The trick of Akendeya the spider
Audio 09:26
Akendeya the spider's ruse © FMM
17 mins
Once upon a time, there was a weaver named Akendeya.
He had an impossible reputation but for some time his business had not worked because his competitors in the big factories were selling ten times cheaper than him.
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His loincloths were still on his arms and he couldn't get anywhere, even to eat, so that he was in debt.
In the forest, only the termite, the rooster, the panther and the hunter were not yet his creditors.
Akendeya was cunning, very clever, very clever, well anyway, who had more than one trick up his sleeve.
So he decided to come up with a plan.
If he failed, he and his family would just have to starve.
One very early morning, Akendeya goes to the termite and talks to it in these terms:
Akendeya:
“
My dear and beautiful termite, I have walked through the whole forest and all its inhabitants repeat in chorus that there is no one nicer than you.
I come to verify for myself the veracity of such testimony.
If it's true that you have no equal when it comes to cuteness, lend me a few pieces of yams that I'll pay you on the first Wednesday of next month.
Come see me at ten o'clock sharp.
Be careful, if you're late, my debt will be canceled.
The termite cannot resist such flattery, and the precision of the date and time of the repayment inspires her confidence: she therefore gives Akendeya twelve large sacks of yams.
Akendeya
:
"
Thank you my friend !
"
Akendeya's family are so hungry that in just one hour and forty-seven seconds, the children have finished the twelve large sacks of yams.
No sooner have they finished eating than they are still hungry.
Their stomachs hum songs that only hunger can translate (
Chanson des glou-glous-gla-gla-glou
).
Akendeya heads for the rooster's residence, to whom he says these words:
Akendeya
:
“
O you, tireless worker!
Always digging, spotting, picking up!
I understand why the animals of the forest repeat unanimously that nothing is missing in your attic.
If so, you will give me something to eat for my family.
I'll pay you on the first Wednesday of next month.
Come see me at 10:05 am sharp but be careful, if you are late, my debt will be canceled. ”
The rooster, taken by surprise, does not know what to say.
He agrees to donate bags of rice and corn while setting his watch so as not to miss the day and time of the refund.
At Akendeya's home, the provisions of rice and corn are swallowed up in thirty minutes, Their stomachs take up the song that only hunger can translate (
Chanson des glou-glous-gla-gla-glou
).
Akendeya then decided to go see the panther to ask him something to feed his family.
Akendeya
:
"
I'll pay you back the first Wednesday of next month at 10:10 am sharp, but be careful, after that time, the debt will be canceled.
"
The panther considers this precision a token of confidence and she gives him pieces of dried meat for his family.
Akendeya's children, in just twenty seconds emptied the dried meat platter.
As soon as they finish the last song, their stomachs pick up the song again (
Song of the glou-glous-gla-gla-glou
)
His last card is the hunter.
But where to find a man who moves constantly in the forest?
Akendeya goes looking for him.
After a few days of walking, he finally meets him and tells him about his situation.
Akendeya: “Oh brave hunter, big hearted man, please give me some game.
I will reimburse you on Wednesday of next month at 10:15 am sharp, but be careful, eh, if you are late, my debt will be canceled ”.
The promise of reimbursement and the precision of the time reassure the hunter.
He gives him large quantities of dried game.
The days pass, the hours advance, the minutes are linked, the seconds pass and on the first Wednesday of the following month, at
9:59
am, “
bing
”, the termite shows up at Akendeya's home to claim its due.
The termite: "Hello my brother Akendeya"
Akendeya: “Hello beautiful termite.
How are you ?
The termite: "Good, thank you."
Akendeya: "A little water?
"
The termite: “No, thank you!
"
Akendeya: “What about the family?
"
The termite: “It's okay!
"
Akendeya: “Children?
"
Termite: "Hey Termite, give me what you owe me, I'll go home."
"
Akendeya: "Oh but why are you worrying? It's just that my wife kept the money and since she went to the backwater, you have to wait for her. In five minutes, she will be there. Come on, sit down! ”.
Akendeya knew that the rooster and the termite were sworn enemies.
While waiting for his wife, the rooster arrives at 10:05 am sharp.
Once in Akendeya's house, without even greeting, the rooster pounces on the termite and swallows it.
Akendeya then said to the rooster:
"Pretty rooster, you see the termite that I reserved for you is only a gesture of gratitude for the service rendered, but I have not forgotten what I owe you. It was my wife who kept the 'money and since she's gone to the backwater, you'll be waiting for her. In five minutes, she'll be there. "
The rooster does not have time to flee when, at 10:10 am sharp, the panther shows up, breaks his neck and eats him.
Akendeya reassures the panther.
Akendeya
:
“This rooster is just a small snack.
Of course, your reimbursement will arrive as soon as my wife comes back from the backwater, in five minutes at the most ”.
While waiting for his wife, Akendeya said to the panther:
Akendeya: “I have often seen the hunter roaming the neighborhood.
It is better, for your safety, that you hide in the bushes ”.
No sooner has he finished putting the panther away when the hunter appears, at 10:15 am sharp, to claim his money.
Akendeya initiates a chat and asks the hunter: "Do you master the so-called 'fire on the bush' hunting technique?
"
The hunter answers in the affirmative.
Akendeya then suggests that he try it on one of the nearby bushes because he saw a panther roaming the neighborhood.
The hunter agrees to play the game: he aims at the bush indicated by Akendeya
(shot)
.
He kills the panther.
Akendeya then said to him: "It is thanks to me that you won this panther, no more question of repaying you anything, we are quits!"
"
The hunter, furious that we can get rid of a debt so easily, takes the panther away, swearing never to help Akendeya again.
This is how Akendeya, having lost everyone's confidence, sinking into famine, withers until becoming this tiny, long-legged being who spends his days and nights weaving his web.
Credits:
The trick of Akendeya the spider
,
Performed by Flopy Mendosa and Vincent Kouamé.
Music: Jean Sempé Ake Olloé.
Storytelling research and adaptations: Flore Kra, Valérie Gobey, Eugène Konan and Elvis Tanoh.
Associate production company: Sonia Arruda Touré, Romain Masson
Production assistant: Romain Chmiela, Eugène Konan,
Assistant director: Elvis Tanoh.
Director: Laure Egoroff and Tidiane Thiang.
Thanks to Thomas Weill, Yanick Zagba, Sony Music Africa, Stéphane Dogbo, and the RFI teams.
With the support of the "Accès Culture" program of the French Development Agency and the French Institute.
A
Making Waves
and
Books For All production - Côte d'Ivoire
.
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