1. “How Stories Came to Earth”
Early Africa
“How Stories Came to Earth”

2. Build Background
“How Stories Came to Earth” features Anansi the Spider, who is a central trickster in many west African folktales. In these tales, Anansi often opposes the sky god by stealing his stories or by bringing disease into the world. In trickster tales such as these, the trouble caused by the trickster often brings about a necessary change in society.

3. Literary Element – Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics to gods, animals, or inanimate objects. It is often a key element in tales in which animals are the main characters. Storytellers may use anthropomorphism to point out human flaws, such as greed, violence, and selfishness.
How does anthropomorphism function in this story?