ANANSI the spider lived on a baobab tree near the village. Every day, he saw a young girl called Iminathi go into the forest and come out with a basketful of the plumpest oranges, the reddest plums, the yellowest bananas and the sweetest honey.

Anansi had become lazy. He thought he would trick lminathi into showing him the location of the luscious fruits. He dropped into her basket when she passed by the baobab.

“Iminathi”, he said silkily, “no one in your village finds fruits as sweet as yours. Would you please show me where you get them? I promise not to tell anyone.”

Iminathi was wary because Anansi was a trickster.

“All right, but only this once,” she replied.

Iminathi went deep into the bush, down remote trails no one knew of.

When they reached the plum tree and the banana plants, Anansi shoved Iminathi aside and ate up all the plums. He clambered up the banana plants, gobbling up every single banana. Anansi’s belly was bursting but he wanted the honey.

Iminathi pointed to a tree. “Inside a small hole is the sweetest honey.”

Anansi squeezed himself into the hole and ate every drop. He swelled like a balloon. When he tried to get out, he was stuck!

“You wouldn’t be stuck if you hadn’t been so selfish and greedy,” said Iminathi.

And she sauntered away, swinging her basket.