Anansi and the Sky Blue Story Box (part 1)

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, before people would sit around the campfire and tell stories in the evening, Anansi the Spider-Man lived in the heart of Africa.

Anansi was such a character. He was bold and brash. Whenever he tried to trick people – and oh, he was a trickster! – he would be found out and hide his face in the corner in shame. His shame would never last long though, and soon he would come up with a new reckless idea.
One day, Anansi got it into his head to spin a web to the top of the sky and see Nyame, the Sky-Man where he lived in the heavens. His friends tried to dissuade him, but once Anansi had an idea in his head, nothing could make him change his mind.

So Anansi spun a web into the sky to see Nyame. When he was at the top, he looked down and immediately wished he hadn’t. He got quite dizzy, and had to grip his web tightly with both hands to keep from falling. But he made it to the top and stood in the great hall of the Sky-Man.

“Why have you come to see me, Anansi Spider-Man?” Nyame asked.

“Great Sky-Man,” Anansi said, “I wanted to ask you what of all the things in heaven and on earth do you value the most?”

Nyame took a box from the stand next to him and set it lovingly on is lap. It was as blue as the brightest summer sky and sparkled a little when Nyame moved it, like the twinkling of the stars on a clear night. “This,” he said, “is my greatest possession, and the most valuable thing in heaven and on earth.”

Nyame didn’t add anything else for a few minutes. Anansi, unable to bear the silence blurted, “Yes, I see. It’s beautiful, very pretty.” Sky-Man cut him off with a laugh. His laugh was as deep as the rumble of an earthquake and as bright as the sun.

“Oh, Anansi, Anansi,” Nyame said, still chuckling. “So impatient. What matters is what’s inside the box. This box contains all the stories in the world.”

All the stories in the world? What couldn’t Anansi do with that? Everybody would be coming to him for stories, listening to what he had to say.

“Great Sky-Man,” Anansi said, with all the humility he could muster (which wasn’t a great deal). “Would you consider selling to me your box of stories?”

Nyame pondered for a long time. Anansi itched with impatience as Nyame considered, but he managed to force himself to remain still. Finally, Nyame answered, “I will sell you my sky-blue story box. The price is the spots of a leopard, a hive of hornets, a rainbow python, and one of the creatures from the forest that no one can see.”

Anansi bowed low. “Thank you Sky Man. I will return when I have your fare.” So saying, Anansi carefully made his way down his web, thinking how he could procure the strange assortment.