The Silken Snare

The Meadow

THE MEADOW

Once upon a time, a moth and a wasp shared a meadow. Among the lush grasses and ferns were many flowers filled with nectar, which fed them well. They lived in harmony and cooperated in all things. The wasp with its armor and stinger protected the moth, and the moth with its long reach and skillful harvesting shared the best bounty happily with its friend. When storms or frost came, the wasp built study walls of mud and the moth softly lined them with the delicate silk and feathers of its body to keep them warm. When the wasp with its smaller wings would tire, the moth with its soft giant wings would carry it and soar higher than the wasp could. Together they were happy as friends should be. 

There was also a spider who lived in the meadow. It also could live on nectar, but it craved something only the living could provide. Every day it saw the moth and the wasp, working together as friends, and it envied them but it also wanted something more, something only they could provide.  

One day, the moth was gathering the choicest nectar while the wasp was patroling. When the mockingbird attacked, the moth was caught unawares, it called out for help. The wasp came immediately and stung the mockingbird many time before it fled. The wasp fell to the ground exhausted, but then the spider watched how the moth carried the weakened wasp to safety. It realized how it could have everything it desired.The next day the moth went alone into the meadow, and was caught in the spider's web. It was terrified until the spider spoke.

"Do not be afraid. I will not hurt you. I admire your beautiful softness. I have seen how well you take care of that vicious, hard-hearted wasp. Your kindness inspires me."

"What do you want of me?" the moth asked as the spider carefully freed it from the silken snare.

"Just be my friend, dear moth, I have none, and if you could spare a little of your nectar."

The moth was saddened by the spider's plight, "You have no friends and no nectar?"

 The spider bowed its head, "The flowers here make very little. I have no beautiful wings to fly so I cannot wander far from my web  for I have no one to keep watch in case the mockingbird comes." 

The moth's heart pained for the poor, lonely spider, "I will help you and be your friend." Then the moth laugh nervously, "I thought you were going to eat me."

The spider laughed, "Not all spiders are that way."

"Then why make a web of silk to snare the innocent?"

"Oh, it isn't meant as a trap and I always free those who stumble into my web and damage it. It is my home and in the morning when the dew is on the strands it is quite beautiful and shiny, like the feather scales on your wings. Spiders like beautiful things." The spider's voice was so sincere that the moth had no choice but to believe because she had a kind heart and wanted to believe all creatures were the same. 

"Take the nectar I gathered, since you have none, I can fly and easily gather more," the moth offered generously.

As the spider collected the crystal orb, it once again caressed the moth's wing, "So soft and so beautiful. You are so pretty, Kind Moth. I wish I was like you and not an ugly spider."

The moth plucked a few soft scales and held them out to the spider, "You are not ugly, don't think that about yourself. Thank you again for freeing me, and I promise I will visit you soon, Sweet Spider."

The next day, the moth returned but the wasp remained at a wary distance and so it went day after day. Everyday the moth brought nectar to the spider, and sometimes it shared the soft, glistening scales of its wings for the spider to decorate its web. Everyday the spider praised the moth's generosity and beauty. Slowly the wasp's caution was worn down and she too approached the spider.