A spider is considered an ‘Arachnid’- ever wonder why? So did Greek children, and you’ll never believe the web of lies they were given as an answer.
Christians know God created the Earth and every creepy crawler on it, while an Atheist will tell you they’re the products of a Big Bang in deep space. But mythology takes the Disney route, giving one critter an enchanted origin.
You’re about to learn the Greek Myth used to explain the creation event behind one of the tiniest terrors ever to walk our planet… the spider.
After hearing this tall tale, you’ll never look at our eight-legged foe the same ever again.
This post tells the far-out story spun up by ancient Greece to describe how the world came to be crawling with spiders.
Pride and Punishment
Meet Arachne
So, there’s this peasant girl named Arachne, right? And she’s like, totally obsessed with herself because she’s super good at spinning and weaving. I mean, she’s got skills, but humility? Not so much. Picture this: she’s there, dyeing her thread all these fancy colors, with the water nymphs and the wood nymphs leaving their usual hangout spots just to watch her. It’s like she’s the ‘it girl’ of weaving.
One day, this wood nymph’s like, “OMG, you must have been taught by Minerva herself!” You know, Minerva? The goddess of all things crafty? But Arachne, with all the arrogance of a JV cheerleader who just made varsity, flips her hair and says, “Please, Minerva’s got nothing on me. I’m self-taught, babes.” And just when you think she couldn’t get any more extra, Arachne decides to throw the ultimate shade by challenging Minerva herself to a weave-off. She’s all, “Let’s see who really deserves the title, goddess of the loom.” I mean, talk about being full of yourself.
Minerva Goes Stealth Mode
The nymphs were shook, literally covering their mouths, because dissing a goddess is like social suicide times a million. Sure enough, Minerva catches wind of Arachne’s little stunt and she’s livid. Like, seeing-red livid. So, she pulls a total undercover boss move and disguises herself as this old woman, complete with gray hair and wrinkles, then hobbles her way to Arachne’s cottage for a little surprise visit. And you just know drama is about to unfold.
So, Arachne swings open her door and there’s Minerva, looking all kinds of ancient, wagging her finger like she’s somebody’s grandma. “Sweetie, if I were you,” she croaks, “I wouldn’t be getting all high and mighty comparing myself to the fabulous Minerva. Maybe try being a little humble and apologize for that massive ego of yours.”
Challenge Accepted
But Arachne, being the queen of sass, is like, “Excuse me, granny, but who asked you? If Minerva’s all that, she can come down from her high horse and prove it herself.”
Then, BAM! The old lady morphs into Minerva, goddess extraordinaire, and Arachne’s face is all kinds of blush. But does she back down? As if. She’s all, “Well, look who decided to show up. Ready to have a weave-off or what?” Minerva just gives her the death stare while the nymphs are hiding behind trees, totally mortified by Arachne’s audacity. She’s like, “Come on in, if you dare,” all while stepping back and rolling out the red carpet for a divine showdown.
It’s Go Time
Without a word, Minerva strides in, and they get to work like it’s the season finale of “Project Runway.” They’re both throwing down, weaving up a storm of colors—purple, pink, gold, you name it. Minerva’s piece is all about the Olympus VIPs, while Arachne’s got this epic saga of godly gossip bordered with the trendiest florals and ivy.
The river and wood nymphs can’t help but gawk at Arachne’s masterpiece. It’s so good that even the goddess Envy, who’s there to judge the contest, is like, “It’s flawless,” which totally sends Minerva over the edge. In a fit of rage, she shreds Arachne’s work and goes full psycho on her.
No One Messes With Minerva
Humiliated, Arachne tries to hang herself, but Minerva’s like, “Hold up, you’re not gonna die… but you will hang— as the world’s first emo spider, doomed to dangle from your web and weave forever.” And with a flick of her wrist, Arachne’s rocking the no-hair, no-ears, all-belly look, totally turned into a spider. But true to form, she starts weaving a web so fabulous it could only be the work of Arachne.
So, there you have it, the dramatic tale of how Arachne became the first spider, proving that sometimes, throwing shade at a goddess can really come back to bite you.
Anyway, time for this Byrd to fly. Until next time... XOXO Virginia
P.S... add an entry to your Burn Book by throwing shade on this coloring page. CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF: Arachne Burn Page
CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF: Arachne Burn Page