Stanley Jones, Claremont, St. Ann.
Anansi was very poor and he went out to seek his fortune, but he had no
intention of working. He clad himself in a white gown. And he met a
woman. She said to him, “Who are you, sah? an’ whe’ you from?”—“I am
jus’ from heaven.” The woman said, “Did you see my husban’ dere?” He
said, “Well, my dear woman, heaven is a large place; you will have to
tell me his name, for perhaps I never met him.” She said his name was
James Thomas. Anansi said, “Oh, he is a good friend of mine! I know him
well. He is a big boss up there and he’s carrying a gang. But one
trouble, he has no Sunday clo’es.” The woman ran away and got what
money she could together and gave it to Anansi to take to her husband.
But he wasn’t satisfied with that amount; he wanted some more. He went
on a little further and saw a man giving a woman some money and telling
her to put it up for ‘rainy day’. After the man had left, Anansi went
up to the woman and told her he was “Mr. Rainy Day.” She said, “Well,
it’s you, sah? My husband been putting up money for you for ten years
now. He has quite a bag of it, and I’m so afraid of robbers I’m glad
you come!” So Anansi took the money and returned home and lived
contentedly for the rest of his days.