New Recording 4

The episode discusses the folklore of Anansi, a shape-shifting spider from Ghana who wanted to bring stories to the people on Earth. Anansi had to complete several tasks, including capturing a leopard, a python, hornets, and a forest spirit. He succeeded and was rewarded with the world's stories, which he scattered throughout the world. In this episode, we will talk about the folklore that originated in Ghana and moved its way to Jamaica. Long ago, all stories belonged to the god Nameh, the all-seeing sky god. People on earth were bored and knew nothing about their history, but one creature decided that he had enough. The tricky, shape-shifting spider, Anansi, resolved to bring the story down to earth. He climbed up to confront the sky god by using his webs. Crouching at Nameh's feet, Anansi shouted at the top of his lungs that he had came to take ownership of the world's stories. Nameh hooted with laughter at the spider's absurd request. The sky god told Anansi he could have all the stories he wanted if he could take the possible task of taking Obsebo the leopard, Onene the python, and Momoboro the hornet and Motae the forest bird. Then he could take all the stories he wanted. Back on earth, Anansi grabbed his magical bag and set to work. Anansi found Onene the python bathing in the sun. Anansi scoffed, saying he was no longer than a piece of bamboo. Onene stretched his body to show he was longer than a stick, and Anansi tricked him and tied him to the stick. The next day, Anansi dug a deep hole in the middle of the path of where Obsebo the leopard usually prowls, and covered it with banana leaves. Sure enough, mighty Obsebo soon fell in. Anansi scowled at Obsebo for his carelessness, but offered him to rescue him. As he helped Obsebo out of the pit, Anansi swiftly dabbed him with his knife. Obsebo fell back to the ground, where Anansi wound him up tight in the spider's thread. Then Anansi heard Momoboro and his hornets buzzing. He cautiously approached them. This would be tricky. Their stings could make somebody swell up and die, but Anansi knew they hated rain. He filled his mouth with water and spat at its swarm. As they panicked, Anansi urged the hornets to the shelter in the garage. After they found themselves trapped, Anansi had one more task to capture Motae, the elusive and mischievous forest spirit. She usually hid herself deep in the woods, but Anansi knew she would be lonely. So he made a little doll, covered in sap, and left it in her path. When she came up, Motae spoke to the doll, but became enraged when it didn't answer. She hit the doll disrespectfully, and her small fists stuck up its sticky surface. Anansi wrapped Motae tight and scooped her into the bag. Along with the other creatures, triumphantly, he climbed his way back into the clouds. When the sky guards saw that Anansi had completed the impossible task, he was amazed. Namae told Anansi that he had earned the world's story. Dancing for joy, Anansi gathered them up, stuffed the stories into his bag, and sent them to Earth. There he scattered the stories throughout the world.