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Diary #7: Western African Folktale
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How Wisdom Became the Property of the
Human Race: There was a man that went by the name of Father Anansi. He
was the man people came to when they needed advice and help because he
possessed all of the wisdom in the world. There was one day when the men of
Fanti-land offended Father Anansi, who quickly proceeded to punish all of them.
The punishment he decided on was that of which he was going to gather up all of
his wisdom, even the wisdom he had already given out to the other people of the
country and hide it in a place that no human being could reach it. Kweku Tsin
was the son of Father Anansi. He began to think that his father was up to some
kind of secret design, so he decided to watch his father very carefully. The
next day arrived and Father Anansi left the house with a pot that he would use
to put all of his wisdom in, so his son, Kweku Tsin decided to follow him
through the forest till he found the tallest and most difficult looking tree,
then he began to climb this tree. Father Anansi wanted to hang his pot at the very
top of this tree, but was unable to. Kweku Tsin watched his father’s failed
attempts and tried to control himself, but eventually called out to his father.
His fathers turned to him and acknowledged that his son had more wisdom than he
thought he possessed. In anger, Father Anansi threw the pot down, in which it
broke and the wisdom inside escaped
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