The Fish Basket

When a hungry Anansi heads to the riverside in search of a good meal, an encounter with Tiger leaves him with an empty basket and something to prove. Luckily for Anansi, a quick mind can be even sharper than teeth.

**The voices, accents, and character portrayals used in this podcast are intended solely for storytelling, humor, and creative expression. 

They are not meant to represent, imitate, stereotype, or mock any specific culture, ethnicity, nationality, community, or individual. 

Any similarities are unintentional, and all characters are fictionalized interpretations created in the spirit of entertainment.**

Transcript

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The fish basket. Once upon a very hungry time, Ananzi couldn't find anything to eat. So he picked up a basket and a big pot and went down to the riverside to catch some fish. When he got there, he made a large fire and put the pot on it. Once the pot was on the fire, Ananzi went to the river and said, Come, big fish. He caught some big fish and set them aside. Then he said, Big fish go, make little fish come. He caught some little fish and set them aside. Then he said, Little fish go, make big fish come. And he kept going on like this until he filled both the pot and his basket. He boiled the pot full, sat down, and ate. Afterward, he started heading home with the pot on his head and the basket in his hand. After going a little way, he got a bit of a sense, as spiders do, and hid the pot in the bushes. Ananzi continued on with just the basket. As he walked along, he ran into Tiger. Tiger was very rough, and Ananzi was afraid of him. Tiger said very harshly, What do you have in that basket, good sir? Ananzi answered in a weak voice, Nothing, sir, nothing. So they passed each other. But after walking a little further, Tiger got a sense, as tigers do, and hid behind some brush to watch Ananzi. Anasi sat down under a tree, opened his basket, and began taking out the fish one by one. Pretty little yellow tail, he said, setting it aside. Pretty little snapper, he said, setting it aside. Pretty little jackfish, he said, setting it aside. Suddenly, Tiger jumped out. You said you had nothing in that basket, my good sir. Ananzi replied, I was just going to the river to bay, sir, and I caught a few small fish. Tiger said roughly, give them to me. And Tiger took all the fish, ate them, and spat out the bones. Ananzi picked up the bones and ate them too. As he ate, he grumbled quietly. But I catch hold of them fish in the first place. Tiger said, What did you say, my good sir? Ananzi quickly replied, A fly is bothering my face, sir, as he swatted at the air. So the two of them started heading home again, now with an empty basket. But this time, Ananzi was thinking carefully about Tiger. After going a little way, Ananzi saw a fruit tree and said, What's a nice fruit tree? Tiger said, climb it, sir. So Ananzi climbed it and began picking the fruit. While Tiger stood underneath the tree. Anansi looked down and said, Look lice in your head, sir Tiger. Tiger said, Come down and pick it. Anansi came down and said he couldn't pick it unless Tiger leaned against the tree. So Tiger leaned against the tree. Tiger's hair was very long, and while Ananzi was picking through it, Tiger fell asleep. So Ananzi took Tiger's hair and wrapped it around the tree, tying him tightly. When he finished, he woke Tiger and said he couldn't pick any more. Tiger said roughly, Come and pick it. Anansi said, I won't. And Ananzi ran off. Tiger tried to run after him, but realized his hair was tied to the tree. Tiger shouted, Come back and loosen me, sir. Ananzi called back. I won't. As he ran off, Ananzi sang, See how Ansi Tied Tiger. See how Ananzi Tied Tiger tied him like a tiger. See how Ananzi Tied Tiger. Ananzi left him there, got his pot of fish, and went home. The end.