Anansi and the Sky-Blue Story Box (part 4)

After a time, Anansi heard a rustle in the trees and a creature came forward. He couldn’t see it because it was on the other side of the doll, but he heard it speak.

“Cream and honey, that looks delicious,” it said in a squeaky breathy voice. “May I please share some with you?” it asked.

Anansi jerked the string and the doll nodded.
"Thank you,” said the unseen creature. In a few seconds, it downed half the bowl with a great deal of slurps and satisfied ‘yums’. All this while the doll didn’t move, didn’t speak just sat there waiting.

After about a minute, the creature spoke again. “Beg pardon,” it squeaked, “but if you’re not going to eat it, may I have your share as well?”

Again Anansi twitched the string. Again the doll nodded. Again slurps and happy mmm’s. Then Anansi heard it licking the bowl clean and setting it down with a sigh of contentment. Anansi could picture the creature on the other side of the doll rubbing its full belly. All this while the doll didn’t move and didn’t speak, just sat there waiting.

“Thank you for sharing your excellent meal,” the creature said.

But the doll didn’t answer and didn’t move, just sat there waiting.

“I said ‘thank you’,” said the creature in a louder tone.

But the doll still didn’t answer and didn’t move, just sat there waiting.

“Thank you!” the creature shouted.

But the doll didn’t speak or move, just sat there waiting.

“Answer me!” the creature screamed. It hid the doll. As soon as it touched the sticky molasses covering the doll from head to foot its hand was stuck fast.

“Aaah, let me go!” There was a soft sticky thump as the unseen creature hit the doll with its other hand. As soon as that hand made contact, it too was stuck fast. The more the creature from the forest struggled against the silent unmoving molasses doll, the more it was trapped until it was entirely covered in sticky black molasses and still stuck to the doll. At last it was too tired to keep fighting and lay down exhausted.