Is a wall-walker like a daddy longlegs?
From Ovid, the Metamorpheses, came to us the tale of the mother of all spiders:
Arachne was a country girl renowned throughout the region of Lydia in Ancient Greece, for her skill in spinning and weaving. Her teacher was Athene, the goddess of wisdom, also known as Pallas. However, as Arachne spun and weaved the finest tapestries and fabrics, a great rivalry grew between them. Athene became jealous of her pupil. So Athene disguised herself as a withered old woman and visited the girl at her loom. Expressing admiration, the old woman asked who was her teacher. When the boastful Arachne denied that it had been Athene, the goddess dropped her disguise and revealed her true identity. Flushed with anger, she said, "Those who defy the gods must make good their words. We will have a spinning contest to see who weaves the finer tapestry!"
News of the contest spread quickly and from all over Lydia people came to watch. Athene proceeded to make a tapestry with the design of an Olympic scene in which Nemesis, the goddess of vengeance, carried away those who dared challenge the Immortals. The tapestry was very fine. But Arachne's tapestry was even more beautiful and elaborate. She depicted scenes of the misbehavior of the gods and goddesses, of seduction, and of the unworthy tricks they played when they wanted their way. The work was perfect. Even Athene could not find a flaw in it.
Angered by Arachne's skill and impertinence, Athene became enraged. Her hands tore at the tapestry, and she hit Arachne on the head with her weaving tools. In her distress, Arachne turned away from the horrified gaze of the onlookers. She ran to the woods, put a rope around her neck, and tried to end her life. Then Athene took pity on her mortal rival, and being a powerful goddess, she granted her a new life as a spider, the weaver with the ultimate skill in spinning. "Live on, wicked one," the angry Athene said, "but always hanging, and let your children share your punishment." And because of the goddess's wrath, Arachne was thus doomed to spin forever, suspended between heavean and earth.
Mac -- A Daddy Longlegs isn't the same... the Wall-Walkers are much heavier looking -- a Daddy Longlegs on steroids.
We had daddy longlegs in the showers at my summer camp - that was really creepy!
Nice, Setanta.
Here's a legend from the Navajo:
Quote:The Gift of the Gila Monster, Navajo Ceremonial Tales 1993, Gerald Hausman.
Spider Woman, in some Navajo legends, is a Kisani (Pueblo) woman who was taught the craft by a spider. In acknowledgement of their debt to Spider Woman, one of the Holy People of Navajo mythology, Navajo weavers always left a hole in the center of each blanket, like that of a spider's web, until the traders in the early part of this century refused to buy such blankets. Most Navajo weavers still acknowledge the debt by leaving a "spirit outlet" in the design. The spirit outlet usually takes the form of a thin line made from the center of the blanket to the edge, and also serves, Navajo weavers believe, to prevent "blanket sickness." The People have a phrase similar to "cobwebs in the brain" and believe that Spider Woman, to whom the tribute of a spider hole has been denied, will spin webs in the head of the weaver if the spirit outlet is omitted. Since the weaver carries the pattern of the blanket in her head from beginning to ending, perhaps blanket sickness is more real than imagined. Pg. 34
I've always thought that "She Who Watches" looks like she's related to Spider Woman.
Very nice stories, both of them. Now if Aa were here, she would have more to contribute, I'm sure.
s
Mac -- All spiders, by definition, are creepy!!!! The closer they are, the more confined you are, the creepier they get. (But then, you may have noticed that I don't care much for 'em.
)
Hmm...maybe I am on a movie kick, but I keep thinking "Help me, help me!"
LOL!
I'm glad I'm not alone in my phobia and no one has suggested I see a shrink to overcome it, haha!
Nah, they are creepy. I agree about the legs though, and the bite. I was weeding by the handful this morning, close to the building. I paid real close attention to where I was putting my hands.
A bad habit I have.....when we first moved to SC I was weeding and almost put my hand directly into the head of a young copperhead snake. Gave me quite a start, he did. I watch where I am walking, but will put my bare hands into God knows what. Now that is giving me the willies.
Tomato Hornworms! Encountered my first one of the season today. Totally harmless but ferocious-looking and can reek havoc on a tomato plant before you even realize what's happening. Just gotta yank them off of the stems and leaves. Disgusting!
Hmmmmm. I don't mind spiders, but then the ones around here aren't enormous and aren't particularly dangerous unless you're allergic to their bite. I can work around them. I rarely bother disturbing their webs in the garden. It's their workplace, and home.
Daddy long legs are very poisonous, or so the legend goes here, but their wittle biters are too weak to penetrate our skin. They are said to prey on other spiders, so may be a good option for the spider phobes to leave around.
There are very daddy long legs like spiders in our gardens here, only a little heavier, and sort of banded - they can JUST penetrate into skin, but not well, but leave nasty welts - they have always fed my faith in the poisonousness of the daddy long legs.
daddy long legs are poisonous but not extremely so, they couldn't kill you even if they could break the skin.
There seem to be so many creepy crawlies to choose from in Oz, I don't know how you manage. How did the aborigines survive?
I just heard a terrible spider story last night from my daughter who heard it from one of her friends. The friend said her husband was driving a bulldozer for a company in Nicaragua... blazing a road in the rain forest. They disturbed a huge nest of giant red spiders. He told her that they stopped when they realized that forest seemed to be in constant movement. Lots and lots of these hand-sized spiders started climbing up the bulldozer. The husband and his working partner climbed on to the cab roof and called for help but nobody would come because they knew that the spiders were so awful. After about four hours the spiders left. Does that sound like a true story??? Truly horrible, if true.
I always wanted to take a trip to Australia to see all the beautiful exotic animals and then one day I was watching the crocodile hunter where he and his wife had a show on spiders. They took us into their home and showed us what the common house spider looked like and I almost died. I'd still love to see Australia, but the fear of spiders and flying won't let me :-(
Piffka
That story is horrifying!!!!
Of course we wouldn't send you to a shrink, Montana, and you'd have to be crazy to go.
Montana wrote:Piffka
That story is horrifying!!!!
I know. My daughter and I were totally creeped out, but we didn't know if it was just a story or if it was really true. Who would know about giant red spiders in the tropical rainforest?
Montana -- there are plenty of places that don't seem quite so appealing when you learn about the spiders, snakes, and other bugaboos that live there. Of course, the first time I went to the desert in Arizona, I was sure I'd see a rattlesnake immediately. Never have, nor a tarantula, nor a scorpion... and I'm looking all the time, believe me! I did HEAR a rattlesnake once, but I was on a big horse and he was scared enough for both of us.
roger wrote:Of course we wouldn't send you to a shrink, Montana, and you'd have to be crazy to go.
Awww, Geee, Thanks Roger :-) I know someone suggested I see a shrink at one time, but I don't remember who it was or if it was for the spider phobia or the flying. Take me as I am, fears and all or don't take me at all :-D
