Tiger's Sheep-skin Suit

Anansi was a head-man for a man named Mr. Mighty, who employed Anansi to mind his sheep. There were about two thousand sheep. From the first day Anansi took over, a sheep went missing every day. Anansi stole them until only one remained. Mr. Mighty wanted to find out what happened to his sheep. He told Anansi he would give his best daughter and two hundred pounds to anyone who could discover how the sheep disappeared.

Anansi said the best way to find out was to hold a ball. Anansi had a friend named Tiger, whom he called "Brar Tiger." He went to Tiger and told him that Mr. Mighty promised his daughter and two hundred pounds to whoever could reveal how the sheep were lost. Anansi was a fiddler, and he said he would play the fiddle while Tiger played the tambourine.

But before going to the ball, Anansi gave Tiger a suit made entirely of sheepskin: a coat, trousers, cap, and boots. He warned Tiger that when he heard Anansi sing, "Mr. Mighty lost his sheep, It seems like Tiger is a thief," Tiger must not think it referred to him; it was about someone from the countryside. Tiger was to play his tambourine and sing, "Fe tre-ew, brother, fe tre-ew, It seems like it made my clothes."

Then Anansi went back to Mr. Mighty and told him that a man would come to the ball wearing a suit of sheepskin clothes, and that man was the one who stole the sheep.

Mr. Mighty sent out invitations to all the high folks—ladies and gentlemen from all around—to attend the ball on that date. On the night of the ball, Anansi arrived with his fiddle, and Tiger came with his tambourine, wearing the sheepskin suit. At the appointed time, Anansi tuned his fiddle, "he-rum, te-rum, she-rum." Tiger tuned the tambourine, "ring-ping, ring-ping, ring-pong, pe-ring-ping, double-ping, tong!" Anansi announced, "Gentlemen and ladies, catch your partner!" Then he played and sang, "Mr. Mighty lost his sheep, Mr. Mighty lost his sheep, Mr. Mighty lost his sheep, It seems like Tiger is a thief." Tiger sang, "Fe tre-ew, brother, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, brother, fe tre-ew, Fe tre-ew, brother, fe tre-ew, It seems like it made my clothes."

Anansi went to Mr. Mighty and said, "I worked with that man and didn't know he was such a thief! He stole the sheep until he took the skin and made his clothes!" As they were returning to their places, Anansi said, "Hell after you tonight, only thing you don't know!" Tiger asked, "What did you say, Bra'?" Anansi replied, "I said you're not playing strong enough; you must play louder!"

Anansi again called, "Gentlemen and ladies, catch a partner!" and sang, "Mr. Mighty lost his sheep, It seems like Tiger is a thief." Tiger sang, "Fe tre-ew, brother, fe tre-ew, It seems like it made my clothes."

Mr. Mighty stood up and said to Tiger, "Yes, that is the man who stole all my sheep!" Tiger said, "No!" Anansi said, "Yes, that is the man who stole all the sheep, and I ate with that man and didn't know he was such a thief!" Tiger was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison. Anansi received the two hundred pounds and married the best daughter.