Anansi and the Rat's Wedding

Anansi the Spider and the Rat were good friends. The Rat invited Anansi to his son's wedding, which was to be held in a faraway village. On the day, Anansi arrived wearing a beautiful, large cloth. Before the feast began, Anansi announced, "My friends, my cloth has a special name. It is called 'Is-it-for-me-you-are-all-working?' You must call it by its name." The hosts agreed. When the first dish of food was brought out, Anansi asked loudly, "For whom is this delicious food?" The hosts replied, "It is for all of us!" "No, no," Anansi corrected them, "You must ask my cloth!" So they asked the cloth, "Is-it-for-me-you-are-all-working?" Anansi, speaking for the cloth, replied "Yes!" and ate the entire dish himself. He did this for every dish that was served, leaving the Rat and his family with nothing. The Rat was deeply shamed and angry. Some time later, the Rat invited Anansi to a feast at his own home. When Anansi arrived, the Rat said, "Friend Anansi, welcome. But my doorway has a name. It is called 'Except-the-big-braggart'." When it was time to eat, the Rat announced, "Everyone may come in, except-the-big-braggart." Anansi, realizing he was the braggart, could not enter the house to eat. He had been paid back for his greed with his own trickery.