In the beginning, Nyame the Sky God owned all the stories told in the world. Anansi the spider wanted to own the stories, since everywhere he looked, there were tales. So he went to Nyame, and asked if he could buy the stories from him.

Now, Anansi was not the first person to ask Nyame for the right to tell the stories. Many great and powerful families had petitioned the god, and he had named a price that none had been able to meet. "There are three things which I want in exchange for the stories," Nyame said. "No one has been able to bring them to me before."

"I shall have better luck," Anansi promised. "What are these things?"

"I want Mmoboro, Onini, and Osebo: the hornets, the python, and the leopard."

"Very well," Anansi said. "I shall bring them to you."

So Anansi went home. He found a gourd, and made a hole in it. Then he set off for the hornets' tree. He stopped at the river and splashed himself with water, and then carried more water to the tree and splashed it on the hornets.

"Can't you see that it's raining?" he called to the hornets. "Why don't you foolish people go someplace dry?"

"Where should we go?" they buzzed.

"This gourd is dry," Anansi said, and when all the hornets had flown inside, he plugged the hole. "Foolish people," he said, and brought the hornets to Nyame.

Next, Anansi cut a bamboo pole and carried it to Onini's house. When he grew close, he began muttering to himself. "Stupid woman, stupid woman."

The python heard Anansi, and came outside. "Why are you talking to yourself?"

"My wife and I had an argument," Anansi sighed. "She says that you are shorter and weaker than this bamboo pole; I say that you must be longer and stronger."

"Well, it is a question that is easily answered," Onini replied. "Bring the pole here."

So Onini stretched out beside the pole. "Stretch more," Anansi said, and Onini complied. "No, wait, you are slipping," Anansi said. "Let me tie you to the pole, so that we know the measurement is accurate." And when he had tied Onini's head to the pole, he ran to the other end and tied his tail, and wrapped a vine about him.

"It appears that I was wrong," Anansi said to his captive. "You are shorter and weaker than this pole, and very foolish besides." And he carried Onini to Nyame.

Anansi went to the forest where he knew Osebo walked. He dug a pit, and covered it so that even he could barely tell where it was. That night, as Osebo prowled about, he stepped into Anansi's trap and fell. In the morning, Anansi peered over the edge of the pit. "Unfortunate creature!" he said.

"I cannot get out of this trap," the leopard said. "Please help me."

"Well, I am certainly very sorry for you," Anansi answered. "But if I helped you out, I'm sure that you would forget my kindness, and as soon as you grew hungry you would try to eat me and my family."

"I swear that will not happen," Osebo said.

"Very well, then, I believe you." Anansi picked up a rope, and bent a tree down over the pit and tied it in place. He tied a second rope to the top of the tree and threw the other end into the pit. "Tie this to your tail," he instructed.

"It is done," the leopard said after a moment.

"In that case, you are a very foolish creature," Anansi said, and cut the rope which held the tree down. The tree snapped back into place, pulling Osebo after it. He hung upside down, twisting helplessly, and Anansi killed him and brought his body to Nyame.

The sky god was impressed. "You have met my conditions. Henceforth, all stories belong to you, and the tellers of tales must acknowledge you as the owner."

And that is how, by using cleverness instead of strength and riches, Anansi the spider became the owner of all tales that are told.

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