ANANZI and QUANQUA
by Unknown · from Popular Tales from the Norse
Adapted Version
A man named Quanqua lived. He always said, "Quan? qua?" One day, he met Atoukama. She was Ananzi's wife. An ox did not walk for her. Atoukama needed help.
Atoukama asked Quanqua to help. They came to a big river. The ox did not cross. Atoukama asked Quanqua again. He only said, "Quan? qua?" Atoukama was cross. She went to get Ananzi.
Atoukama left. Quanqua took the ox for himself. He hid the ox away. Ananzi would not see it. Quanqua cut off its tail. He dug a hole by the river. He put the tail in the hole. The tip stuck out.
Ananzi came. He saw Quanqua by the river. Quanqua pulled the tail. He pretended to pull the ox. Ananzi ran fast. He pulled the tail too. Ananzi fell in the river. He still held the tail.
Ananzi thought he had the ox. He went home with the ox tail. Quanqua laughed. He took the big ox home. Quanqua had a very good dinner.
Next day, Quanqua visited Ananzi. Quanqua proposed cooking yams and ox tail.
Quanqua put in many white yams. He put in many, many yams. Ananzi put in one small red yam. Ananzi said, "This is plenty for us!"
The pot boiled. They looked inside the pot. All the white yams were red. The small red yam changed them. Ananzi said, "All mine!" Quanqua was sad. He got little food.
They finished eating. They wanted to play a new game. "Let us see who is best," said Quanqua. Quanqua asked, "Sit still?" Ananzi said, "I can!"
Ananzi tried to sit very still. He could not sit still at all. Ananzi wiggled and moved. He made much noise. He was not quiet. Ananzi stood up quickly.
Quanqua sat very, very still. He was quiet. Quanqua did not move. He won the game! Ananzi was very cross. He was not hurt. Quanqua showed cleverness is the best trick.
Original Story
ANANZI AND QUANQUA
Quanqua was a very clever fellow, and he had a large house full of all sorts of meat. But you must know he had a way of saying Quan? qua? (how? what?) when any one asked him anything and so they called him “Quanqua”. One day when he was out, he met Atoukama, Ananzi’s wife, who was going along driving an ox, but the ox would not walk, so Atoukama asked Quanqua to help her; and they got on pretty well, till they came to a river, when the ox would not cross through the water. Then Atoukama called to Quanqua to drive the ox across, but all she could get out of him was, “QUAN? QUA? Quan? qua?” At last she said, “Oh! you stupid fellow, you’re no good; stop here and mind the ox while I go and get help to drive him across.” So off she went to fetch Ananzi. As soon as Atoukama was gone away, Quanqua killed the ox, and hid it all away, where Ananzi should not see it; but first he cut off the tail, then he dug a hole near the river side and stuck the tail partly in, leaving out the tip. When he saw Ananzi coming, he caught hold of the tail, pretending to tug at it as if he were pulling the ox out of the hole. Ananzi seeing this, ran up as fast as he could, and tugging at the tail with all his might, fell over into the river, but he still had hold of the tail, and contrived to get across the water, when he called out to Quanqua, “You idle fellow, you couldn’t take care of the ox, so you shan’t have a bit of the tail”, and then on he went. When he was gone quite out of sight, Quanqua took the ox home, and made a very good dinner.
Next day he went to Ananzi’s house, and said, Ananzi must give him some of the tail, for he had got plenty of yams, but he had no meat. Then they agreed to cook their pot together. Quanqua was to put in white yams, and Ananzi the tail, and red yams. When they came to put the yams in, Quanqua put in a great many white yams, but Ananzi only put in one little red cush-cush yam. Quanqua asked him if that little yam would be enough, he said, “Oh! plenty”, for I don’t eat much.
When the pot boiled, they uncovered it, and sat down to eat their shares, but they couldn’t find any white yams at all; the little red one had turned them all red. So Ananzi claimed them all, and Quanqua was glad to take what Ananzi would give him.
Now, when they had done eating, they said they would try which could bear heat best, so they heated two irons, and Ananzi was to try first on Quanqua, but he made so many attempts, that the iron got cold before he got near him; then it was Quanqua’s turn, and he pulled the iron out of the fire, and poked it right down Ananzi’s throat.
Story DNA
Moral
Cunning and quick thinking can often outwit brute strength or simple-mindedness.
Plot Summary
Quanqua, a clever fellow with a peculiar speech habit, is left to mind an ox by Ananzi's wife. He kills the ox, hides it, and tricks Ananzi into believing the ox is stuck in a hole by planting its tail. Ananzi, thinking he has the ox's tail, claims it, while Quanqua enjoys the ox meat. Later, Quanqua proposes a shared meal, contributing many white yams to Ananzi's one small red yam. The red yam turns all the white yams red, allowing Ananzi to claim all the food. Finally, in a heat-bearing contest, Quanqua outsmarts Ananzi again, severely injuring him with a hot iron.
Themes
Emotional Arc
frustration to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Anansi stories originated in West Africa and were spread through the transatlantic slave trade, evolving in the Caribbean and Americas. They often feature Anansi as a spider-god or human-like figure who uses cunning to overcome larger, stronger adversaries.
Plot Beats (11)
- Quanqua, known for his 'Quan? qua?' response, meets Ananzi's wife, Atoukama, struggling with an ox.
- Atoukama asks Quanqua for help, but he is unhelpful at a river crossing, so she leaves him to fetch Ananzi.
- Quanqua kills the ox, hides its body, and plants its tail in a hole by the river.
- Ananzi arrives, sees Quanqua 'pulling' the ox, and takes over, falling into the river but keeping the tail.
- Ananzi, thinking he has the ox's tail, goes home, while Quanqua takes the ox home for dinner.
- The next day, Quanqua visits Ananzi, proposing they cook their yams and the ox tail together.
- Quanqua puts in many white yams, but Ananzi only puts in one small red yam.
- When the pot boils, the red yam has turned all the white yams red, allowing Ananzi to claim all the food.
- After eating, they decide to test who can bear heat best with hot irons.
- Ananzi fails to apply the hot iron to Quanqua, letting it cool.
- Quanqua immediately pokes the hot iron down Ananzi's throat.
Characters
Quanqua
A man of average height and build, with a deceptively simple appearance that belies his cunning nature. His movements are often slow and deliberate, giving the impression of slowness.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a West African setting. Perhaps a loose-fitting, short-sleeved tunic made of undyed cotton or linen, and matching trousers. His attire is clean but unadorned, reflecting a focus on utility rather than display.
Wants: To outsmart others and gain resources (food, possessions) for himself, often through trickery.
Flaw: His overconfidence in his own cleverness can sometimes lead him to take unnecessary risks or reveal his hand too early.
He remains consistently cunning and self-serving throughout the story, successfully outwitting Ananzi multiple times.
Clever, cunning, deceptive, patient, resourceful.
Atoukama
A strong, capable woman, likely of a sturdy build from her daily labors. Her movements are purposeful and direct.
Attire: Practical West African attire, such as a brightly patterned wrapper (skirt) made of cotton or batik fabric, a simple blouse, and possibly a headscarf (gele) in a coordinating pattern. Her clothes are functional for farm work.
Wants: To complete her tasks, specifically to get her ox across the river and home.
Flaw: Her quick temper and impatience, which lead her to abandon the ox with Quanqua.
She serves as the catalyst for the conflict between Quanqua and Ananzi but does not undergo significant personal change within the story's scope.
Resourceful, determined, easily frustrated by incompetence, direct.
Ananzi
A man of average height and build, perhaps a bit wiry, suggesting agility. He is prone to quick, impulsive movements.
Attire: Simple, functional West African clothing, perhaps a loose-fitting tunic and trousers made of plain cotton or linen, similar to Quanqua but perhaps slightly more worn or less meticulously kept, reflecting his impulsive nature.
Wants: To assert his dominance, claim what he believes is his, and get the better of others, especially when food is involved.
Flaw: His greed and impulsiveness make him easily deceived and vulnerable to Quanqua's tricks.
He consistently falls victim to Quanqua's tricks, failing to learn from his mistakes and remaining a character defined by his flaws.
Impulsive, greedy, easily tricked, quick to anger, somewhat self-righteous.
Locations
River Bank
A muddy bank beside a river, likely in a tropical or subtropical region, with soft earth suitable for digging. The river itself is wide enough to pose a challenge for an ox to cross.
Mood: Deceptive, tense, then comical.
Quanqua kills the ox, buries it, and tricks Ananzi into pulling on the tail, causing Ananzi to fall into the river.
Ananzi's House Interior
The interior of a traditional West African-style dwelling, possibly a mud-brick or wattle-and-daub structure with a thatched roof. The main space features a central cooking area with a fire pit or hearth, and simple, functional furnishings.
Mood: Initially cooperative, then increasingly tense and cunning.
Ananzi and Quanqua cook yams, Ananzi tricks Quanqua out of his share, and they engage in a 'bear the heat' challenge where Quanqua injures Ananzi.