Jillermar's Challenge
Tell a Story that teaches a lesson to others.
The spider had been working on his home all morning. He had started to spin his web when someone decided to water the garden. Actually he was quite happy to get some fresh water, after all even spiders had to drink now and again, but he preferred the water that came straight down from the clouds above. He was not impressed when one of those human types turned on the hose and the water poured out in such a torrent that his efforts of a morning were wasted. A spider’s web is a work of art, not just a home. Each thread was spun with care and thought. In spite of such difficulties, the spider decided to carry on with his building, after all it was his destiny and fate to spin his own home with the threads given to him by nature.
“What are you doing?” said a voice under the nearest leaf.
“What does it look like I am doing” answered the spider “I am building something to last; a work of art.”
“Well it looks a bit torn at the edges at the moment” and the spider saw a fly crawl from beneath the leaf.
“Since when does a fly know what a perfect spider’s web is?”
“Sorry, but I only turned into a fly this morning, so it’s the first time I have seen a web. What does it look like when it is finished?”
“Well you must be new to the garden if you have never seen a spider’s web”. The spider was glad for an interesting conversation now and again, especially with such a young simple fly, so he stopped spinning for a moment. “Spider’s webs are something that every garden has. You are now flying around in the garden and may see a few of them.”
“We flies don’t seem to need a web. I just hang around on a leaf. It’s useful being a fly. You can even walk upside down and there is always something to eat. I don’t know who put me in this place, probably my mum, but she certainly made sure I wouldn’t go hungry. Those humans are always leaving something around. I had only arrived a few minutes and there was already a piece of bread covered with jam that nobody wanted. I spent a few nice minutes on that bread digesting the sweet stuff. I think I am going to enjoy life in this garden. What do you do all day, except for spinning a web?”
“Not very much really” answered the spider.
“You mean all you do is spin a web. Doesn’t that get a bit boring? We flies, well we fly. You know see the world from the top.”
“Yes, well I suppose that is why you are called fly. We spiders generally just spend the day hanging around. You never know what might turn up. So now I must finish my web, so that I have a comfortable home to live in.”
“How can you call that a home? There are no rooms anywhere. It is just flat and all you do is sit in the middle. That must be a boring life.”
“Oh no, I don’t find it at all boring. Now and again something might damage my web and then I have to repair it. We spiders are very patient. We can just sit and wait for ages.
“What are you waiting for?”
“I tell you something, fly. If you are so interested in the life of a spider, then come a bit closer. I can see you better and we can have a cosy chat.”
“I can’t come any closer. I might damage your lovely web, after all the time you have spent making it.”
“That’s no problem fly. We spiders are made to spin webs and I will have it repaired in no time. Just take a few steps closer, or even better, just fly over; no problem.”
“Well, thanks for the invitation, here I come.”
And so it happened that the fly paid a visit to the spider’s web.
“Mr. Spider, I don’t like your web very much. I can’t move, my feet are stuck.”
“Yes, that it is a problem that flies can have when they visit a spider at home. I will see if I can make it a bit more comfortable.”
And the spider crawled over to the fly and started spinning.
“What are you doing spider? That is not very comfortable. I can’t move any more, I am completely covered in your webby stuff. I cannot fly any more.”
“Sorry fly but spiders just cannot eat bread and jam, or anything that humans leave laying around. We are carnivores, we eat meat. Our webs are too small to absorb anything larger than a fly, so I will just leave you for a while until I get hungry.”
Our fly was now feeling very unhappy. He had only been converted in the morning to a fly from his infant form, and already his life was in danger. It was a hot summer day, but the sky was gradually becoming darker as storm clouds gathered. The sky was illuminated by a flash of lightening and the thunder rolled, although our fly did not notice all this. He was waiting to be eaten by a very patient spider that had spent all morning spinning a new home. However, luck was with the fly. The heavens opened and a torrential burst of rain fell over the garden, engulfing the spider’s web and tearing it too pieces. Fly came tumbling down to the ground and on the way managed to free himself from the sticky web substance. As soon as he could move his wings he was away, ready to enjoy the remainder of his short life.
The spider waited beneath a leaf, a little annoyed that his lunch parcel had been so abruptly taken from him by a cloudburst. After the storm was over, the spider crawled out of his shelter and once again began to spin a new web.
The fly was now sitting under a leaf once again. He had learnt his first lesson in life on his first day as a fully grown fly. Never accept a spider’s invitation.
United Friends Challenge #114: Don't trust everyone
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