Download PDF
Back to stories list

Anansi an Wizdom Anansi and Wisdom @anansi an @wizdom

Written by Ghanaian folktale

Illustrated by Wiehan de Jager

Translated by Georgette McGlashen

Language Jamaican Creole

Level Level 3

Narrate full story The audio for this story is currently not available.

Autoplay story


Wie bak inna di diez piipl neva nuo notn. Dem neva nuo ou fi plaant fuud, ar ou fi mek klaat, or ou fi mek tuul outa aiyan. Di gad niem Nyaame op ina di skai did av aal a di wizdom fi di wol. Im did kip it sief inna wahn pat we mek outa klie.

Long long ago people didn’t know anything. They didn’t know how to plant crops, or how to weave cloth, or how to make iron tools. The god Nyame up in the sky had all the wisdom of the world. He kept it safe in a clay pot.

wɪɛ @bak @inna di @diez piːpl̩ @neva nuɔ notn̩ dem @neva nuɔ ɔu fi plaːnt fuːd aɹ ɔu fi mek klaːt @or ɔu fi mek tuːl @outa aɪjan di @gad nɪɛm @nyaame op ina di skaɪ @did @av aːl a di @wizdom fi di @worl im @did @kip it sɪɛf @inna wã pat @we mek @outa klɪɛ


Wan die, Nyaame mek op im main se im wuda gi di pat a wizdom to Anansi. Evritaim Anansi luk ina di klie pat, im lorn sopm nyuu. A pyuur eksaitment!

One day, Nyame decided that he would give the pot of wisdom to Anansi. Every time Anansi looked in the clay pot, he learned something new. It was so exciting!

wan dɪɛ @nyaame mek op im maɪn se im @wuda @gi di pat a @wizdom @to @anansi @evritaim @anansi luk @inna di klɪɛ pat im loɹn sopm̩ ɲuː a @pyuur @eksaitment


Anansi get krievn an staat tingk tu imself se, “Mi ago kip di pat sief op a di tap a wahn ai chrii. Den mi wi av it aal tu miself!” Im spin wahn lang chred, wain it roun di klie pat, an tai it op pan im beli. Im staat fi klaim di chrii. Bot it did aad fi klaim wid di pat a lik op pan im nii dem evritaim.

Greedy Anansi thought, “I’ll keep the pot safe at the top of a tall tree. Then I can have it all to myself!” He spun a long thread, wound it round the clay pot, and tied it to his stomach. He began to climb the tree. But it was hard climbing the tree with the pot bumping him in the knees all the time.

@anansi @get @krievn an staːt tiŋk tu @imself se mi @ago @kip di pat sɪɛf op a di tap a wã aɪ tʃɹiː @den mi wi @av it aːl tu @miself im @spin wã laŋ @chred @wain it @roun di klɪɛ pat an @tai it op @pan im tʃes im staːt fi @klaim di tʃɹiː bot it @did aːd fi @klaim wid di pat a lik op @pan im @nii dem @evritaim


Aal dis taim Anansi likl bwaai pikni did a stan op a di fut a di chrii a wach im. Im se tu im se, “It no wuda iiziya fi klaim ef yu tai di pat baka yu insted?” Anansi chrai fi tai di klie pat ful a wizdom baka im, an it di riili iiziya.

All the time Anansi’s young son had been standing at the bottom of the tree watching. He said, “Wouldn’t it be easier to climb if you tied the pot to your back instead?” Anansi tried tying the clay pot full of wisdom to his back, and it really was a lot easier.

aːl dis taɪm @anansi likl̩ @bwaai pikni @did a @stan op a di fut a di tʃɹiː a @wach im im se tu im se it @no @wuda @iiziya fi @klaim ef ju @tai di pat @baka ju @insted @anansi tʃɹaɪ fi @tai di klɪɛ pat ful a @wizdom @baka im an it di ɹiːli @iiziya


Inna no taim im riich a di tap a di chrii. Bot den im stap an tingk tu imself se, “Mi sopuoz fi bi di wan wid aal a di wizdom, an si mi bwaai pikni did smaata dan mi!” Anansi did so beks bout it so til im dash we di klie pat outa di chrii.

In no time he reached the top of the tree. But then he stopped and thought, “I’m supposed to be the one with all the wisdom, and here my son was cleverer than me!” Anansi was so angry about this that he threw the clay pot down out of the tree.

@inna @no taɪm im @riich a di tap a di tʃɹiː bot @den im @stap a tiŋk tu @imself se mi @sopuoz tu @bi di wan wid aːl a di @wizdom an si mi @bwaai pikni di @smaata @dan mi @anansi @did @so @beks bɔut it @so dat im daʃ @we di klɪɛ pat @outa di tʃɹiː


It brok op inna piisiz pan di grong. Di wizdom did frii fi evribadi shier op. An a so komz piipl lorn ou fi faam, ou fi mek klaat, ou fi mek tuul outa aiyan, an aal di ada tingz dem we piipl nuo ou fi du.

It smashed into pieces on the ground. The wisdom was free for everyone to share. And that is how people learned to farm, to weave cloth, to make iron tools, and all the other things that people know how to do.

it bɹok op @inna @piisiz @pan di gɹoŋ di @wizdom @did @frii fi @evribadi ʃɪɛɹ op an a @so @komz piːpl̩ loɹn ɔu fi faːm ɔu fi mek klaːt ɔu fi mek tuːl @outa aɪjan an aːl di ada tiŋz dem @we piːpl̩ nuɔ ɔu fi @du


Written by: Ghanaian folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Georgette McGlashen
Language: Jamaican Creole
Level 3
Source: Anansi and Wisdom from African Storybook
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 International License.
Options
Back to stories list Download PDF