In the days when animals spoke and wit could weigh more than strength, Anansi the spider lived by his clever tongue and restless hunger for advantage. He was small, but his thoughts were sharp, and he watched his neighbors closely, measuring what they owned and how it might be turned to his benefit. Among those neighbors was Tiger, powerful and proud, who lived in a solid house and possessed many fine things, the greatest of which was a beautiful sword. The blade was long and keen, polished to a shine that caught the sun, and everyone knew it could cut cleanly through wood, vine, or bone.
Near Anansi’s dwelling grew a thick patch of cowitch vines. Their leaves hid tiny hairs that burned the skin with fierce itching, and no one approached them without care. Anansi hated those vines. They blocked his path and troubled his movements, yet he did not own a tool sharp enough to clear them safely. Each day he passed Tiger’s house and saw the sword resting inside, and a plan slowly formed in his mind.
One morning, Anansi went to Tiger and spoke with great politeness. He praised the sword’s beauty and strength, then asked if he might borrow it for a short while to cut down the troublesome cowitch. Tiger frowned. He valued his sword and did not trust Anansi’s hands, but pride and reluctance softened under flattery. At last, he agreed, warning Anansi to be careful and to return the blade exactly as it was given.
Anansi took the sword with many thanks. He worked carefully at first, using the blade to slice through the cowitch vines, which fell away cleanly before its edge. The task was done quickly, and Anansi stood looking at the cleared ground. That was when his wicked idea took hold. He examined the sword and, with deliberate care, cut a deep notch into its edge. The damage was plain to see. Satisfied, he returned the sword to Tiger.
Tiger noticed the flaw at once. His anger rose like fire. He roared and demanded to know how such a thing could happen. Anansi did not tremble. He sighed and shook his head, as though burdened by bad luck rather than guilt. He explained that while cutting the vines, he had seen a huge, fat lizard disappear into a hole. Thinking to strike it and bring home a fine prize, he swung the sword hard. The blade, he said, must have struck solid rock hidden inside the hole.
At the word “fat,” Tiger’s anger shifted to greed. He imagined the lizard’s rich meat and forgot his suspicion. He demanded that Anansi take him to the very spot. Anansi agreed at once and led Tiger through the bush until they reached a deep hole in the ground. He told Tiger the lizard had hidden there and urged him to reach inside before it escaped.
Tiger hesitated only a moment. Confident in his strength, he thrust his paw into the hole. Instantly, he cried out. A poisonous creature Anansi had placed there bit him sharply. The venom worked fast. Tiger staggered, collapsed, and soon lay still upon the ground.
Anansi waited until the forest was silent. Then he returned to Tiger’s house and claimed it, along with all the possessions inside. He lived there afterward, richer than before, while the tale of Tiger’s greed and Anansi’s treachery spread through the land.
Moral Lesson
This folktale warns that unchecked greed and careless trust invite destruction, while cunning without conscience leads to ruin for others. Wisdom lies in caution, not desire.
Knowledge Check
1. Why does Anansi borrow Tiger’s sword?
To cut down the stinging cowitch vines.
2. What damage does Anansi do to the sword?
He cuts a deep notch into the blade.
3. How does Anansi explain the damaged sword?
He claims he struck rock while trying to kill a large lizard.
4. What flaw in Tiger’s character leads to his death?
Greed and gullibility.
5. What is hidden in the hole Anansi shows Tiger?
A poisonous snake or scorpion.
6. What does Anansi gain in the end?
Tiger’s house and possessions.
Source & Cultural Origin
Source: Jamaican folktale, Jamaica
Adapted from Jamaica Anansi Stories by Martha Beckwith, Story 24, “The Borrowed Sword”
Cultural Origin: Jamaica (Anansi folklore)
