STORYTIME: ANANSE AND THE RAINDRUM 3

 RECAP

After careful deliberation, Ananse thought of a plan to save the Princess and the town. The king tried his best to dissuade him, but, headstrong, he continued with the next step of his mission.

 We proceed...

CHAPTER 3 

Ananse’s destination was not a place for men. In fact, it was beyond what any man would think to build.  The streets were made of gold, the houses towered towards the sky, and the citizens walked about in rich cloaks of fine linen and silk. It had been a while since he stepped there. He knew he was not welcome. The citizens whispered to one another when he walked by. 

He was either too focused on his mission or he just didn’t bother to acknowledge their actions. He walked toward the magnificent castle of a long-time friend, or should he say, enemy. He shuddered at what response we would get. When he approached the stairs of the castle that went up for miles, he was halted by the guards. 

How could he have missed the big banner that had a vivid painting of his face and one big red paint stroke cancelling it with the inscription boldly written: “BANNED FROM THIS KINGDOM!!!” For a brief moment, his humorous side commended whoever painted the portrait; he looked really handsome.

He suddenly remembered how strange the citizens were acting when he walked by. This was the crucial part of his plan; he couldn’t let anything mar it. He shouted in a loud voice, “Yes, it is I, Ananse. I have dared to come here to see my dearest friend, King Crab.” 

The citizens around gasped at his blatant disrespect and remorseless attitude. They all knew the reason why he had been banned from the kingdom. It was even part of their national pledge and anthem. 

It was in all the history books. Children were told of it as a cautionary tale. To be called an “Ananse” in the kingdom was the highest form of insult. The guards rushed down immediately after those words left his lips. They grabbed him and sent him to the dungeon. His demands to see the king fell on deaf ears. 

He was very distraught. His mission was time-sensitive, and being stuck in the darkest dungeon was perilous to the attainment of his goal. He had to devise a way to see the crab king quickly.

Moments later, the guard in charge of Ananse’s dungeon rushed toward the sounds coming from his cell. There he saw Ananse convulsing and writhing on the floor, his hands clenching his chest and abdomen as if in great pain. He feebly reached out to the guard and beckoned him to draw near. 

The guard was filled with fear and sympathy at the sight, for he was very empathetic by nature. He remembered how his beloved grandfather had died in the same manner. 

He quickly opened the cell and drew near to Ananse, who continued distorting his face in various exaggerated ways.  He held him in his hands, and a tear dropped down his face. Ananse tried to talk all the while, wheezing through his speech. He told the guard a made-up story about how he was close to death and how that was the reason why he had come to the kingdom, to make amends with his once dear friend. 

His throaty, deep-chested coughs further moved the guard’s compassionate heart. The guard carried him on his back straight up to the king. Meanwhile, Ananse continued wheezing and writhing as if on his last breath.  

The king was in his glorious throne room when the guard rushed in carrying Ananse on his back. He was taken aback by the sight. The guard gently laid Ananse on one of the plush couches in the throne room. 

The King watched the ridiculous scene play out before him in disbelief. The guard took his time to position Ananse on the couch while whispering soothing words to him, wincing when Ananse gasped for air and twisted his body in pain. 

Ananse continued to distort his face in ridiculously exaggerated looks. The Crab King almost burst out laughing. It was too funny. Ananse definitely deserved an award for this act. 

After making sure Ananse was in a bit of comfort, the guard approached the king, who stood with his arms folded. He explained the situation to the king and urged him to listen to Ananse before it was too late. Oh, how he had missed his dear grandfather. 

The king did not know whether the guard was joking or too dense. He had taken time to include three verses of Ananse’s cunning and divisive ways in their national pledge and anthem and all the history books, and thus expected them to know about this. He decided to pay no attention and silently punish the guard as he excused him.

The crab king looked at Ananse in disdain. He had sprung up from the couch immediately after the guard left the room. He still held a grudge against Ananse for stealing his head.  He had not expected him to show his face after all he had done to him. Ananse smiled at his old friend nervously. 

He knew what he had done was unforgivable, yet he stood before him because of a woman he loved. He swallowed his nervousness and said to the Crab King. “Halloo, my dear friend! Beautiful day, isn’t it?” The crab didn’t answer.

His plan was afoot. He was in the second stage of his mission. He knew the Crab King was the keeper of the rain drum. The gods had placed it in his hands because he was immovable, and all feared and respected him. 

Above all, they knew his hatred for Ananse and were assured Ananse would never be able to get the rain drum from him.  But they missed one thing: he was Ananse, and of course, he knew exactly what he had to do to get the rain drum.   

TO BE CONTINUED ...