Anansi, in his old age, became a fisherman. Very soon after that his
sight began to fail. Finally, he grew quite blind. However, still being
very strong, he continued his fishing—with the help of two men. The
latter were exceedingly kind to him, and aided him in every possible
way. They led him, each morning, to the beach and into the canoe. They
told him where to spread his net and when to pull it in. When they
returned to land they told him just where and when to step out, so that
he did not even get wet.
Day after day this went on, but Anansi—instead of being in the least
grateful to them—behaved very badly. When they told him where to spread
his net, he would reply sharply, “I know. I was just about to put it
there.” When they were directing him to get out of the boat, he would
say, “Oh, I know perfectly well we are at the beach. I was just getting
ready to step out.”
This went on for a long time, Anansi getting ruder and ruder to his
helpers every day, until they could bear his treatment no longer. They
determined when opportunity offered to punish him for his ingratitude.
The next day, as usual, he came with them to the beach. When they had
got the canoe ready, they bade him step in. “Do you think I am a fool?”
said he. “I know the canoe is there.” They made no answer, but got in
and patiently pulled toward the fishing-place. When they told him where
to spread his net, he replied with so much abuse that they determined,
there and then, to punish him.
By this time the canoe was full of fish, so they turned to row home.
When they had gone a little way they stopped and said to him, “Here we
are at the beach.” He promptly told them that they were very foolish—to
tell him a thing he knew so well. He added many rude and insulting
remarks, which made them thoroughly angry. He then jumped proudly out,
expecting to land on the beach. To his great astonishment he found
himself sinking in deep water. The two men rowed quickly away, leaving
him to struggle.
Like all the men of that country he was a good swimmer, but, of course,
being blind, he was unable to see where the land lay. So he swam until
he was completely tired out—and was drowned.