skips about the stage) he got tired, and sat down near some pretty flowers. The blossoms were so fragrant that he leaned in to get a bigger whiff of them. While he was there sniffing, Tiger happened by, spotted the same flowers and announced: 

TIGER: Ah HAH! What handsome flowers! They are so pretty and smell so sweetly. I think I will call them Tiger Lilies.

NARRATOR 1: Anansi gritted his teeth but said nothing, because after all, Tiger was the king and could do whatever he wanted. But deep down inside Anansi was furious. Everywhere Anansi went, he saw something else named after King Tiger. Tiger shark….tiger moth…. tiger eye….and now tiger lily! He could take it no more of itand said to himself:

ANANSI: I can’t take this anymore! I am going to go toTiger and demand that he name something after me, too.

NARRATOR 1: So, Anansi marched over to Tiger…..stomped his feet then promptly dropped to his knees and begged:

ANANSI: Brother Tiger, you know I am ever your faithfulsubject and a good spider, to boot. Please, please, please…I beg of you, let me have some little something named after me. Just one little crust of something for me? Please? Pretty please?

NARRATOR 1: Everyone laughed at Anansi (all step out from the wings and jeer at him for begging) until King Tiger felt sorry for him and agreed:

14

TIGER: (All laugh at Anansi again.) QUIET! OK, Spider, here’s the deal.  If you can manage to tie up Brother Snake, I will reward you by naming something after you.

NARRATOR 1: Now, Brother Tiger and Brother Snake did NOT get along. Even though he was King of the forest, Tiger always gave Snake a lot of breathing room! But, Snake …well, Snake was afraid of no one. No one, that is, except Brother Elephant…and that was for obvious ENORMOUS reasons! Anansi mulled over Tiger’s offer and finally came up with what he thought was a very tricky plan.

ANANSI: AHA!…..(snickering) I have a most tricky plan!

NARRATOR 1: What did I tell you? Now, Snake overheard Tiger and Anansi, and snickered to himself. He would just have to teach that silly Anansi a lesson.

SNAKE: (works very well if the actor is encased in a stretchy tube!) Heh heh heh. Sssssssssssssooo….Anansi means to make trouble with me, doesssssssssssssss he? We’ll jussssst ssssssssssee about that!

NARRATOR 2: In the meantime, Anansi went about his daily business and pretended to forget about Snake and the task Tiger had set out for him do.   Mr. Snake, expecting Anansi to capture him, grew suspicious when hedidn’t even try. Snake finally decided to take things into his own hands ….um….hand…. uh…..oh. Well anyway….Snake slithered up to Anansi.

SNAKE: Sssssssoooo…..Ananssssssssssssi, I heard you were going to ssssssnatch me up, tie me down, and tosssssssss me to the Tiger. Isssss what I hear true, Ananssssssssi?

NARRATOR 1: All Anansi could do was stare at Snake wideeyed and shaking.

15

SNAKE: Well, here I am, Anansssssi. Don’t you want to ssssssnatch me up now? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm?

ANANSI: (Caught off guard.) Well….you see, Brother Snake, this is what really happened. You see, ah…well I….um….(suddenly struck with an idea.) YES! I have it!I only wanted to show Tiger how long you are so that he could plainly see that tying you up is a most impossibletask. That way he would give me a much easier task to do! I was thinking to myself that the bamboo stick overthere surely must be longer than you, and I was also just thinking … thinking, let’s see …thinking of a way to measure you against it.

SNAKE: Sssssssssssilly ssssssssspider. Look at me. Can’t you sssssee that I am longer than that sssssssillyssssssstick of bamboo? What a wasssssssste of my preciousssssssssss time! (Begins to hop off.)

ANANSI: (Thinking quickly.) You are absolutely right, of course, Brother Snake. I was thinking that very samething; but I wanted to know exactly how long you are, sothat…uh…..oh, you know, so that Tiger would not laugh and make so much fun of you…as he does. If you could just let me cut down that bamboo and measure you, we could clear this up right away and I would be…um, I mean….Tiger would be most grateful.

NARRATOR 1: While Brother Snake thought this was all a bunch of hooey balooie, he reluctantly ssssspat out his agreement. Anansi then cut down the bamboo stick. But,when Snake stretched out beside the bamboo, alas! The stick was longer than he was.  Imagine that!

ANANSI: Brother Snake, I am certain you could be longerthan this silly stick if you could only extend to your full remarkable length. Say, if you let me tie your tailto this end of the bamboo, then you will have something against which to pull and would surely measure longer than any old bamboo!

NARRATOR 1: Snake, somewhat incensed that a stick was longer than he was sighed and reluctantly agreed. So,

16

Anansi tied Snake’s tail to the end of the bamboo stick.But alas! Again the bamboo was longer than Snake. Why,the very idea!

SNAKE: Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!!!!! (More than slightly aggravated now.)

ANANSI: OooooHOOOO. This is not good! Oh, but I have a wonderful idea! Brother Snake, allow me to tie you tothe stick in the middle. That way you can stretch even further than before!

NARRATOR: Snake hissed loudly and nodded agreement, butheavens! The bamboo stick was still longer than BrotherSnake. Anansi scratched his head with all eight of his hands as if he didn’t know how to help Snake prove he was longer than the bamboo stick. Anansi really is eversuch a helpful fellow, isn’t he?

ANANSI: AHA! Brother Snake, I finally have it! If youstretch those last few inches and I tie your head to thebamboo THEN measure, it will at long last prove beyond ashadow of a doubt that you are longer than the bamboo stick. That arrogant tiger will finally have to admit that YOU are the biggest one in all of the forest!

NARRATOR 1: Being the vain self-centered serpent that he was, Brother Snake quickly agreed—after all, he did have a reputation to uphold. Once more he stretched withall his might as tall as he could to prove he was longerthan the bamboo; but before he could savor his victory, Anansi said:

ANANSI: Mr. Brother Snake, I know that you must be everso tired from all that stretching, so just let me quickly tie your head to the bamboo then fetch my measuring tape as proof. That way no one can ever claimthat you are not longer than this silly old bamboo stick.

NARRATOR 1: Never realizing that he was already tied securely and could not move Snake agreed. Without delay, Anansi gathered the townspeople around to witness

17

his success …..most especially Tiger. Everyone stared in amazement at Snake for a long while. Finally Snake said:

SNAKE: You all mussssssssst ssssssssertainly ssssssssee that I am longer than thissssss bamboo. Now cut thessssssse ropessssss and sssssssset me free.

ANANSI: (Laughing.) Oh no, Brother Snake. I have yet to hear Brother Tiger admit that I win the bet with him.Just lie still a moment, if you would, so he can plainlysee for himself that it is I who have won!

NARRATOR 1: The Snake hissed and spat. Dumbfounded thatAnansi had actually carried out his impossible task, Tiger, who was very much aware of the townspeople watching him, agreed to keep his promise and made a proclamation naming all the folk tales after Anansi. From that day to this, the stories of the Ashanti peopleand their descendants in the West Indies are called the “Anansi Tales.” (Snake hisses angrily in the background.Anansi and other animals sing an impromptu African song and dance off the stage leaving Snake tied.)

SNAKE: Heyyyyyyyy! Hey guys? What about me?? Don’t leave me here! Help!!

NARRATOR 2: Do you see the uproar a trickster creates?!Always into trouble. Always causing problems. Always……always… always. You see, for all of his eight legs, Anansi cannot out-run trouble! (African music. Africandance. Cast returns to carry Snake offstage. Scene change [Spirit of Maculele].)

SCENE IVNARRATOR 1: Once upon a time there was a jolly fat old ram. He was stuffed day after day with every little tidbit that tasted yummy. (Ram is being fed a LOT.) Oneday, the dairymaid came and gave the ram even more food to eat than usual.

18

DAIRYMAID: That’s right, eat hearty, big ole ram. You won't be around here much longer for me to feed, that’s for sure. The next time I see you, you’ll be stretched out on my dinner plate! (She laughs and smacks her lips in delight. She lists the following as she exits.) Ram Chops…. Ram roasts… Ram steaks… Ramburgers… Ramdogs…..Ram a la’ mode….. Ram surprise….ram croquettes…ram……….. (and she’s gone.)

NARRATOR 1: Hearing that scared the poor ram so, but what else could he do? He ate and ate until he could eatno more. Then he butted out the door of his pen and ran away to a neighboring farm where his friend Pig lived.

RAM: Oh, friend pig! Oh! Oh! What a day! I tell you….what a DAY!

PIG: (As he eats.) And a good day to you, too, friend Ram! But, do tell me, what’s wrong?

RAM: I have some bad news for you! Terrible news! I just learned why it is that we are so well fed day afterday. Do you know the reason? Do you?

PIG: No, I do not. But I’m betting you will tell me.

RAM: Well, I will tell you the reason! They feed us sowell just to fatten us up b-b-b-b-b-b-b-because they mean to kill us and eat us!

PIG: NO! I mean….no, really? Are you sure about this??(He snorts.)

RAM: I heard it straight from the dairymaid herself this very morning. Listen to me, my friend. We must escape. We must run for our lives! Here's what we’ll do. We'll run away into the woods, build a house, and set up a life for ourselves far away from here.

PIG: Yes! Yes, excellent idea. That’s what we’ll do indeed! I’m with you!

19

NARRATOR 1: So the two friends set off to find the perfect spot to build their house. When they had gone aways they met up with a goose.

GOOSE: Good day, good day, good day! Where are you twobound in such a hurry?

RAM: Good day, Friend Goose. If you must know, we’ve just learned the awful truth of why we’re so well fed athome. We are being fattened up for Sunday dinner…and we’ve been invited as the main course!

PIG: So we are running away to the woods to build a house and set up a life for ourselves far away from here.

GOOSE: Well! That’s WHACK! (As in ‘quack.’) It's probably much the same with me. Christmas goose and all that, you know? It makes no difference to me where I live as long as I live! Might I run away with you too?

PIG: Wait! What can you possibly do to help further our cause or build our house? Goosey gossip and gabble does not a house or a life make.

GOOSE: Well…..I am an expert plucker and stuffer. I can pluck moss and stuff it into the seams of the planksand make your house tight and warm.

PIG and RAM: (alternating) Well yes, I suppose that's so! You’re absolutely right! That’s important stuff! Oh, very good! Warm is a good thing!

NARRATOR 1: Above all other things, Piggy wished to be warm, and so the goose joined the ram and the pig. Whenthey had all gone a bit farther – you know, it is hard work for a goose to walk as fast as a ram and a pig--they met a rabbit frisking about in the woods.

RABBIT: Who-whoooo! Good day, fine friends! Where are you three trotting off to this fine day?

20

RAM: Oh dear friend Hare! At home we were so happy andwell fed, and now we know the terrible reason why. One word…. Sunday dinner. So we're running away to the woods to build a house and set up a life for ourselves far away from here.

RABBIT: Is that right? You know, in the summertime I build a house in every bush. But, I have often said in wintertime, 'If I only live till summer comes again, I'll build me a real proper house.' So I have half a mind to go with you and set up a life for myself, too.

PIG: Well, I don’t see how much help you would be housebuilding, though I suppose if we ever got into a pickle,we could use you as bait to distract the dogs.

GOOSE: Shame on you, Piggy!

RABBIT: I have many talents, Pig. I have teeth to gnawpegs and paws to drive them into the wall. I could be your carpenter, for 'good tools make good work.'

RAM and PIG and GOOSE: (Alternating.) So they do! They do! Oh, she’s right on that one! Yes, indeed! None of us can gnaw and hammer like that!

NARRATOR 1: And so the rabbit joined them and there wasnothing more to be said about that. When they had all gone some way farther they met a rooster.

ROOSTER: Cock-a-doodle-do! Good day to you. Where are‘ye going today in such fine spirits?

RAM: Good day, Brother Rooster and the same to you. Athome we were all so happy and well fed, and now we know the terrible reason why. Well, Sunday dinner! Oh, oh my, my, my……I’m sure you already know about Sunday dinners! So we are going off into the woods to build a house and set up a life for ourselves far away from here.

ROOSTER: What a capital idea! Certainly it's better to sit on your own perch, than be left in the lurch. Cock-

21

a-doodle-do! The same to you! All cocks crow loudest at home. I’ve never had a home…not one of my own. If you’d let me join you, I could build a house, too…a house so good …..inside the deep wood…..and set up a life…..for me and my wife! Well, if I had a wife, that is.

PIG: Ay! Ay! But a jaw on a stick never yet laid a brick. (The Ram punches Pig to get him out of the rhyme rut.) How can you possibly help us build a house?

ROOSTER: A house will never have a clock, where there is neither dog nor cock. I get up very early and will wake everyone, surely….to keep you all on task, just as you ask!

GOOSE: Now I’ll tell you, that’s very true. (Short pause while they all think.) I say we let him come with us…even though his method of talking is very peculiar.

PIG: Yes…I agree. Let him come, too. He might be of some small use to us.

NARRATOR 1: For, truth be told, Piggy was the soundest sleeper and needed a rooster more than anyone!

PIG: (As an aside to the audience.) Sleep is nothing but a thief who thinks nothing of stealing half of one'slife.

NARRATOR 1: So they all set off to the woods. A brave band they were, and together they built their house. Thepig cut the timber and the sheep dragged it home; the rabbit gnawed the pegs and hammered them into the roof; the goose plucked moss and stuffed it into the seams andcracks; the rooster crowed and looked out that they did not oversleep in the morning, and when the house was ready, and the roof lined and thatched with grass, therethey made a life for themselves, and were happy as they could be!

ROOSTER: Tis good to travel east and west, but one's own home is surely best. (Here, here from all.)

22

NARRATOR 1: Now, as misfortune would have it, a bit farther in the woods there was a wolf's den, and inside that den lived two lazy gray leg wolves. When those two wolves saw a new house nearby, they licked their chops thinking of the free meal they’d have compliments of their gullible new neighbors. So one of the wolves concocted a fake errand, and went over to the new house to see what was what. Once he got inside the house, when they weren’t looking, he planned to knock them all out! Just as soon as he got inside the door, though, the sheep butted him into the fireplace. The pig began to bite him on his behind that was sticking up! The goose squawked and pecked his nose, the rabbit lie down on the floor and scratched every spare corner of the wolf’s body, and the rooster… well, the rooster flapped his mighty wings and screeched, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! There’s nothing here for you!” The wolf escaped and ranscreaming to his companion outside. (All of these actions are done!)

WOLF 2: Well! You have brought me no food at all. What a dismal failure YOU turned out to be!

WOLF 1: Let me tell you! I am lucky to still be in onepiece! Terrible monsters live in that house! As soon as I got inside the door, one of them tossed me into the fire with his pitchfork. Then two monsters beat me and scratched me with tongs all over my body. There was another fellow with huge red eyes sitting up under the roof who slapped his arms, and I'm sure he was yelling, 'Put a hook in him! Put a hook in him!’ I’m positive that’s what he screamed, and if he had only gotten his giant arms around me, I'm sure I never would have come out of there alive!

NARRATOR 1: With that the wolves tore away into the woods never to be seen or heard from again. But what of our house builders? The pig, ram, rooster, goose, and rabbit lived very well on all the fruit and bananas theycould gather until they reached a ripe old age….in theirvery own house!

23

(Dancers dance for scene changes. [Music: banana sample]N2 joins N1 on stage.)

SCENE VNARRATOR 1: So, how did you like that one? Good! I know you all must have heard Aesop’s fable about the tortoise and the hare ….yes? (Ask for children’s response.) You know the one where the turtle teaches you that “slow and steady wins the race!” That one! Yes! Mwema (MWAY-mah)…very good! Well, now you will hear the one about the tortoise and the nyani (NYAH-ni)…the baboon! (Music cue: [Gorilla walk] Short dance break as characters for the next story get into place. When dance is finished, Narrator 1 shoos them off stage with “those dancers…always in the way…” and mutters as he/she exits.)

NARRATOR 2: One evening while the tortoise was going pole’ pole’(polay polay)…. slowly crawling his way home,very very sloooooowly, he met a baboon on the path.

BABOON: Well, hello there, my fine old fellow! Say, inall of your travels today, have you found very much to eat?

TORTOISE: No. No, Brother Baboon, I’m afraid I have not. (Sighs) Very little indeed. And I am so so ninanjaa (ni-NAH-yah) …..hungry!

NARRATOR 2: The baboon danced up and down, brimming with laughter and thinking of a wonderful trick he couldplay on the poor tortoise.

BABOON: (To the audience: Heh, heh, heh, heh!) Poor old Tortoise! Follow me! When you reach my home, I will have a huge fine supper all ready to serve you. Hurry now! Come as fast as you can! Quick! Quick! Haastig! Haastig!

24

TORTOISE: Thank you. Oh thank you! How kind and generous you are to me, friend. Oh thank you so much, Brother Baboon!

NARRATOR 2: The baboon turned and sprinted gaily up thepath leading to his home. Every so often he stopped to peer behind him and check on Tortoise then dash off again howling with laughter. Tortoise followed as fast as he was physically able, which was very slow indeed especially going uphill, and soon poor Tortoise fell outof Baboon’s sight.

TORTOISE: Whew….my goodness. It’s sooooo far to the top of this hill! Even though I’m going as fast as my little legs can carry me, my friend Baboon has already disappeared from view. Jammer wees! Ongelukkig! (Wait, now! I’m coming!)

NARRATOR 2: Once or twice Tortoise stopped to catch hisbreath; but in his mind the picture of the feast waitingfor him at the top of the hill plodded him on. At long last he reached the place in the bush that Baboon calledhome. As soon as Baboon caught sight of Tortoise he cackled and hopped from side to side….

BABOON: Bless my tail! You are so pole’ pole’ (POH-lee POH-lee)…so slow! What a long time you have taken to get here! I declare it must surely be tomorrow already!

TORTOISE: (Huffing and puffing.) I'm truly so very samahani (sa-ma-HAH-ni) …sorry, sorry, but I'm sure you have had more than enough time to get my supper ready. Do not grumble so much at me, please. Is it ready? The supper, I mean? I am so hungry now. Is it done? Is it?

BABOON: Oh, yes, indeed! Your supper is all ready--fresh and yummy. Three pots of millet-beer, brewed especially for you. Oh, yes! Delicious! All you have to do is to climb right up there and get them. Look! There they are! Waiting just for you! (Baboon rubs hishands together gleefully and points to the top of a tree.) Heh, heh, heh!

25

NARRATOR 2: The poor tortoise looked way up at the hanging pots which Baboon had wedged into the branches waaaaaay high above his head. Tortoise’s eyes filled with heavy tears. He knew he would never be able to reach those pots, and Baboon knew it, too. So, Tortoisebegged sweetly…..

TORTOISE: Please. Please, Brother Baboon, would you bring one down for me. I am so very hungry. A good friend would do that—a real brother would, too. Please?Won’t you, Baboon? For me?

NARRATOR 2: In the twinkling of an eye, Baboon scrambled up to the millet pots and shouted back down toTortoise…

BABOON: Oh, no! Anybody who wants to eat with me must climb to get their supper. Come, Tortoise, come! Come up here and get it! Opgaan, klim! Come, climb! (Tortoise sobs, and crawls slowly …and hungrily… away.)

NARRATOR 2: Poor Tortoise. He could only turn homewardwith a very empty stomach, miserable in his tree climbing abilities. But as he crawled, his anger growledas much as his hungry belly, and he was struck with a sudden plan to get back at the heartless Baboon.

TORTOISE: I know how to get him back, that nasty greedyold Baboon. Yes indeed. He’ll be sorry he tricked me, I can promise you that!

NARRATOR 2: And home he went…. quietly planning his revenge. It was several days later when Baboon unexpectedly received an invitation to Tortoise’s house for dinner. Baboon was very surprised, indeed, to be invited; but knowing how slow and good-natured he was, maybe Tortoise had already forgiven Baboon for his prank.

BABOON: Hmmmmm, this invitation is curious--very curious, indeed. That fellow, the Tortoise, is either very stupid or realizes the joke and bears me no ill

26

will after all. I'll just go along to his house and see what I can get out of this for myself!

NARRATOR 2: And so Baboon set out along the path that led to Tortoise's home. Now, it just so happened that itwas the African dry season when many bush fires leave the ground scorched and dark. Just beyond the river, Baboon found a wide stretch of burnt and blackened grass, over which he sprang towards Tortoise’s house. Tortoise, standing beside a cooking pot from which issued the most deliciously delectable smells, beamed a welcome.

TORTOISE: Ah, look here! It's my good friend and brother, Baboon! I'm very pleased to see you, my friend. I have made you a mouth-watering surprise…. I’m sure it will soon be one of your favorites! But goodness me, your manners! Did your mother never teach you to wash your hands before meals? Just look at those hands! They're as black as soot. Now, you run back to the river right this minute and wash your hands! When you have gotten them clean, I will dish up some of this scrumptious supper for you.

NARRATOR 2: The Baboon licked his lips, sniffed the cooking pot then looked at his hands, which were indeed very black from crossing the burnt ground. He scamperedback across the black earth and quickly washed his handsin the river. Once again, he bounded across the burnt ground to return to the Tortoise…and the cooking pot! But when he held out his hands to be given his bowl, Tortoise declared…..

TORTOISE: No, no, no. This will never do! I told you that you could only share supper with me if your hands were clean. Go back and wash those hands again at once! And you had better be quick about it because I have started eating my supper already and yours is getting very, very cold. Besides, I cannot promise you I won’t eat it all by myself!

NARRATOR 2: The poor Baboon looked at Tortoise smackinghis lips, his mouth full of food, then howled and ran

27

back to the river to wash his hands again. Time and time again he did this; but try as he might to stay clean, he got his hands and feet dirty each time he scampered back over the black earth. And each time, Tortoise refused to give him any of the delicious food…food that was quickly disappearing.

BABOON: Arrggghhhhhhhhhh!!!!! My supper is vanishing right before my very eyes! And I have not had one tiny bite, not even a single small taste!

NARRATOR 2: As Tortoise swallowed the last yummy crumb and winked, Baboon realized he had been tricked! With acry of rage he dashed across the burnt ground one last time and ran all the way home… wailing about nasty turtles, cooking pots and the unfairness of life in the African dry season.

TORTOISE: Let that teach you a lesson, my friend! Just because I move slow does not mean that I AM slow!

NARRATOR 2: And the Tortoise, well fed and very contented, withdrew into his cozy shell for a long night's sleep and dreams of sobbing baboons with very dirty hands.

(Music cue: [Tumba coco]) African music/dance. Cast chants ‘story…. Story …story’ again. Scene change. )

SCENE VINARRATOR 1: A long way away and a long time ago, high in the mountains, the people of a small village gatheredto figure out what to do about tigers roaming freely in the jungle near their home.

VILLAGER 1: We must do something! With all these dangerous tigers rambling about we're too afraid to stepoutside of our village.

28

VILLAGER 2: We simply have to do something. Last week one of those tigers actually ate off one of my legs! (Pointing to a make believe peg leg.)

NARRATOR 1: After much squabbling back and forth (Do the action!), the villagers decided to dig deep holes and trap the tigers. So they did just that. Everyone inthe village helped, even children, old people and the man whose leg was not there. They dug deep holes next toall the tiger tracks then hid and waited for tigers to come. A few days passed and a young man heard horrible howling sounds as he walked along the path to the village.

YOUNG MAN: What on earth…? What's making all that racket? Whatever it is, it certainly does not sound very happy…or very friendly.

NARRATOR 1: The young man followed the howling sounds until he came upon a deep hole….when he peered into the hold, what do you think he saw? (Ask the children to respond.) He was……a tiger down in it! The tiger paced back and forth and tried to claw his way out. Each timehe jumped, he fell back into the hole with a loud thump,and growled to anyone who might listen…..

TIGER: Nisaidie, tafadhali! (Ni-sa-EED-hi, ta-FAHD-halee) Help me, won’t you?!

YOUNG MAN: Whoa! Hello down there, Mr. Tiger! Howeverdid you get yourself into such a predicament? How did you get yourself stuck down there in that deep deep hole?

TIGER: I promise you, young man, I don't know! I was walking along as most tigers do, looking for something tasty to eat, when suddenly the earth caved beneath me and I fell into this hole. Tafadhali, please help me get out of here! My poor wife and children will be worried sick. Who will care for them if I am stuck for the rest of my life in this miserable hole? If you helpget me out of here, I will promise you my eternal gratitude.

29

NARRATOR 1: Now, this young man being a very kind and compassionate person found a large tree branch that had fallen on the ground. He pushed and he tugged and finally dropped one end of it down into the deep hole. The young man yelled as he pushed the branch over the edge.

YOUNG MAN: Watch out below, Mr. Tiger! Incoming!

TIGER: Ow! Owwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

YOUNG MAN: Oooops.

NARRATOR 1: The tiger, digging his claws into the branch, sprang up the tree, and leapt out of the deep hole…free at last!

TIGER: Ah! That's a good deal better. My thanks to you,young man, for your kind and generous assistance.

NARRATOR 1: The tiger, while very happy to be free, grinned at the young man showing all of his very large and very sharp teeth, then stretched…flicking his sharp claws out one by one. The young man,watching quietly, suddenly became very nervous standing so close to such a large sharply clawed many teethed tiger and decided it must surely be time for him to go.

YOUNG MAN: Well…., gosh, look at the time, Mr. Tiger (backing away.) I must be running along now. Good-bye and the very best to you….and to your family. Oh…and watch out for those holes now! Bye! (Turns to leave.)TIGER: Not so fast, little man. I’m not finished with you. (Grabs the young man.) While I appreciate all of your help and I most certainly offer you my deepest gratitude, I am a tiger, after all….and a hungry one at that. So, I think, like any self respecting tiger, thatI will eat you.

YOUNG MAN: NO! But, but, you said you'd be eternally grateful to me if I helped you get out. Grateful, you said! Grateful is NOT eating!

30

TIGER: Indeed. But it was a human who dug the hole that trapped me, and since you are a human and you here,I am going to eat you!

YOUNG MAN: But, I didn’t dig that hole! It’s not my fault you ended up down there. Digging deep holes is not what I do! Trapping is not what I do! I’m only a boy! Being a BOY is what I do!

TIGER: Ahhhh…but I am a tiger and I am doing what tigers do…..Eat humans!

YOUNG MAN: Really?? Unbelievable! I helped you and nowyou're going to eat me just because I'm human. That’s sonot fair. I think we should ask someone else…someone needs to judge whether that's fair or not (quickly looking around for some help.)

NARRATOR 1: The tiger, thinking ahead, agreed to an outside opinion... the idea hitting him that maybe he could even double his snack! So they looked around for someone to act as a judge. Soon, they found an Ox, relayed the entire story to him, and asked for his opinion.

OX: Hmmmm. That’s easy. In my opinion it's fair for the tiger to eat you, human, because humans treat us Oxen very badly. You make us work all day in the hot sun, carry heavy loads regardless of the heat, and when you get hungry, you kill us and grill us. Now I call THAT unfair!

NARRATOR 1: The tiger, once again flicking his claws, moved closer to the young man and smacked his lips. Theoxen, observing this, naturally beat a hasty retreat.

YOUNG MAN: Um….How do you feel about the best two out of three answers? That would only be fair.

NARRATOR 1: The tiger chuckled at all the talk of being‘fair’ but he enjoyed toying with the young man, so

31

again he agreed. The young man asked the biggest tree in the jungle if it was fair or not.

TREE: Oh, that’s easy, human. It's definitely fair forthe tiger to eat you. Humans chop down trees whenever they want to, set fire to the forest and burn all the trees to the ground. You want to talk about fairness? Now THAT is unfair! NARRATOR 1: The tiger, looking very pleased, flashed his sharp pearly teeth at the young man…then licked his lips again. The young man’s legs turned to Jello and hebegan to shake—his knees began to knock. Just as he thought he was going to faint, a rabbit scurried by….

YOUNG MAN: RABBIT!! Please Mr. Rabbit, won’t you stop for a moment and help judge whether it’s fair…..or not fair if Mr. Tiger eats me? Especially after I so generously saved his life by helping him climb out of a deep hole?

RABBIT: Eat you, huh? Well, hmmmmm. (Rabbit sizes up the situation accurately.) Before I could possibly judge the fairness of such a shameful act, I must first witness exactly what occurred to bring you to this debate. Now, show me precisely where you both were and how this all came about. Mr. Tiger, tell me…..just where were you at the beginning of all this?

NARRATOR: Quickly growing bored and wanting to hurry upand eat the young man, the tiger pointed to the hole in the ground.

NARRATOR: There? You were there in the hole? (Waits for Tiger to comply)

TIGER: Here….this is exactly where I was….(Tiger impatiently growls and jumps back down into the hole). And getting very hungry, I might add.

RABBIT: Now wait just a moment. Was this branch down in the hole like this?

32

TIGER: No it was not, silly rabbit. There was nothing in the hole but me. Hurry up! Hurry up! I am hungry!

RABBIT: I see. Yes. Help me, young man. (The young man and the hare pull the branch out.) Aha! Now I havea clear picture of exactly how it all transpired. (Winking at the boy) My judgment is, then, that it is not fair for you to eat this young man. Just because some human dug this hole does not make it fair for you to eat THIS human. On the contrary, you should reward him for rescuing you for without his help, you would still be down in that hole….precisely where you are now!

NARRATOR 1: Having outsmarted the tiger, the rabbit laughed, winked at the young man and hopped away, chuckling at the Tiger’s foolishness AND his own wisdom.What happened to the young man? He scurried off home…safe once again now that Tiger was back in that hole. (Tiger howl is heard) You know children, there is a moral to this story—if you follow trouble, trouble willfollow you. Hahaha hahahah. Or, even better, if you argue with a fool, a third person will come along and not know which one of you the fool is! Hahahahahaha! (Music cue: [Martillo] Short dance break for Scene change. ‘Story…story … story’ is heard chanted again.)

SCENE VII

NARRATOR 2: (Sneaking out from back stage.) Rabbits andtigers and snakes…oh my! Rabbits and tigers and snakes…oh my! (N1 grabs N2 around the waist and scares him. N2runs off screaming.) Heh, heh, heh. In another part ofthe deep dark jungle, Simba….a lion… and Jack..…a jackal…set out hunting together. It wasn’t long before Simba hunted down a fine fat elk to feed his family.

LION: Run back to my house, Friend Jack, and tell my children to come carry home this meat while I hunt for more game.

33

NARRATOR 2: Now the jackal, being a devious fellow, ranquickly to his own house and gathered his own children who promptly carried away that fine fat elk. The lion meanwhile, finding no more game and becoming very hungry, gave up on hunting and made his way home hoping for a delicious supper.

LION: Dag! Hallo, hallo! Hello, my family! Is that not one fine fat elk that I sent home for supper, Mrs. Lion? Haha! I am the king of hunting!

NARRATOR 2: The lion strutted about, puffed up his hugechest, and boasted to the lioness. Mrs. Lion watched herhusband strut but she was very puzzled….and scratched her head in confusion.

LIONESS: What elk do you mean, husband? We have seen no elk here.

LION: What? Didn’t my rafiki (rah-FEE-kee)…my friend the jackal, come get my children to bring home a fine fat elk from the hunt?

LIONESS: He did not, and we have been waiting for our food—and starving! Where is our supper, husband?

NARRATOR 2: The lion roared furiously and marched himself up to the jackal's home hidden high up on a ledge between the rocks….you could only reach it by a rope. The Lion disappeared into the rocks to hide, and in a little while, Jackal came out—after having a large meal of fine fat elk. Out jumped the lion! Knowing what he had done, the Jackal ran with all his might and managed to scurry down a small hole, but not before Liongrabbed him by his tail.

LION: AHA! Now I've got you, you friendless elk thief,you! I have your tail—and the rest of you is attached!

JACKAL: What do you mean? That is not my tail! It is just an old root. If you don’t believe me, hit it with astone to see if it bleeds.

34

NARRATOR 2: The lion, not quite the brightest firefly in the night, thought this a wise thing to do so, he dropped the tail and went to look for a stone to use. Jackal escaped off to his rocky hideaway, snickering allthe while. When Lion returned, the jackal was long gone. Realizing he had been tricked again, the infuriated Lion again stormed up to the jackal's burrow high up on the mountainside.

LION: Ho there, you deceitful little jackal! Come out of there before I scratch you out with my claws!

NARRATOR 2: The lion roared his loudest. The trembling jackal peeped out but since he was inside such a small hidden den, he figured he was safe and so felt pretty bold and cheeky.

JACKAL: (Making himself sound tough) Who is that yelling at my door? Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you bothering me? Why? Why? Why??

NARRATOR 2: Oh, that cheeky jackal—he was really pushing his luck.

LION: (Sweetly purring….) Dear friend Jackal, I have merely come to see a friend. Let down the rope so I can climb up the mountainside and visit with you, my friend.We will have a great time. I am sure of it.

NARRATOR 2: The sneaky jackal snorted at Lion then let down a rope made entirely of mouse tails. As Lion beganto climb, the flimsy rope broke and down he went hittingthe rocks…hard! Knowing he had won, Jackal laughed and laughed as poor Lion limped home to nurse a very, very sore uh……..head. (Jackal laughs and laughs and laughs ashe follows Lion off) That Jackal…. cheeky jokester. And poor, poor Lion. (Music Cue: [Spirit of Maculele] Narrator 1 enters as Narrator 2 exits. Dancers dance across the stage as scene changes. Music fades.)

35

SCENE VIIINARRATOR 1: Our friend Lion was not so wise, was he? But, friend Jackal? HA! Wise enough to get a free meal! Everybody think they have wysheid….wisdom, huh? Now, our friend Anansi the spider, very wisely knew thathe was not the wisest critter on the earth.  

ANANSI: While I am very clever, and can outwit many many peoples, I know that I truly do not have much wisdom.   Poor me. What am I to do….what to do? What todo? (Paces)

NARRATOR 1: This bothered Anansi but he did not know what to do about this lack of wisdom.   He pondered day and night until he finally had a clever thought.  

ANANSI: I know! If I can gather all the wisdom in the village, put it in a hollowed out gourd, and hide it where only I know where it is, then all of the wisdom inthe world would belong to me! Oh yes, I would be very wise indeed. In fact, I would be the wisest one of all!

NARRATOR 1: So he set off to find a suitable gourd…big enough and deep enough to hold a LOT of wisdom…and then he began to collect the world’s wisdom.   He traveled from door to door, asking everyone to put some little ‘sumpin’ sumpin’ of their wisdom into the gourd.  

ANANSI: (As someone answers their door.) Hello! Good day to you! My name is Anansi Spider and I am collecting….uhhhhhh….I am collecting…..collecting…… wisdom samples. Yes, wisdom samples. That’s it. Wouldyou be so kind as to donate a teensy bit of your wisdom to our sample survey? (Repeat this action several timesto establish a pattern.)

NARRATOR 1: People secretly laughed at Anansi, for theyknew that of all the creatures, it was he who needed wisdom the most.   So each person put a drop of wisdom in the gourd and wished him well on his search.

36

ANANSI: Thank you! Oh thank you ever so much. You will not miss this tiny little bit of wisdom nor will you regret donating to the cause of….the cause of….ahhhh….OH! The cause of…...wisdom research! (All laugh at Anansi.)

NARRATOR: Before long, Anansi's gourd was overflowing with wisdom and could hold no more.   Now all he needed was to find a secret place to hide it.  

ANANSI: I must be the wisest person in the world by now, but if I don't find a good hiding place for my wisdom, I will lose it. Some thief could come and take it all away from me! (Looks around and spots a tall, tall tree) Ah, if I could hide my wisdom high up in thattree, I would never have to worry about someone stealingit from me!

NARRATOR 1: So Anansi set out to climb the towering tree.  (Anansi's young son skips through but stops to watch his father) First, he took a cloth band and tied it around his waist. Then he cradled the heavy gourd inside the cloth in the front near his belly so it wouldbe safe. As he started to climb, though, the gourd keptgetting in his way.  He tried and tried, but could not climb the tree for the gourd around his waist kept slipping and getting in the way.

SON: Father? What are you doing?

ANANSI: Don’t be silly, boy. I am climbing this tree to hide this gourd full of wisdom so no one can steal itfrom me. But it keeps getting in my way! Run along now, I am quite busy. Too busy to play with you right now!

SON: But Father…

ANANSI: Run along now, son. I am much wiser than you and will surely figure out the best course of action to take here in no time. I need no help from you. Now sal! Gaan! Go!

37

SON: But Father, if I may…..Wouldn't it be easier for you to climb if you tied the gourd behind you instead ofin front of you?

NARRATOR 1: Anansi stared at the boy quietly for a verylong time before answering, then with a sigh he softly said ….

ANANSI: Shouldn't you be going home now, Son? Isn’t itpast your bedtime? Don’t you have homework…or chores….or SOMEthing you need to do?

NARRATOR 1: The boy smiled up at his father, waved, then skipped merrily down the path. When the boy was out of sight, Anansi moved the gourd around behind him, and with a loud ‘harumph’ continued to climb the tree without a single problem. When he reached the top, he cried out:

ANANSI: Oh world! I have collected so much of your wisdom from all over that I thought I was surely the wisest person alive, yet still my baby son is wiser thanI! Take back your useless wisdom!

NARRATOR 1: And with a cry, he lifted the gourd over his head, cast its contents into the wind, and watched as wisdom scattered to the four corners of the earth. (Anansi throws a bucket with blue paper streamers or bits of paper toward the audience as cast members run into the audience and toss blue paper at the children from buckets.) And that’s how wisdom came into the world. (Music cue: [Lahara] Dance break as the whole cast joins both Narrators on stage.)

NARRATOR 2: Now I ask you all, is not wisdom a most wonderful thing? It makes you think. It makes you shrewd. It makes you clever.

NARRATOR 1: Not only that, but wisdom makes you smart!

(All characters laugh, point, and generally deride Narrator 1 for his silly comment. “Of course it makes you smart, silly….etc.)

38

ANANSI: From our stories you’ve learned what it means to be wise.

BABOON: And compassionate.

TIGER: And brave.

LION: And forgiving.

NARRATOR 1: And very very smart!

LIONESS: Not to mention ninanjaa……

TORTOISE: Ninanjaa….yes, very very hungry.

RABBIT: We hope you take what you’ve learned today about wisdom and…use it wisely.

NARRATOR 2: Use it to become the best …..

JACKAL: Jackal….

TORTOISE: Tortoise…..

KING: King…..

QUEEN: Queen…..

YOUNG MAN/SON: Seun! (boy)

VILLAGER/GIRL: Meisie! (girl)

SNAKE: Ssssssslippery Ssssssnake…

ANANSI: Or just plain ‘ole magnificent spider…..

ALL: That you can be!

ANANSI: We’re so glad our stories have touched you and offer you a hearty asante (ah-SAN-tay) (all say asante.)Thank you for sharing our little bit of Ashanti life… the legends and stories that were handed down…

NARRATOR 1: Stories that tell the tales of a nation….

39

ANANSI: …a people….

NARRATOR 1: …tales of wisdom passing from generation togeneration…

NARRATOR 2: Animal to animal….

NARRATOR 1: Person to person…..

ANANSI: And spider to spider!

NARRATOR 2: We must now say kwaheri (kwah-HAY-ree) to you…..

NARRATOR 1: Kwaheri is Swahili for goodbye…..

ANANSI: Can you say it with us? Kwaheri….. (All cast teaches the words to the children.)

ALL: Kwaheri! Tot siens! (Goodbye! See you again!)

(Music cue. Dancers dance. All sing as house lights come up on the children…[Something good is gonna happen today..] All cast members get children to sing and clap along. Dancers dance behind cast members.)

Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.And I can’t wait for that something good.

Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.And I can’t wait for that something good.

Can’cha think of something? Couldn’t we alluse something? Everybody needs something…something,something good! Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.And I can’t wait for that something good.

40

Can’cha think of something? Couldn’t we all use something? Everybody needs something…something, something good!

Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.Something good is gonna happen today.And I can’t wait for that something good.

Illustration Copyright: Phillip Martin Dialogue Adaptation: Phoebe Hall March 15, 2005. Revised October 29, 2006Music copyrights: (All music was used with permission. Musicused for educational purposes only.)

Something Good is Gonna Happen Today – Willa Brigham (used by special permission from Ms. Brigham)

Sacumba -- Luis Garay Percussion World (and the following songs.)

Sambazo Afrodezia Afro-Chin Dumbe Timbalero Dance Marimba Azucar Afro 11/8

41

Martillo Sacumba Percumba Tumba Coco Chacara Spirit of Maculele

Mama Africa -- The Peace African Youth Ensemble

Gorilla Walk – Michael Mish

Banana Sample – Edward Hines

Zumbi Viva – D.R.U.M. (Houston, TX)

Bongonizm – MomBasa Express

42