In the beginning there were no stories, as all the stories belonged to Nyame, the Sky God. But Anansi, the Spider wanted to be the owner of the stories so he went to Nyame and asked to buy them.
Nyame Said, "I will sell you the stories, but the price is high. You must bring me Python, Leopard and the Hornets. Then, and only then, will the stories be yours."
Anansi agreed and went home to make his plans.
First, he took a gourd and cut a hole in it. He also took a bowl and filled it with water. He then went to the tree where the hornets lived. He splashed himself with water and then threw some water on the hornets, and then put the bowl on his head, as though to protect himself from a storm.
"You fools!" he cried to the Hornets, "why do you stay in the rain?"
"Where are we to go?" replied the Hornets.
"Hide in here!" Anansi said, pointing to the gourd, "it is dry in here!"
The hornets thanked him and flew into the gourd through the small hole. When the last of them had entered, Anansi plugged the hole with a ball of grass and took the Hornets to Nyame, who accepted them and said "That is one, there are still two more things."
Anansi went to the forest and cut a long bamboo pole and some strong vines. Then he walked toward the house of Python, talking to himself. He was talking about an argument he had with his wife. He said: "My wife is wrong. I say he is longer and stronger. My wife says he is shorter and weaker. I give him more respect. She gives him less respect. Is she right or am I right? I am right, he is longer. I am right, he is stronger."
When Python, heard Anansi talking to himself, he said: "Why are you arguing with yourself?"
Anansi replied: "Alas, I have had a dispute with my wife. She says you are shorter and weaker than this bamboo pole. I say you are longer and stronger."
Python said: "It's useless and silly to argue when you can find out the truth. Bring the pole and we will measure."
So Anansi laid the pole on the ground, and Python came and stretched himself out beside it.
"You seem a little short," Anansi said.
The python stretched further.
"A little more," Anansi said.
"I can stretch no more," Python said.
"When you stretch at one end, you get shorter at the other end," Anansi said. "Let me tie you at the front so you don't slip."
He tied Python's head to the pole. Then he went to the other end and tied the tail to the pole. He wrapped the vine all around Python, until he couldn't move.
"Python," Anansi said, "it turns out that my wife was right and I was wrong. You are shorter than the pole and weaker. My opinion wasn't as good as my wife's. But you were even more foolish than I, and you are now my prisoner."
Anansi carried Python to Nyame, who said: "There is one thing more."
Anansi went back into the forest and dug a deep hole along the path that Leopard liked to walk. He then covered it with sticks and leaves and dust so that it was impossible to tell where the pet was. Having finished his work Anansi went and hid behind a tree. When Leopard came prowling in the black of night, he stepped into the trap Anansi had prepared and fell to the bottom.
When the sun was up Anansi went to the pit and called down, "Leopard, what are you doing in this hole?"
"I have fallen," Leopard replied, "help me out!"
Anansi agreed and he bent a tall green tree toward the ground so that its top was over the pit and he tied it in place. He then tied a rope to the top of the tree and passed the loose end to Leopard.
"Tie this to your tail!" Anansi said.
Leopard tied the rope to his tail. When Anansi saw this he cut the rope that was holding the bowed tree to the ground. The tree snapped up, pulling Leopard out of the hole and left him twisting in the Air. Leopard became so dizzy that Anansi had no troubles binding Leopards feet and taking him to Nyame.
"Anansi," Nyame said, "Many great warriors and chiefs have tried to do this, but were unable. You have done it, therefore I will give you the stories!"
And that is why, to this very day, there are no Reynolds stories, nor are there any Bioware stories. There are only Anansi stories.
