Anansi and the Talking Melon

Kimmel, Eric.  Anansi and the Talking Melon.  New York: Holiday House, 1994.  Print.

One morning Anansi is sitting high in a thorn tree eyeing the melons in Elephant's patch and wishing that he could have a melon for his own.  Anansi loves melons, but is much too lazy to grow his own.  He bores his way into a melon, eats until he is full, but then is unable to exit because he has grown bigger.  Since he has to stay inside the melon until he is smaller Anansi decides to play a trick on Elephant.  He speaks to Elephant and Elephant thinks the melon is actually speaks.  Elephant is on his way to the King's to show him this talking melon, and along the way he meets several other animals who hears the talking melon and also follows Elephant to the King's.  Once at the King's, the melon is commanded to speak, but stays silent until finally the King grows angry and throws the melon.  Anansi is able to escape the melon when it crashes to the ground and breaks.  He climbs into a different fruit to again trick Elephant.

Cultural Origins:

According to the note in this book, the Anansi tales are originally from West Africa and also familiar in Caribbean cultures.

Audience:

This is a story that can be enjoyed by a variety of age groups, from school-age youth to adults and told in both library and school settings.  I also think it would be a great story to tell at a farmer's market.

Adaptations:

An appropriate tone of voice is a must with this story.  There are parts that a humorous, can appear serious and the teller must also get the anger of the King captured while telling this story.  I would use a melon as a prop when telling this story.