Arachne the weaver who challenged the goddess Athena
It takes a lot to get turned into a spider
Arachne was beautiful and talented. Her talent was weaving, she could weave the most beautiful tapestry’s anyone had ever seen.
She could weave them so that the pictures on them would seem to move. The crowd loved her. Tapestries were very valuable and Arachne made so many of them that she even gave some away.
One day, an old woman walked up to Arachne and said, “You weave well, you should thank Athena the goddess of weaving for your gifts”.
Arachne was infuriated, “I do not need Athena!” she cried. “I did this all myself, and trust me I work hard on it!” (You couldn’t buy that kind of weaving at Walmart.)
“Surely you will anger Athena”. Said the old woman. “I don’t care! I am better than Athena! If she is so angered tell her to come here and participate in a weaving contest!” said Arachne.
Athena looked down from her throne on Olympus. “Did that mortal just say that?” she asked Hestia. “I’m afraid she did”. Athena looked around the throne room and angry gleam in her eyes.
“I must do something about this”. She said promptly and traveled down to earth. When she got there she changed form and turned herself into an old woman. (What’s up with Greek Mythology and old women?)
Anyway, Athena hobbled over to Arachne. “My dear,” she said in a raspy voice, “Surely you have thanked the goddess Athena for your gifts?” Arachne doesn’t even look at her. “Go away,” said Arachne, “I am better at weaving then Athena, so why should I thank her? I should be the goddess of weaving. If Athena wants to challenge me, then tell her I said go ahead”.
Athena (Old woman version) smirked. Then her form began to change, she turned back to the goddess Athena. Arachne shrieked, she did not expect the goddess to actually come.
“I accept your challenge”. boomed Athena. Arachne shook in her little Greek sandals. “u-u-m okay but who will judge the contest?” she said. The crowd could not judge it, they would choose Athena out of fear.
“I will judge,” said Athena. “I will be fair”. Arachne timidly agreed. They started weaving. Athena wove a beautiful tapestry of the gods and goddesses. It was wonderful. Arachne wove a tapestry making fun of the Olympians. Yet it was magnificent and obviously more beautiful than Athena’s.
The crowd gasped. Athena stood, “You have won mortal”. she said. Arachne smiled smugly. “See,” she told the crowd, “I am better than Athena!” Athena glared.
“Now, for making fun of the Olympians you must be punished”. said Athena. Then the goddess snapped into action, she chased Arachne around the weaving room and beat her. Then she turned Arachne into a horrible creature.
The creature had eight legs and eight eyes. The creature was made to weave. Arachne became the first spider.
Arachne scuttled away into the darkness. She would be an immortal weaver from now on, just like she wanted, her children would bite the ankles of Athena’s children and in turn, Athena’s children would step on them. All children of Athena would have a terrible fear of spiders.
