Anansi's greed and the consequences of the magic stick

Anansi and the Magic Stick is a popular West African folktale that tells the story of a clever spider named Anansi. In the story, Anansi stumbles upon a magic stick that has the power to make anyone disappear when they tap it three times. With his mischievous nature, Anansi quickly realizes the potential of this magical tool and decides to use it to his advantage. Anansi is known for his cunning and trickster ways, and he uses the magic stick to play pranks on his friends and neighbors. He taps the stick three times and makes them vanish, only to bring them back moments later, much to their confusion and frustration. Anansi finds great amusement in his ability to control the stick and uses it to gain power and attention among the community.

It's a fine bright day, and all the animals are working--all except Anansi, that is! He's sleeping, as usual. Warthog, Lion, and Zebra laugh so hard at his messy house.

Quickly making off with this wonderful object, our arachnid trickster puts it to work for him, but finds the magic getting out of control when he dozes off, and subsequently forgets how to end the enchantment. Yan uses vivid, pastel colors for a spread of a group of diverse kids bringing their dogs to be washed, helping out, and having fun, while the grown-ups are muted and relegated to the background.

Anansi finds great amusement in his ability to control the stick and uses it to gain power and attention among the community. As the story progresses, Anansi's use of the magic stick starts to catch up with him. He becomes arrogant and begins to believe that he is invincible.

Anansi and the Magic Stick

Anansi the Spider steals Hyena's magic stick so he won't have to do the chores, but when the stick's magic won't stop, he gets more than he bargained for.

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Lazing about while all of his neighbors work hard on their houses and in their gardens, Anansi the spider is annoyed when he becomes a laughing stock, and sets out on a walk. Happening upon Hyena's place, which is neat and tidy despite its owner's indolence, Anansi discovers that Hyena possesses a magic stick which does all of the work for him. Quickly making off with this wonderful object, our arachnid trickster puts it to work for him, but finds the magic getting out of control when he dozes off, and subsequently forgets how to end the enchantment.

As author Eric A. Kimmel notes in this brief author's note, the story here, adapted from the Liberian tale of The Magic Hoe, bears some resemblance to The Magician's Apprentice. It's the classic narrative of magic getting out of control, when used by somebody who doesn't have the training to master it. This telling is entertaining, and the accompanying artwork from Janet Stevens, who also worked on Kimmel's previous Anansi retellings (Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock, Anansi and the Talking Melon, and Anansi Goes Fishing), is humorous and appealing. I particularly liked the flood scene, in which both Kimmel and Stevens are depicted - the one with a pencil, the other with a paintbrush - as being swept along with all of the animals. Recommended to readers who enjoy Anansi stories, and to young folklore enthusiasts in general. ( )

This book is a fun read aloud for children. About a lazy spider who tries to use a magic stick to do his cleaning. This book has colorful illustrations. ( )

Anansi the spider is made fun of by all of his friends because his house and yard are always a mess. He grumbles away, trying to find somewhere else to go to take a nap, but he stumbles upon Hyena's house. He sees a magic stick that takes orders from Hyena, his secret to keeping his house perfect without any work. However, the magic stick ends up being more than Anansi can handle, eventually causing a big flood when Anansi tries to take a nap. Hyena finds the stick and tells it to stop, but a big lake is left. All the animals realize that the lake is there to stay, so they must enjoy it. Anansi even builds a houseboat and lives on the lake, floating around peacefully with no responsibilities.

I liked this story and loved the fun illustrations. It's kind of hard to determine the theme or moral, however. At first, I thought it was about consequences to laziness or shortcuts. However, since the spider is still lazy at the end, I am not sure what the moral of the story is. Either way, I think that it would be a fun story to share with students and give them a glimpse into a West African folktale. ( )

a small spider gets made fun of a lot and then he finds a magic stick and there is a flood, then he sleeps on a raft

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This leads him to challenge the gods, thinking that he can outsmart them with his newfound power. However, the gods see through Anansi's tricks and decide to teach him a lesson. In a dramatic turn of events, the gods create a bet with Anansi. They challenge him to tap the magic stick three times on himself, and if he disappears, they will reward him with even greater power. Anansi, confident in his abilities, agrees to the wager. However, when he taps the stick on himself, he does not reappear. Anansi learns the hard way that his trickery has consequences. The gods have taken away the magic stick and taught him a valuable lesson about humility and the dangers of using power for personal gain. In the end, Anansi realizes the error of his ways and promises to use his intelligence and skills for the benefit of others. The tale of Anansi and the Magic Stick teaches important lessons about the consequences of greed, arrogance, and the misuse of power. It serves as a cautionary tale, reminding us to always consider our actions and the impact they have on others. Anansi's journey from a mischievous trickster to a humbled and wiser spider demonstrates the importance of personal growth and learning from our mistakes..

Reviews for "Anansi's encounters with other supernatural beings with his magic wand"

1. Jessica - 2 stars - I found "Anansi and the Magic Stick" to be quite underwhelming. The story lacked depth and the characters were one-dimensional. The plot felt rushed and predictable, leaving little room for suspense or excitement. I was also disappointed with the lack of moral lessons or meaningful messages that typically accompany children's books. Overall, I felt like I wasted my time reading this book.

2. Brian - 1 star - This book was a complete letdown. The writing was incredibly dull and the story lacked any sort of creativity. It felt like a generic and recycled plot that I've seen a thousand times before. The characters were uninteresting and the dialogue was flat. I would not recommend "Anansi and the Magic Stick" to anyone looking for a captivating and engaging read.

3. Sarah - 2 stars - I struggled to get through "Anansi and the Magic Stick". The pacing was off, with the story feeling disjointed and choppy. The illustrations were lackluster and failed to bring the story to life. The overall plot was overly simplistic and didn't offer much substance. I was left feeling unsatisfied and unimpressed with this book.

4. Kevin - 2.5 stars - "Anansi and the Magic Stick" fell short of my expectations. The story had potential but failed to deliver. The writing seemed rushed and lacked attention to detail. The characters were forgettable and I couldn't connect with them. It felt like a missed opportunity to create a compelling and memorable tale. I wouldn't recommend this book to others looking for an enjoyable and captivating read.

5. Rachel - 1.5 stars - I was disappointed with "Anansi and the Magic Stick". The story was repetitive and lacked originality. The dialogue was stilted and didn't flow naturally. The illustrations were mediocre, failing to engage the reader visually. Overall, I found this book to be unimpressive and forgettable. I would not recommend it to others.

The magical characters in Anansi's story of the magic stick