The Elephant's Secret

Hevioso, the god of thunder, had a magnificent secret that allowed him to create lightning. Anansi the Spider, who is often a trickster figure in Dahomean tales (sometimes called 'Yo'), wanted this secret. He knew the Elephant was Hevioso's trusted servant. Anansi disguised himself as an old, frail man and waited on the path to the god's sacred grove. He saw the Elephant coming, carrying a ceremonial gourd. "Please, mighty Elephant," Anansi wheezed, "I am old and my legs are weak. Can you tell me what time the ceremony for Hevioso begins?" The Elephant, proud to be the keeper of the god's schedule, replied, "The ceremony begins when you see the 'Flash-of-Fire' and hear the 'Roar-of-the-Sky'." Anansi thanked him and hobbled away. He now knew the secret words of power. He went to the grove, shouted "Flash-of-Fire!" and "Roar-of-the-Sky!" and the power of lightning came to him. He used it to cause chaos until Hevioso discovered the trickery. The Elephant was punished for revealing the secret, and it is said that is why elephants now have small, wary eyes, always looking out for tricksters trying to steal secrets.