During a great famine, the clever spider Anansi refused to work the fields, yet his belly remained full. Suspicious, the local farmer discovered Anansi was stealing his yams every night. To catch the thief, the farmer fashioned a doll out of sticky tree sap and sat it by the garden path. When Anansi arrived that night and saw the 'Gum Baby' blocking his way, he demanded it move. Receiving no answer to his threats, the prideful spider struck the doll with his right hand—and it stuck fast. Enraged, he struck with his left hand, then kicked with both feet, and finally butted it with his head. By morning, the farmer found Anansi completely tangled in the gum, a victim of his own temper and greed.
Greed and hot-tempered pride will eventually lead you into a trap you cannot escape.
Questions about this story
What is the moral of Anansi and the Gum Baby?
The moral is that greed and losing one's temper can lead to self-destruction. Anansi's arrogance and inability to walk away from a perceived insult caused him to fall into a trap of his own making.
Who is Anansi the Spider?
Anansi is a prominent trickster figure in West African and Caribbean folklore, particularly among the Akan people of Ghana. He is known for using his wit and cunning to get what he wants, though he often outsmarts himself.
What is a gum baby made of?
In the traditional story, the farmer makes the gum baby out of sticky tree resins or rubber-like sap. It is designed to be an inanimate, silent trap that uses the victim's own force against them.
Is Anansi and the Gum Baby the same as the Tar Baby story?
Yes, they are directly related. The African 'Gum Baby' story traveled to the Americas via the Transatlantic slave trade, evolving into the 'Tar Baby' story famously featured in Uncle Remus and Br'er Rabbit tales.
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Good night.
