Story Summary
Discover the origin of Anansi's baldness in Anansi's Hat Shaking Dance, a classic trickster tale about greed, hot beans, and a very embarrassing lesson.
Anansi the spider was visiting his mother-in-law when he smelled a pot of delicious, spicy beans simmering on the fire. Though he was invited to stay for the meal, his greed made him impatient. While his mother-in-law was away from the kitchen, Anansi scooped the boiling hot beans into his hat. Just as he finished, she returned. To hide his theft, Anansi jammed the hat onto his head. The searing heat of the beans began to burn his scalp immediately. To mask his agony, Anansi began to jump and wiggle, shaking his head frantically. When his mother-in-law asked what he was doing, he claimed he was performing a new 'Hat-Shaking Dance.' He danced all the way out of the house and down the road until he could no longer stand the pain. He tore off the hat, but the damage was done; the hot beans had burned away all his hair. To this day, Anansi is bald, a permanent mark of his greed and pride.
The Moral
Greed and the desire to hide one's mistakes only lead to greater pain and public embarrassment.
“I must go, for my hat is performing the Hat-Shaking Dance!”
Fun Fact
This story is an 'etiological' myth, which is a story intended to explain why something in nature—like a spider's smooth head—is the way it is.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the moral of Anansi's Hat Shaking Dance?
The moral is that greed and pride often lead to self-inflicted harm and embarrassment. Anansi’s refusal to wait for a meal or admit he had stolen the beans resulted in a permanent loss of his hair.
Why does Anansi have a bald head in folklore?
In this specific folktale, Anansi's baldness is explained as the result of stealing boiling hot beans and hiding them under his hat, which burned his hair off.
Who is Anansi in African mythology?
Anansi is a prominent trickster figure in West African folklore, specifically from the Akan people of Ghana. He often takes the form of a spider and is known for his cleverness and mischief.
What is the 'Hat Shaking Dance'?
The dance was a lie Anansi invented on the spot to explain why he was shaking his head so violently. In reality, he was trying to shift the scalding beans around to stop them from burning his scalp.
Why didn't Anansi just wait for the meal?
Anansi is characterized by his insatiable greed and lack of patience. Even though he was invited to eat, he couldn't resist the urge to take the beans immediately for himself.
What culture does the story of Anansi come from?
These stories originate from the Akan people of Ghana in West Africa. They were later carried to the Caribbean and Americas through the Transatlantic slave trade, evolving into the 'Br'er Rabbit' and 'Aunt Nancy' stories.