The Mango Tree Trick: How Ananse the Spider Deceived Tiger - Classic West African Folktale

16/05/2025 0 min

Listen "The Mango Tree Trick: How Ananse the Spider Deceived Tiger - Classic West African Folktale"

Episode Synopsis

This is another wonderful Ananse trickster tale! In this story, Ananse once again uses his wits to outsmart Tiger through clever deception.First, Ananse tries the straightforward approaches - asking for mangoes and offering to buy them - but when Tiger refuses both requests, Ananse creates an elaborate ruse about an incoming storm. By playing on Tiger's fear of being blown away, Ananse convinces Tiger to let himself be tied to the tree, effectively immobilizing him.Once Tiger is secured, Ananse reveals his true intentions and freely takes the mangoes that Tiger had been unwilling to share.These Ananse stories typically show how intelligence and trickery can overcome physical strength or possessiveness. They often contain lessons about sharing resources, the consequences of greed, and the power of quick thinking.The character of Ananse is beloved across West Africa (particularly in Ghana) and throughout the Caribbean where these stories traveled during the diaspora. Would you like to share another Ananse tale, or would you like to discuss the cultural significance of these stories?​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​https://mythopia.io/story/155/he-mango-tree-trick-how-ananse-the-spider-deceived-tiger-classic-west-african-folktale