 There was once an old woman who loved to dance. People called her the Dancing Granny. All day long, no matter what she was doing, she managed to sing out the beat and dance to the rhythm. She sang and danced as she planted her vegetable garden, as her seeds sprouted, as they grew into plants. One day Spider Ananse came walking by and saw the luscious vegetables growing in the old woman’s garden. He noticed how much she liked to sing and dance so he started to sing. Once she was singing, she began to dance. Though she was old, she sang and danced like a young girl. Her pleasure in hopping and skipping led her out of her garden and into the village. Spider Ananse watched her leave. When he could no longer see her, he helped himself to all the corn he could carry. That evening the family had a fine meal. When Granny returned and saw her corn was gone, she knew whose voice she had heard. “That Spider Ananse, he stole my corn. But, the next time he comes I won’t listen to his music. I’ll catch him and give him what he deserves.” But the next day, when Spider Ananse returned, she could not resist his singing and soon she was dancing her way out of her garden and into the village. Spider Ananse took all the peas and beans he could carry and took them home. Once again his family had a delicious meal. When Granny returned and saw all her peas and beans were gone she sat on a stone and thought. “What am I going to do? I can’t resist that thieving rascal’s song. At this rate, I’ll have no food for all my work.” Granny was so upset she picked all the crops that were left so there was nothing more for him to steal yet she knew he would be back. Sure enough, the next day, Spider Ananse returned singing the song Granny couldn’t resist. But this time, instead of dancing by herself she grabbed Spider Ananse and began to dance. “Let go of me,” he cried. But the Dancing Granny held on. She whirled and twirled with Spider Ananse holding on as best he could. Soon, he couldn’t resist Dancing Granny’s joy. Together they whirled and twirled and hopped and skipped until the sun was ready to say good night. Dancing Granny never had a better partner and Spider Ananse never had more fun. November 2023 Stories (Click to read)
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World TalesAge old stories of wit and wisdom from around the world. Tales retold by Nancy King. Archives
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Nancy King is a widely published author and a professor emerita at the University of Delaware, where she has taught theater, drama, playwriting, creative writing, and multidisciplinary studies with an emphasis on world literature. She has published seven previous works of nonfiction and five novels. Her new memoir, Breaking the Silence, explores the power of stories in healing from trauma and abuse. Her career has emphasized the use of her own experience in being silenced to encourage students to find their voices and to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences with authenticity, as a way to add meaning to their lives.
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