He was accordingly judged guilty of theft, and as a punishment his wives were taken away from him and given to Anansi.
Since then lizards have always had a way of moving their heads helplessly backward and forward, as if saying, “How can any one be so foolish as to trust Anansi?” [[51]]
VI. TIT FOR TAT
There had been a great famine in the land for many months. Meat had become so scarce that only the rich chiefs had money enough to buy it. The poor people were starving. Anansi and his family were in a miserable state.
One day, Anansi’s eldest son—Kweku Tsin—to his great joy, discovered a place in the forest where there were still many animals. Knowing his father’s wicked ways, Kweku told him nothing of the matter. Anansi, however, speedily discovered that Kweku was returning loaded, day after day, to the village. There he was able to sell the meat at a good price to the hungry villagers. Anansi immediately wanted to know the secret—but his son wisely refused to tell him. The old man determined to find out by a trick.
Slipping into his son’s room one night, when he was fast asleep, he cut a tiny hole in the corner of the bag which Kweku always carried into the forest. [[52]]Anansi then put a quantity of ashes into the bag and replaced it where he had found it.
52
“MAY I GIVE YOU A LITTLE OF THIS MEAT?”