Arachne (ah-r?k"-n?) was a beautiful maiden, and the most wonderful weaver that ever lived. Her father had great skill in colouring, and he dyed her wools in all the colours of the rainbow.
People came from miles around to see her wonderful work. They all agreed that surely no one but Athena, the goddess, could have been her teacher.
But Arachne proudly said that no one had taught her to weave. She even said that she would be glad to weave with Athena, to see which had the greater skill.
In vain her father told her that perhaps the goddess, unseen, guided her hand. Arachne would not listen, and would thank no one for her gift, believing only in herself.
At last one day, as she was boasting of her skill, an old woman came to her and begged her to insult Athena no more. She warned her that no mortal could hope to equal a goddess, and advised her to accept humbly her heaven-bestowed gift.
But Arachne scorned her advice, and said again thatnothing would please her so much as to weave with the goddess.
" I f I f a i l , " s h e s a i d , " I w i l l g l a d l y t a k e t h e punishment; but Athena is afraid to weave with me. "Then the old woman threw back her cloak and said, "Athena is here. Come, foolish girl, she will try her skill with yours. "Each went quickly to work, and for hours their shuttles flew swiftly in and out. Athena used the sky for her loom, as usual, and in it she wove the palace of Alkinoos. In one place you could see the great king doing his unselfish work for others.
But Arachne"s work, though her colours were as beautiful and the weaving wonderfully fine, was full of spite and selfishness. At last the work was finished, and Arachne lifted her eyes and looked at the work of the goddess. Instantly she knew that she had failed, and, ashamed and miserable, she tried to hang herself in her web.
But Athena saw her, and said in pity : "No; you shall not die. Live; and do the thing you are best fitted for. You shall be the mother of a great race which shall be called spiders. You and your children shall be among the greatest spinners and weavers on earth. "As she spoke, Arachne felt herself becoming smaller and smaller, until she was scarcely larger than a fly.
And, from that day to this, Arachne and her family have been faithful spinners, but they do their work so quietly and in such dark places that very few people know what wonderful weavers they are.
From Nature Myths and Stories, by Flora J. CooKe.
About the Author.-Flora J. CooKe is a modern English writer. The lesson is from her book Nature Myths and Stories, published by GeorgeG. Harrap and Co., London. The story is retold from an old Greek myth. No one knows who first set it down in writing.
About the Story.-Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, was known to the Romans as Minerva. Have you seen her picture with her "snaky-headed Gorgon shield"? Al-kin"-o-os, or Al-cin"-o-us, was king of one of the lands visited by Ulysses in, his wanderings. He had a beautiful daughter Nausicaa, who found Ulysses shipwrecked on the shore and led him to her father"s court.