Anansi and the Tree of Wishes

Gathered from the oral traditions of the Akan people of Ghana

Come close, children of dreams, and I shall tell you of Anansi and the Tree of Wishes, a tale that teaches us why the heart that is grateful for what it has is richer than the heart that always yearns for more. This story comes from the time when magic trees still grew in hidden groves, and when the distinction between need and want was as clear as the difference between water and honey.

In a village called Adansi, there lived a young man named Kofi who was known throughout the region for his perpetual dissatisfaction. No matter what blessings came his way, Kofi always found something to complain about. If the rains came, he grumbled that they were too heavy. If the sun shone, he complained that it was too hot. If his harvest was abundant, he worried about having too much work. If his harvest was modest, he lamented his poverty.

“If only I had this,” he would say, or “If only I could do that,” or “If only things were different, then I would be happy.” His constant dissatisfaction spread like a dark cloud over his family and friends, who grew weary of his endless complaints.

One day, as Kofi sat beneath a tree lamenting his latest perceived misfortune, Anansi the spider descended on a silken thread, his eight eyes twinkling with curiosity.

“Akwaaba, friend Kofi,” said Anansi. “You seem troubled. What weighs so heavily on your heart today?”

Kofi looked up at the clever spider and sighed deeply. “Oh, Anansi, my life is nothing but disappointment. I work hard, but I never seem to get ahead. I have dreams, but they never come true. I wish… I wish there was some way to get everything I’ve ever wanted.”

Anansi tilted his head thoughtfully. “Everything you’ve ever wanted? That’s quite a wish, my friend. But tell me, what exactly do you want?”

“I want to be rich!” Kofi declared without hesitation. “I want a beautiful wife, a magnificent house, fine clothes, respect from everyone in the village, and the power to make all my dreams come true!”

“Fascinating,” mused Anansi, his legs drumming against his web. “And you believe that having all these things would make you happy?”

“Of course!” Kofi replied. “How could I not be happy if I had everything I wanted?”

Anansi considered this for a moment, then smiled mysteriously. “Well, my friend, it so happens that I know of something that might interest you. Deep in the Forbidden Forest, there grows a tree unlike any other – the Tree of Wishes. It is said that this tree can grant any desire, no matter how grand or impossible.”

Kofi’s eyes widened with excitement. “A tree that grants wishes? Where is this forest? How do I find this tree?”

“Patience,” Anansi cautioned, raising one leg. “The Tree of Wishes is not easy to find, and even harder to approach. It is guarded by challenges that test not just your determination, but your understanding of what you truly need.”

Despite the warning, Kofi was filled with enthusiasm. “I’ll face any challenge! Please, tell me how to find this tree!”

Anansi spun an intricate map in his web, showing the path to the Forbidden Forest. “Follow the river upstream for three days until you reach the Waterfall of Tears. Behind the waterfall, you will find a cave. Pass through the cave, and you will emerge in the Forbidden Forest. At its heart grows the Tree of Wishes, but beware – it will test you before it grants your desires.”

Kofi memorized every detail of Anansi’s directions, then rushed home to prepare for his journey. He gathered supplies, told his family of his quest, and set off the very next morning, his heart filled with dreams of the riches and glory that awaited him.

The journey proved more difficult than Kofi had expected. The path along the river was treacherous, filled with hidden roots and slippery stones. Wild animals watched him from the shadows, and strange sounds echoed through the forest at night. But Kofi’s desire for his wishes to come true kept him moving forward.

On the third day, he finally heard the roar of the Waterfall of Tears. It was a magnificent sight – water cascading down from great heights, creating a mist that caught the sunlight like scattered diamonds. Behind the waterfall, just as Anansi had promised, was a hidden cave.

The cave was dark and narrow, forcing Kofi to crawl on his hands and knees through passages that seemed to twist and turn forever. Strange whispers echoed off the walls, and more than once he considered turning back. But the thought of the Tree of Wishes urged him onward.

When he finally emerged from the cave, Kofi found himself in a forest unlike anything he had ever seen. The trees grew impossibly tall, their leaves shimmering with an otherworldly light. Flowers bloomed in colors that had no names, and the air itself seemed to hum with magic.

At the center of this enchanted forest stood the Tree of Wishes. It was ancient beyond measure, its trunk so wide that it would have taken fifty men holding hands to encircle it. Its branches reached toward the sky like arms raised in prayer, and its leaves whispered with the voices of a thousand dreams.

As Kofi approached the magnificent tree, a deep voice spoke from within its trunk: “Welcome, seeker of wishes. I am the Tree of Wishes, granter of desires and fulfiller of dreams. But before I grant your heart’s desire, you must first pass my test.”

“What test?” Kofi asked eagerly.

“I will show you three visions,” the tree explained. “In each vision, you will see a different version of your life. You must choose which life you truly want, and your choice will determine what I grant you.”

Before Kofi could respond, the world around him shifted and changed. He found himself standing in a magnificent palace, wearing robes of the finest silk and surrounded by servants who catered to his every whim. Gold and jewels were heaped around him in abundance, and people bowed wherever he walked.

“This is your first choice,” the tree’s voice explained. “Unlimited wealth and power. You would never want for anything material, and everyone would defer to your authority.”

Kofi’s eyes shone with greed as he looked around the opulent palace. This was exactly what he had dreamed of! But as he watched more closely, he began to notice troubling details. The servants’ smiles were forced and fearful. The people who bowed to him did so out of terror, not respect. And most disturbing of all, he felt completely alone – surrounded by luxury but isolated from genuine human connection.

The vision faded, and Kofi found himself in a different scene. This time, he was in a beautiful home surrounded by a loving family. His wife was kind and intelligent, his children were healthy and happy, and his neighbors were true friends who valued him for his character rather than his possessions. He had enough to live comfortably, though not extravagantly, and he felt a deep sense of contentment and peace.

“This is your second choice,” the tree explained. “Love, family, friendship, and contentment. You would have enough to meet your needs, and your wealth would be measured in relationships rather than gold.”

Kofi felt a warmth in his heart as he experienced this vision. The love and laughter that filled the home was deeply satisfying, but part of him still yearned for the riches he had seen in the first vision. “Surely,” he thought, “there must be a way to have both wealth and love.”

The second vision faded, and Kofi found himself back in his original village, but everything looked different. The people were the same, his house was the same, his circumstances were the same – but somehow, everything felt perfect. He looked at his modest home and saw not poverty but sufficient shelter. He looked at his simple food and saw not scarcity but adequate nourishment. He looked at his ordinary clothes and saw not rags but practical covering.

Most remarkably, when he looked at the people around him – his family, his neighbors, his community – he felt overwhelming gratitude for their presence in his life. The sunset was beautiful, the sound of children playing was music to his ears, and even the simple act of breathing felt like a gift.

“This is your third choice,” the tree said gently. “Your life exactly as it is, but with the ability to see and appreciate the abundance that already surrounds you. No external circumstances would change, but your heart would be filled with gratitude and contentment.”

Kofi stood silent for a long moment, contemplating the three visions. The first offered everything he thought he wanted, but it came with isolation and fear. The second offered love and connection, but without the material wealth he had dreamed of. The third offered no external changes at all, yet somehow felt the most appealing of all.

“I… I think I understand now,” Kofi said slowly. “May I ask you a question, great tree?”

“Speak freely, seeker.”

“In the first vision, I had everything I thought I wanted, but I was miserable. In the third vision, I had everything I already have, but I was completely happy. How is this possible?”

The tree’s ancient voice carried the wisdom of ages. “Because happiness, young seeker, does not come from acquiring what you lack, but from appreciating what you possess. The richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.”

Kofi felt tears streaming down his face as the profound truth of these words sank into his heart. “I choose the third vision,” he said without hesitation. “I choose to return to my life exactly as it is, but with eyes that can see its true value.”

“Wisely chosen,” the tree replied, and Kofi felt a warm sensation wash over him, as if every cell in his body was being renewed. “Your wish is granted.”

When Kofi opened his eyes, he was standing in the clearing where he had first met Anansi. The spider was there, hanging from his web with a knowing smile.

“Welcome back, my friend,” Anansi said. “How was your journey to the Tree of Wishes?”

Kofi looked around at the familiar landscape with new eyes. The trees seemed more vibrant, the air smelled sweeter, and the simple sight of his village in the distance filled him with joy. “It was… transformative,” he said. “The tree granted my wish, but not in the way I expected.”

“And what did you wish for?” Anansi asked, though his twinkling eyes suggested he already knew.

“I wished to see my life as it truly is,” Kofi replied. “I wished for the wisdom to appreciate what I already have instead of always yearning for what I lack.”

Anansi nodded approvingly. “The Tree of Wishes is indeed powerful, but its greatest magic is not in changing your circumstances – it’s in changing your perspective. You sought riches and found something far more valuable: contentment.”

From that day forward, Kofi became known throughout the village not for his complaints, but for his gratitude. He still worked hard, still faced challenges, still experienced disappointments – but he met each situation with appreciation for the lessons it brought and the opportunities it provided.

His newfound contentment was infectious. Family members who had grown tired of his constant complaints now sought out his company, drawn by his positive outlook. Friends who had avoided him began to visit regularly, inspired by his wisdom and gratitude. Even strangers found themselves uplifted by encounters with Kofi.

Years later, when young people came to Kofi complaining about their circumstances and wishing for different lives, he would always tell them about his journey to the Tree of Wishes.

“The tree taught me,” he would say, “that we spend so much time looking for happiness in the distance that we miss the joy that surrounds us right here, right now. The greatest wish anyone can make is not for more things, but for the ability to see the abundance that already exists in their life.”

And sometimes, when the moon was full and the ancestors drew near to listen, Kofi would catch sight of Anansi spinning his web nearby, and he would nod his thanks to the wise spider who had taught him that the most powerful magic of all was the transformation of the human heart.

Aboakyere mu nsɛm yɛ dɛ – What we already have is sweet.

This tale reminds us that contentment is not about having everything we want, but about wanting what we have. In Akan philosophy, true wealth is measured not by external possessions but by internal peace and gratitude. The story teaches us that the grass may seem greener on the other side, but happiness grows best in the soil where we are currently planted.