How Anansi Got His Stories & How Stories Came to the Wold

Anansi’s main problem is that he —

• wants to become friends with Nyame, but the

  snake is dangerous

• struggles to win the trust and respect of the

  people in his village

• must find a way to get the world’s stories

  from Nyame

• has to figure out a clever way to trap the

  stinging hornets in the gourd

This myth explains how the —

• Ashanti people began to worship spiders

• powerful snake gained control of an

  Ashanti village

• Ashanti people came to believe in fairies

• custom of storytelling developed among

  the Ashanti

Which earlier event hints at how the people will

respond to the boy's first story?

• The boy agrees to trade the sack of food for

  a story.

• The people gather around to hear the boy retell

  the Great Stone’s story.

• The boy thanks the Great Stone for telling him

  the story.

• The boy forgets his cold and hunger while

  listening to the Great Stone.

This Native American myth most likely comes from

a time when —

• a magical stone spoke to a child

• food was scarce for the tribe

• people did not know any stories

• snow fell for the first time

Which of the following best summarizes these

two selections?

• In these myths, characters trick each other to

  get what they want. There is a lot of magic in

  each story, and they are both very entertaining.

• People in these myths are very sad until

  someone tells them a good story. All people

  enjoy stories if they are entertaining and have

  interesting characters.

• These myths each include a character who

  brings the art of storytelling to his or her

  people. The community finds wisdom and

  entertainment in the stories.

• Characters in a myth are not real people.

  Animals and stones are more important than

  people because the stories are about magic,

  not about real life.

Which theme is found in both selections?

• Animals can be as clever as people.

• Stories are an important part of a culture.

• A young person can be as wise as an

  older person.

• It is best to use your mind, and not force,

  to solve problems.

A difference between the two selections is that the

Anansi story —

• tells how a custom began

• is set in the distant past

• has a third-person narrator

• involves playing a trick