Anansi and the Pot of Wisdom

Long ago, the Sky God decided to give all the wisdom in the world to Anansi, the spider. He placed it in a large clay pot and said, “Anansi, guard this wisely, for it is now yours.”

Anansi, greedy and clever, thought to himself, Why should I share this wisdom with anyone? I will keep it all for myself. So he tied the pot to his chest and decided to climb the tallest tree to hide it.

But every time he climbed, the pot kept banging against his belly, making it hard to move. Frustrated, Anansi struggled until his young son, who was watching, shouted:

“Papa! Why don’t you tie the pot on your back instead? It would be easier to climb!”

Anansi froze. He had all the wisdom in the world, yet he hadn’t thought of that simple idea. Angrily, he realized wisdom could never belong to one person alone. In his frustration, he dropped the pot, and it shattered into pieces. The wisdom spread out across the land, into rivers, forests, and people everywhere.

And that is why, even today, everyone carries a little piece of wisdom within them—not just Anansi.

The children at the bak-a-yaad giggle at Anansi’s foolishness, while the adults nod knowingly. The story, like so many Anansi tales, reminds them that wisdom is not for hoarding—it is for sharing.

Related Anansi Stories

• 👉 Anansi and the Corn Tree

• 👉 Anansi and the River Fish

• 👉 Anansi and the Hot Pepper Soup

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