Anansi and the Yam Hills by Michael Auld
Once in a before time, there lived an old woman who had magical powers. Her name was
5. She was also so evil that some people called her a witch. 5 hated her name. People
insult her and make fun of her name. 5 decided to put an end to the name-calling. So,
she created a weird spell. “From this day on, anyone who says ‘5’ will disappear,"
No one could say that number again without disappearing. People had to drop the word
'five' from their vocabulary. Once, a customer asked a merchant, “How much is that blue
T-shirt?”
“That shirt is 5 doh...” Suddenly there was a loud “SWOOSH!”. He disappeared right in
front of the dumbfounded customer's eyes!
A crafty spider named Anansi lived in 5's village. He had heard about the witch’s spell.
He had no food at all to eat. His wife and children were starving. Since Anansi was small,
and not a very good worker, he could only rely on his brain to get whatever he needed to
survive.
He said to himself, "I must make this witch's spell work for me".
Anansi chose a spot on the side of the road where everyone on the way to the market
would have to pass. He decided to pile up five mounds of the rich brown soil. He planted
an African yellow yam in each. Anansi made a web-like hammock in the tree and
patiently waited for someone to come by.
Brother Bull was coming towards him. He carried a large basket of fruits on his head.
"Good day, Bro' Bull," Anansi said in a sad voice. "Could you just spare me one minute?"
Anansi begged.
"What can I do for you, Anansi?" Bro' Bull asked.
"I was a sickly child. So, my parents did not send me to school. I planted all these yam
hills; can you help me to count them?" Anansi said.
"But, of course, Anansi" Bro' Bull replied. "You have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...."
SWOOSH!
As he said that number, Brother Bull disappeared into thin air. The basket of sweet ripe
fruits that he had been carrying on his head, fell to the ground. Anansi snatched up the
basket of fruits and rushed home to eat them all.
For a long time, Anansi did very well tricking some passers-by into counting his yam hills.
He had tricked Brothers Turtle, Owl, Mongoose, Hare, Peenie-Wallie the firefly, and even
the tough Brother Scorpion.
Mrs. Guinea Fowl was a nice young mother. That day it was her turn to go to the
marketplace. She loaded up her handbasket and headed for the market. Just as she was
about to pass yam hill number 4, Anansi, the spider lowered himself down from his perch
in the tree. He called out in his sugary voice.
"Good morning, Mrs. Guinea Fowl. Could you help me with a problem?" "Of course,
Anansi". The polite Mrs. Guinea Fowl said. "I have these yam hills here, and I don't know
how to count. Would you help me? Pleeezz," Anansi begged. Mrs. Guinea Fowl, who had
seen Anansi trick Bro' Scorpion, walked over to the last.
yam hill and climbed up on top of it.
She said. “You have 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... and the one I am standing on". "What! What are
you doing? That is not the way you count!" Anansi shouted angrily. "What do you mean,
Anansi?" Mrs. Guinea Fowl said. "I don't know of any number called 'the one I'm standing
on'. Start again!” Anansi ordered. Mrs. Guinea Fowl began again. "You have 1, 2, 3, 4 ...
and the one I am standing on".
"That is not what you are supposed to say!" Anansi shouted even more angrily. "Well ...
If you are so smart... What am I supposed to say?" Mrs. Guinea Fowl asked. Anansi
shouted, "You are supposed to say 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... Oops…” Suddenly, Anansi disappeared,
leaving Mrs. Guinea Fowl with all the loot that he had gotten from tricking his victims.
