I love telling stories about Anansi, the spider. He is a trickster, whose tricks don't often go well. One of my all time favorite Anansi tales is “Anansi’s Hat Shaking Dance”.  I learned the version I tell from a book published in 1908, called Hat-shaking Dance, and Other Tales from the Gold Coast by Harold Courlander. Here is the story, as I tell it:

            Anansi loved to play tricks. But, on some days, the good that was in his heart would bubble up to the surface, and he would say, “I am having a good day!” On days like that, Anansi loved to be helpful.

            One day, Anansi woke up and felt that good in him bubbling up. “I am having a good day,” he said. “I think I will go help Granny Spider plant her fields.”

            Anansi put on his hat, and went downstairs. “I am having a good day,” he said to his wife, Aso. “I am going to help Granny Spider plant her fields.”

            “Wonderful, Anansi,” said Aso. “I will bring you a big breakfast so you will not be hungry.”

            Aso brought Anansi all his favorite foods. He gobbled down bananas, yams, and coconut. When he was done his wife gave him a seven layer chocolate cake.

            “Do not eat this, Anansi. I want you to take it to Granny Spider.”

            “I will," said Anansi. “I am having a good day!”

            Anansi set out to Granny Spider's. He walked, and walked, and walked until he was tired, thirsty, and hungry. But, Anansi did not eat that cake. He was having a good day.

            When Anansi came to a river, he put the cake down, and took a drink of the cool, cool water. His stomach rumbled. It grumbled. But, Anansi did not eat the cake. He was having a good day.

            Anansi made his way to Granny Spider’s. “Come in,” she called out when he knocked on the door.

            “Granny Spider, I am having a good day,” Anansi said as he stepped into her house. “I have come to help you plant your fields, and look what Aso sent for you!

            “Wonderful, Anansi,” said Granny Spider. “We can have it later, with the beans I am making.” Granny Spider put the lid back on the pot she was stirring.

            Anansi sniffed the air. The beans smelled delicious.

            Granny Spider went to plant seeds in the field furthest from the house. Anansi began planting seeds in the field closest to the house.

            As Anansi planted and sang, the aroma of the beans filled the air. His stomach rumbled. Anansi tried to ignore the smell. I am having a good day, he reminded himself.

            Finally Anansi broke down. “Surely, Granny would want me to at least stir the beans.

            Anansi went into the house. He stirred the beans. He smelled the beans. He stirred the beans. “I should taste these for Granny. Maybe she did not put enough salt in.”

            Anansi tasted the beans. He tasted some more. And more! He pulled his hat from his head and filled it up.

            Just as he was about to eat the beans from his hat the door burst open, and in stepped Granny Spider’s neighbors. Anansi quickly put the hat back on his head.

            “AAAIIII,” cried Anansi. The beans burned. He started to dance around and shake his head.

            “What are you doing?” asked one of the neighbours.

            “I—I am doing the—Hat Shaking Dance,” he cried as he continued to shake and dance around.”

            “That looks fun! Teach it to us.”

            So, Anansi shook his head, showing them how to do the hat shaking dance.

            Finally, the burning became too much for Anansi. He flung the hat off of his head and beans flew everywhere, just as Granny Spider came in.

            “Oh, Anansi,” she said. “I thought you were having a good day.”

            Anansi was so ashamed he went outside and hid himself in the tall grass. To this very day spiders sometimes hide in the grass, and all because of Anansi’s Hat Shaking Dance!

Create your own Anansi Tale

I would love for you to take Anansi’s Hat Shaking Dance and tell it to someone else! Or, you could write it out and read it to them. One way to retell, or rewrite a story is to learn the most important things that happen. Here is an outline for you to use:

·    Anansi decides to help Granny Spider

·    Anansi’s wife makes him breakfast then gives him a cake to take to Granny Spider

·    Anansi walks all the way to Granny Spider’s

·    He does not eat the cake

·    When he gets to Granny Spider's he sees that she is making beans

·    Anansi plants seeds in the field closest to Granny Spider’s house

·    Granny Spider is in the field furthest from the house

·    Anansi moves closer and closer to the house as he smells the beans cooking

·    Anansi goes in to the house to stir the beans for Granny Spider

·    Anansi starts to eat the beans

·    Granny Spider’s neighbors come in just as Anansi fills his hat with beans

·    Anansi puts the hat on his head. He dances around, and shakes back and forth because the beans are burning his head

·    The neighbors ask Anansi what he is doing, he tells them he is doing The Hat Shaking Dance

·    The neighbors think it looks fun. Anansi teaches them the dance

·    The burning is too much for Anansi and he pulls the hat off his head sending beans everywhere

·    Granny Spider walks in

·    Ashamed, Anansi hides in the grass

When you are telling, or writing this story, you can change some of the details if you like. Some things to think about are:

·    what foods Anansi eats for breakfast

·    what Anansi takes with him

·    what Anansi stops at to drink water

·    what Granny Spider is cooking

·    who Anansi goes to visit

To finish off, draw a picture of your favorite part of the story. If you are doing this as a classroom, mount all the pictures on a paper banner to hang in the hallway outside your classroom. Have fun with Anansi!

The next time you drop in at your local library, check out some of these books for more fun Anansi tales:

·    Anansi does the impossible! : an Ashanti tale / retold by Verna Aardema ; illustrated by Lisa Desimini.

·    The pot of wisdom : Ananse stories / Adwoa Badoe ; pictures by Baba Wague Diakite.

·    Ananse and the lizard : a West African tale / retold and illustrated by Pat Cummings.

·    Anansi and the magic stick / by Eric A. Kimmel; illustrated by Janet Stevens.

·    Anansi and the talking melon / retold by Eric A. Kimmel; illustrated by Janet Stevens.

·    Spider and his son find wisdom: an Akan tale / retold by Melinda Lilly ; illustrated by Charles Reasoner.

·    Ananse's feast : an Ashanti tale / retold by Tololwa M. Mollel ; illustrated by Andrew Glass.

·    The illustrated Anansi : four Caribbean folk tales / Philip Sherlock; illustrated by Petrina Wright.

·    Anansi the spider : a tale from the Ashanti /by McDermott, Gerald.