Narration of Anansi and Turtle

Anna and I began Term 2 together yesterday, even though Joshua does not go back to school (his new one) until tomorrow. We are up to chapter 11 of Story of the World 1, learning about ancient Africa. Yesterday we read about the Sahara Desert, and how it prevented the people in the south from having much communication with the people in Egypt and along the Mediterranean Sea. Today we read the first Anansi story included in SoTW1. I asked Anna to narrate it to me, thinking she would be able to use her narration for copywork. I soon realised she can narrate a far longer story than she can write!

Anansi and Turtle Were Greedy and Would Not Share
By Anna Jackson

Anansi had put all of her yams from her garden in her oven and was sitting down to eat, but just as she looked around she saw Turtle coming to her house. She looked at the plate of yams. “There would be enough for me, but if Turtle eats half and I eat half I will still be hungry,” Anansi thought.

She said in a grumpy voice, “Help yourself.” But she shouted at Turtle, “Do was your hands before you eat!”

“Where will I wash?” asked Turtle.

“At the river a kilometre away.”

When Turtle got back he reached for one yam. “Did I tell you to wash your hands before you eat?” Anansi said. “Go back and wash your flippers and then come back.”

Turtle was determined to go carefully on the grass but when he got back the last crumbs were gone.

Turtle said, “Thank you for dinner, Anansi. When you come to my place, you can have dinner with me.” And he went away hungry.

Anansi was passing by Turtle’s house and she knocked.

“Dinner’s all ready. Come and let me show you where it is. It is right at the bottom of the river,” said Turtle.

Turtle dived into the water and started eating away.

She peeped into the water. She tried jumping but since she was so light she just stayed at the top. She tried swimming down but she did not know how to swim. So she grabbed a few pebbles and put them in her jacket pockets and sank down to the bottom like a rock.

Turtle was there. Turtle pushed over the plate and said, “Help yourself, but it is very rude to wear a jacket when you’re eating. Take your jacket off.”

But when Anansi took her jacket off her sleeve she popped back up to the top of the water.

She put her head back into the water and saw Turtle eating the last few bits.

And she said, “Thanks for the meal, Turtle.” And she walked off, wet and hungry.

Moral: Don’t be cruel and share instead.

After we read the story through once, we talked about what Anansi and Turtle did wrong (be greedy and not share) and what they should have done (be generous, also Anansi should have apologised to Turtle and Turtle should have forgiven Anansi). Then I re-read the story before Anna narrated it to me. I found it interesting that her "moral" was nothing like the one from the book, which says something along the lines of "Don't try to be too smart or someone else is sure to outsmart you." I like Anna's moral better.