Anansi and the Corn Tree

One dry season, food was scarce, but Anansi found a tall corn tree heavy with golden ears. He climbed it happily, stuffing himself, but he didn’t want anyone else to share. So he called down to the other animals:

“Stay away! This corn belongs to me!”

But the corn kernels kept slipping through his fingers and falling to the ground. Soon, the other animals gathered below and began eating what fell. Anansi grew so angry trying to hold it all that he lost his grip and tumbled down, right into the hungry crowd.

The animals laughed, “You tried to keep it all, Anansi, but you ended up with nothing!”

Lesson: Greed makes you lose more than you gain.