Anansi vs Mbe – The Pot of Wisdom – African Folktales, African Mythology, Nigerian Folktale, Ghanaian Folktale, Anansi The Spider, Mbe The Tortoise, Ekwensu, Kweku, Fables Universe, Free Short Stories, Fabling, Pam,
In the beginning, there were only three truly wise creatures on Earth: the Ant, the Spider, and the Tortoise. Compared to these three, every other being—humans included—were mere fools. The Ant, diligent and sharp, was constantly sought after for ideas that could help others survive. The Spider, Anansi, as cunning as he was clever, was the go-to for those looking to outsmart others. And the Tortoise, lazy yet just as wise, became everyone’s favourite for the simplest, least effort-intensive solutions to life’s problems.
Now, the God of mischief, Ekwe, wandered the Earth, itching to stir up some trouble. He first approached the Ant and asked, “Who is the wisest creature in the Fables Universe?”
The Ant, ever wise, recognized Ekwnsu’s intent. Without a word, he scurried away, leaving the god’s question unanswered.
Undeterred, Ekwnsu sought out Anansi. “Who is the wisest creature in the Fables Universe?” he asked.
Anansi, proud and full of himself, boasted, “Well, of course, it’s me.”
Ekwnsu smirked. “You might not hold that title for long, not with how freely you’ve been giving away pieces of your wisdom to everyone.”
Anansi froze, fear creeping into his many legs. What if Ekwnsu was right? What if his wisdom was slipping through his fingers with every word he gave?
Not satisfied with the chaos just yet, Ekwnsu found his way to Mbe, the Tortoise. “Who do you think is the wisest in the Fables Universe?” he asked with a sly grin.
Mbe, always smug, tilted his head. “Is anyone actually foolish enough to compete with me for that title?”
“Anansi,” Ekwnsu replied, shrugging. “Everyone says he’s the wisest.”
The Tortoise’s brow furrowed in disdain. Anansi! That Spider always acted like his convoluted ideas were superior, but Mbe knew his own simple, effortless plans were far better.
“If that’s what everyone believes,” Mbe scoffed, “I’ll just raise my price the next time they come begging for my advice.”
“Good plan,” Ekwensu laughed, eyes gleaming. “Though I suspect Anansi may already have a trick up his sleeve that could ruin that plan.”
And with that, Ekwensu vanished, his seed of discord sown. From the clouds, he joined the other gods, eagerly awaiting the drama to unfold.
Meanwhile, Anansi paced his home, anxiety bubbling in his chest. He had to secure his place as the wisest. Finally, a plan dawned on him. “I’ll gather all my wisdom and hide it where no one can find it—at the top of the mighty iroko tree.”
So he set to work, collecting every bit of wisdom he’d ever shared—from his mind, from his backyard, from his family, even from those he had once helped. Every piece of his brilliance was stuffed into a pot, the weight of it growing heavier with every drop of wisdom reclaimed.
Tortoise knew how manipulative Ekwensu could be. As the God of War and Mischief, his words were always laced with deceit. So, at first, Mbe dismissed Ekwnsu’s taunts, seeing them as nothing more than a ploy. But later that night, his wife called him to witness something strange.
“Look at this, Mbe,” she whispered, motioning toward the window.
Anansi was in their neighbour Rat’s yard, pulling something from the Rat’s head. At first, Tortoise chuckled at Anansi’s pettiness. But his laughter faded when his wife pointed out something peculiar. The strands of wisdom Anansi had taken from Rat glimmered in green and black. Green—the color of Mbe’s wisdom, and Black-the colour of Anansi’s wisdom.
Anansi wasn’t just taking back his own knowledge; he was stealing Mbe’s wisdom too.
Realization hit Tortoise like a wave. He knew he had to stop Anansi before the Spider took it all. Mbe had gained his wisdom through years of education and experience, and he believed that anyone could become wise with effort. Anansi’s wisdom, on the other hand, was a divine gift as the Spider God of stories. This made Anansi’s plan even more dangerous—he had no right to hoard the wisdom of others.
That night, while Anansi scurried across the world, collecting wisdom from every corner, Mbe gathered with Anansi’s son, Kweku, to strategize. Kweku wasn’t wise, but he was smart—sharp enough to outthink even his clever father. Mbe shared Anansi’s plot and instructed Kweku to follow Anansi in secret. “Watch where he hides the pot,” Mbe said. “Once he’s gone, we’ll release the wisdom back into the world.”
The next day, when Anansi left with his pot full of stolen wisdom, Kweku trailed behind him. He knew his father well and understood that even if he managed to steal the pot, the wisdom inside wouldn’t be freed unless Anansi released it himself. Anansi knew this too, which is why he wasn’t bothered by his son following him to the tallest tree in the forest.
As Anansi began climbing the great iroko tree, the pot of wisdom strapped to his back weighed him down, making every step a struggle. He grunted and fought to ascend, but the burden was too much. After hours of struggling, Kweku finally spoke up.
“If you put the pot on your head, it’ll be easier to climb,” Kweku suggested.
Anansi, desperate, followed his son’s advice. The moment he shifted the pot onto his head, the climb became much easier. But then Anansi paused, suspicious.
“How did you know that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “Didn’t I take my wisdom from you?”
“You did,” Kweku replied. “But I’m smart. If you hide all the wisdom in the world, people will no longer seek wisdom; they’ll seek cleverness. And they’ll come to value Mbe, the Tortoise, over you. He’ll combine his wisdom with his cleverness, while you’ll remain stuck as the guardian of wisdom no one needs.”
Anansi froze, the truth of Kweku’s words settling in like a cold weight. He realized his son was right. If wisdom was hidden, people would turn to other forms of intelligence, and Mbe—smart and wise—would rise in status.
Reluctantly, Anansi climbed down from the tree. “Make sure Mbe doesn’t learn of this,” he warned his son.
Kweku nodded, promising not to speak a word to the Tortoise. Satisfied, Anansi opened the pot and let the wisdom flow back into the world, carried on the winds.
But little did Anansi know, Tortoise had been following them all along. As soon as Anansi released the wisdom, Mbe stepped out from the shadows, shaking his head with a smirk.
“For the wisest creature in the universe,” Mbe laughed, “you’re also the most foolish.”
And so it was that, to this day, people carry loads on their heads thanks to Kweku’s cleverness, and a bit of Anansi’s and Mbe’s wisdom lives in everyone.
If you enjoyed reading Anansi vs Mbe – The Pot of Wisdom, you’ll enjoy The Jackal and The Peacock.