The Grinding Stone That Ground Flour by Itself

The Grinding Stone That Ground Flour by Itself

Long ago, hard times came to the land. The rains did not come for a long while, the harvest was poor, and people did not have enough to eat.

Everyone in the village grew thin and tired—everyone except the family of Kofi, Anansi’s cousin.

Kofi and his children looked cheerful every day, and sometimes the smell of fresh flatbreads drifted from their little house.

Anansi noticed.

“There’s a secret here,” he said to himself. “And I’m going to find out what it is.”

There really was a secret.

One morning, Kofi went into the forest and saw a large, round stone in a clearing. As soon as he came closer, the stone began to rumble softly:

Rumble, rumble, rumble…

And fresh flour poured out right in front of Kofi.

Nearby, a little stream of sweet honey trickled between the roots.

Kofi was amazed, but he did not take more than he needed.

“Thank you, wonderful place,” he said. “I’ll take enough to feed my family today.”

That is what he did every day. He came in the morning, took a little flour and honey, and went home.

Anansi would not leave him alone.

“Kofi, where does your food come from?”

“We have enough with what we have.”

“But where does it come from?”

“Anansi, why do you need to know?”

“Because I’m your relative! Relatives should share their secrets!”

Kofi knew that Anansi could be very greedy. But Anansi asked him from morning till night, so at last Kofi gave in.

“All right. Tomorrow, when the village begins its morning work, we’ll go together.”

Anansi did not want to wait.

In the middle of the night, he woke his children and whispered:

“Bang your pots as if morning has come.”

Clang! Bang! Clang!

Anansi rushed to Kofi’s house.

“Get up! Everyone is already working!”

Kofi looked outside. It was dark all around.

“Anansi, that’s one of your tricks. I’ll go when I hear people sweeping their yards.”

Anansi went home and told his children to swish their brooms.

Swish-swish! Swish-swish!

“Kofi! Now it really is morning!”

But Kofi saw through the trick again and went back to bed.

Then Anansi thought of another plan. He quietly poked a little hole in Kofi’s travel bag and sprinkled some ash inside.

At daybreak, Kofi set off for the forest by himself. A thin gray trail trickled from his bag behind him.

That was exactly what Anansi had been waiting for.

He followed the trail and soon reached the magic clearing.

“Aha!” he cried. “So this is where you get your food!”

“Quietly,” Kofi asked. “This is a special place. It helps those who take only what they need.”

The grinding stone rumbled:

Rumble, rumble, rumble…

Flour appeared. Kofi baked flatbreads, and he and Anansi ate.

After breakfast, Kofi filled a small bag with flour.

“Time to go home.”

But Anansi was staring at the grinding stone with shining eyes.

“Why come here every day? I’ll take it with me!”

“Don’t,” Kofi warned. “It doesn’t belong to you. And it is happy right here.”

“Nonsense! If the stone makes flour, it should work for me.”

Anansi lifted the stone onto his head and set off down the path.

Then the grinding stone spoke:

“Anansi, Anansi, put me back where I belong.

The boar ate and went away.

The antelope ate and went away.

Anansi, Anansi, put me back where I belong.”

“No,” Anansi replied. “Now you’re my treasure.”

He arrived at the next village and shouted:

“Fresh flour! The finest flour! Pay a few coins and you can have as much as you like!”

The stone ground, the people bought flour, and Anansi’s bag grew heavier and heavier with coins.

He went to a second village, then a third.

“More! More!” Anansi rejoiced.

All the while, the grinding stone kept repeating:

“Anansi, Anansi, put me back where I belong.”

But he did not listen.

By evening, Anansi was tired.

“That’s enough. Now I’m rich. Time to take you off my head.”

He grabbed the stone.

It did not move.

Anansi pulled harder.

Nothing.

“Hey! I said, get off!”

The grinding stone seemed to grow twice as heavy.

Anansi bent beneath it.

“Oh! Why are you pressing down so hard?”

“Because you did not listen when you had the chance to stop,” the stone replied. “I give food for people’s needs, not for endless greed.”

Anansi tried to take a few more steps, but his legs were trembling.

“All right! All right! I’ll take you back!”

He could barely make it to the magic clearing. As soon as Anansi stepped onto the grass, the grinding stone grew light again. He carefully put it back in its old place.

“That’s better,” it rumbled.

Anansi wiped his forehead.

“At least I’ll keep the money.”

But when he opened his bag, dry leaves flew out. The coins he had earned through someone else’s gift and his own greed had disappeared.

Kofi, who had just arrived to collect that day’s flour, looked quietly at his cousin.

“Don’t say anything,” Anansi sighed. “I understand now.”

“What do you understand?”

Anansi thought for a moment.

“When a wonder gives you enough, the greatest foolishness is to ask it for more and more.”

Kofi smiled.

They took just enough flour for their families to eat that day and returned to the village together.

The magic grinding stone stayed in the clearing and rumbled softly:

Rumble, rumble, rumble…

For everyone who came with an empty basket, not a bottomless greed.

May this story leave a little light in your heart ✨