Anansi lives with Bibi. Bibi is also a pure black dog with chocolate eyes.
But Bibi is a big dog, bigger than Anansi. Almost everyone who sees them says, “Oh, look at the mama dog with her baby dog!” But Anansi is not the baby of Bibi. In fact, Anansi was born before Bibi. Bibi and Anansi are friends, but Bibi is the victim of Anansi’s tricks.
One day, Bibi and Anansi were lying on the verandah, chewing dried cow hide. Bibi and Anansi love to chew cow hide! After a morning walk, and breakfast, Anansi and Bibi love to spend the day chewing dried cow hide.
On that day, they had two very different pieces of cow hide. Bibi chewed a well-chewed hide, the kind that dogs really prefer. Anansi had a freshly dried hide, hard and difficult on the teeth. Anansi was not happy at all.
Anansi would have to sit for hours and work on that tough hide until it became fluffy and soft, as dogs like it. Anansi did not want to spend that time with the mouth in discomfort, working so hard to make that hide comfortable to the teeth. Anansi wanted comfort right away.
Anansi sat and thought. Anansi watched Bibi chew that soft hide. Anansi wanted that hide. Anansi wanted it so badly. Anansi created a plan. Anansi created a trick. Perhaps you do not believe, but this is what Anansi did.
Anansi barked a sharp bark, the type of bark that dogs bark when they hear a footstep at the gate. Anansi barked the bark of a dog who is protecting the home, doing the job of the dog. Bibi knows the job of the dog.
Bibi knows what that bark means. So when Anansi barked that particular bark, Bibi dropped the lovely, soft hide and jumped to the gate. No one was at the gate. Anansi knew this. But Bibi did not know Anansi’s trick.
Anansi’s plan was working. Anansi now moved to the next step. Anansi ran to Bibi’s hide, the one that they both prefer. Anansi settled down on the floor with this sweet reward. Poor Bibi, the victim of Anansi’s trick!
anansi99@hotmail.com