Anansi and the Broken Web

Long ago, before the world was as busy as it is today, Anansi the spider lived in a small village on the island. Though he was clever and full of tricks, Anansi had a weakness: he always thought he could manage everything by himself.

One day, Nyame the Sky God called a meeting of the animals. He declared,

"A great storm is coming. To survive, every family must weave their webs together, so the village can withstand the winds and rains."

The animals all agreed. The parrots planned to tie branches, the goats to build fences, and the spiders to spin strong webs to shield the homes.

But Anansi laughed.

"Why should I join with others? My web is strong enough! I don’t need anyone to hold it together."

So while the other spiders joined strands and wove a giant, unbreakable net, Anansi spun his own proud web across a mango tree, shining and perfect, but standing all alone.

The Storm Arrives

When the storm finally came, the winds howled like a hundred drums, and the rains beat the earth like sticks on a calabash. The animals huddled together beneath the great woven net, safe and secure.

But Anansi’s lonely web trembled and shook. At the first fierce gust, the strands snapped one by one until the whole web collapsed, leaving Anansi rolling helplessly in the mud.

Soaked and ashamed, Anansi crept to the shelter of the great net. The other animals welcomed him in. "You see, Anansi," they said gently, "one strand may break, but many strands together cannot be torn."

The Lesson of the Web

From that day on, Anansi never forgot what the storm had taught him. He began to tell his children and grandchildren:

"A family is like a web. Each strand supports the other. Alone, we are weak. Together, we are strong."

And so, the story of Anansi and the Broken Web became a lesson for all Jamaicans: that strong families and united communities can endure any storm—whether it be hardship, temptation, or trouble.

Moral of the Story

No matter how clever or talented one may be, life is not meant to be lived alone. Strong families, healthy relationships, and supportive communities are the webs that hold us up. Just as Anansi learned, we build stability not by standing apart, but by standing together—for the good of all humanity.

Related Anansi Stories

• 👉 Anansi and the Corn Tree

• 👉 Anansi and the River Fish

• 👉 Anansi and the Hot Pepper Soup

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