Long ago, a terrible famine spread across the kingdom, leaving fields empty and people painfully thin from hunger. Food became almost impossible to find, and desperation filled every village and forest path. Anansi the Spider, known for always wanting more than his share, wandered through the woods searching for anything he could eat to survive.
During his search, Anansi discovered an old, forgotten pot hidden beneath a tree. When he touched it and complained aloud about his hunger, the pot suddenly shook and filled itself with hot, delicious food. Anansi quickly realized he had found a magical pot. By speaking a simple command, often translated as “Pot, cook,” the pot could create endless meals without any ingredients.
Instead of sharing this miracle, Anansi chose greed over compassion. He hid the pot inside a remote cave and returned there every day, pretending to search for food while secretly eating until he was full. As famine weakened his family, Anansi grew fatter and healthier, which made his wife Aso suspicious. She could no longer ignore the difference between his strength and their suffering.
One day, Aso followed Anansi into the forest and saw him feasting from the magical pot. After Anansi left to rest, she carried the pot home and spoke the magic words. Instantly, the pot produced a great feast, feeding her children and the hungry villagers. In their excitement, no one noticed that the pot was growing dangerously hot from being used nonstop by so many people.
When Anansi returned and found the pot missing, anger replaced guilt. He rushed home and saw everyone eating well. Furious that his secret was exposed, he grabbed the pot and demanded more food for himself alone. Because the pot had been overworked and misused by too many people at the same time, its magic could no longer hold. The power inside it failed, and the pot suddenly shattered into pieces. In some versions of the tale, it transformed into a magical whip that punished Anansi for his greed. From that day on, the story served as a powerful warning that hoarding blessings during hardship leads not to reward, but to loss and shame.