A Story A Story

A Story A Story
Retold and Illustrated by: Gail E. Haley
Multicultural Literature
~This is and African story about how stories themselves came to be. Once, all the stories belonged to the Sky god Nyame. Ananse, the spider man, wanted to buy the stories from Nyame, so he builds a web to the sky. Nyame told Ananse that the price of the stories would be Osebo the leopord of-the-terrible-teech, Mmboro the hornet who-stings-like-fire and Mmoatia the fairy whom-men-never-see. Ananse tricks Osebo into playing a game with him, and Ananse ties him up. Then, Ananse tricks Mmboro into flying into his calabash. Finally, Ananse catches Mmoatia by carving a doll covered in sticky latex gum, holding a bowl of pounded yams. Ananse set the doll by the flamboyant tree where the faries dance and tied a string to it, while he hid behind a bush. When the fairy slapped the gum doll she stuck right to it and Ananse had captured the fairy. Ananse spun a wed around Osebo, Mmboror, and Mmoatis and spun a web back to the sky to bring his captives to the Sky god. Nyame the Sky god was true to his word and gave Ananse the spider man his stories, now called "spider stories." Ananse took the golden box of stories back to Earth and to his village people. When Ananse opoened the box, the stories spread to all corners of the world.
~This can be used during a lesson on African culture. This book is a great example of an African tale that has great illustrations. I would not use this book as your primary source for studying African culture but would be a great addition to a multicultural study. Before reading the book get out a map and shoe students where Africa is located. Also, have students make predictions about this story and how they think Ananse will obtain the three things he needs to get the stories. Students can make a story web about how Ananse tricks all the animals.