Deep in the jungle Africa,—

Please, worry not your maps—

Where sun and rain show off their strength,

And heat men's energy saps,

Where leaves are green throughout the year,

And fruits big monkeys claim,

There stood a hut owned by a man,

Kweku Ananse by name.

A running stream below a hill

Did boast of a precious store,

For, all along its marshy banks

Were crabs ne'er seen before.

These crabs Kweku had claim on them

For, the marsh was his by birth;

And anyone who dared intrude,

Did so at risk of death.

Old age had stamped its mark on him

When last I saw his face;

It was the day he made new traps

His old ones to replace.

Next day he took his palm-leaf sack

And snailing down the hill,

He sudd'ly heard the shouts of boys

Which made him keep quite still.

They were three tough, delinquent boys

In search of rats not crabs.

They hadn't seen nor were they near

Those crabs now caught in the traps.

But if old Kweku picked a crab,

That would show them the way;

For, they would leave no stone unturned

To see them gained the day.

The sun climbed up, the stream rolled by,

Still Kweku did not stir;

The matter was so grave that he

Must handle it with care.

At last he called to mind a plan

On which his fame did thrive;

He had evolved this plan from his

Philosophy of life.

‘Hei you, my little bonny boys!’

Kweku called out to them.

‘Why waste your time hunting for rats

Which sane men do condemn?

My traps have caught big golden crabs

Among all crabs the best;

Take as much as can fill your palms

And help me pick the rest.’

‘Thank you, old man,’ replied the boys,

Who reached there in a flash;

‘But we can see you are too old

To plod along this marsh.

Old man, do please enjoy a rest

And leave all in our care;

We'll set your traps and bring your crabs

Before we get our share’.

So saying they all rushed away,

Ere long they all came back;

They'd set the traps, and brought the crabs

In Kweku's palm-leaf sack.

Each had as much as filled both palms;

In fact, each had just two.

They thanked Kweku and left the place

With smiles of gratitude.