Oh what a tangled web we weave when we can’t keep our big mouths shut. Here is an ancient Greek myth about the price of arrogance.
Arachne (uh-raknee) was a young girl who was such a wonderful weaver that people came from miles around just to look at her beautiful tapestries.
“The goddess Athena must have taught you this wonderful skill,” the people said. For it was Athena who taught all mortals the craft of weaving.
With a toss of her head, Arachne replied, “Athena had nothing to do with my talent. If we were to have a weaving contest, I would surely win.”
Before long, Athena heard about Arachne’s boasting. She disguised herself as an old woman and went to see what all the fuss was about.
Athena was very impressed by Arachne’s work, but she gave the arrogant girl a warning: “Your work is lovely, my dear, but do not be so vain as to compare yourself to a goddess.”
Arachne just laughed. “My work is ten times better than Athena’s and given the chance, I could prove it.”
With that, Athena threw off her disguise. “You shall regret those words, you silly girl. Let the contest begin.”
Sound advice: To break the sound barrier, you have to fly at about 760 mph.
Athena’s hands were swift and graceful. Her tapestries were beautiful. She wove scenes showing the power and might of the gods.
Arachne worked harder and faster than she’d ever worked in her life. Her tapestries were spectacular—her pictures were so realistic they almost appeared to move. But Arachne intentionally wove pictures of gods and goddesses acting stupid and foolish.
This made Athena explode with anger. “You wish to weave? Well, I grant your wish. From this day forth, you and your children, and your children’s children, will weave and spin for all eternity!”
In an instant Arachne began to shrink. First her body shriveled to the size of a pea. Then her fingers turned into eight long legs. She skittered across the floor and up the wall. There she began to weave. Only this time it wasn’t a tapestry—it was a web of delicate silk thread.
For Athena had turned Arachne into…a spider.
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SPIDER FACT
Why doesn’t a spider stick to its own web? It weaves special non-sticky silk strands into its web and then walks only on those.
The Statue of Liberty’s nose is 4 feet, 6 inches long.