Anansi's Great Trading Scheme

Anansi had one magnificent ear of corn. He decided he would become a rich man by trading it. He went to a nearby village and found a man who had a chicken. "Friend," said Anansi, "I will trade you this perfect ear of corn for your scrawny chicken." The man agreed. Anansi walked to the next village, where a great funeral was taking place. He found the chief and said, "Great Chief, a funeral is no small thing. I will lend you my fine chicken to be sacrificed to the ancestors, and in return, you will give me a sheep from your flock." The Chief agreed, and the chicken was sacrificed. Anansi took the sheep and went to the next village, where a wedding was being celebrated. He offered the sheep for the feast in exchange for a cow. The trade was made. Finally, carrying the cow's tail as proof of ownership, he went to a village where a chief had just died. He offered the cow for the funeral feast in exchange for a beautiful corpse. He was given the body of a young woman. He carried the body to the court of the Sky God, Nyame. "Oh, Great Nyame!" he cried. "The people of this village have killed your daughter!" Nyame was enraged and, without asking any questions, gave Anansi the gift of a magic pot that would produce food on command as compensation. Anansi, through a chain of clever trades, had turned a single ear of corn into a priceless treasure.