It isn’t often that clever Ananse the Spider is outsmarted, but in this West African tale, Lizard manages to beat Ananse at his own game. When the village chief announces his daughter will marry the first suitor to guess her name, Ananse, being a small spider, is able to go unseen and overhears her name when the Chief’s daughter is talking to her servants. As usual, Ananse cannot help bragging about his good fortune, and its his bragging that leads to his downfall when Lizard convinces him that such an important person needs an official messenger. Pat Cummings traveled to West Africa and listened to several traditional storytellers before she found just the right Ananse story in Ghana to bring home to American children. Her bright watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations provide just the right complement to her lively retelling. (Ages 4-8)

Can the legendary trickster be out-tricked?

All the young men had gathered in the village courtyard to hear the Chief's pronouncement: Whoever guesses his daughter's name will have her hand in marriage, inherit half his riches, and become the next Chief. No one outside the palace had ever heard the royal daughter's name.

In a stroke of luck Ananse the spider discovers the secret.

"I, Ananse the most wise . . . the most clever . . . I alone know the name of the Chief's daughter! . . ."

But clever Lizard has plans of his own.

Pat Cumming's lively retelling and vibrant illustrations capture all the mischief and humor of Ananse, one of the most popular characters of West African lore.