Oh, Goddess!

The Weaving Competition

A/N: This is a super cringy short story I made for English class a long time ago. Hopefully you enjoy!

Arachne: Finally, I had finished weaving my masterpiece- it is quite magnificent- and people were showering me with compliments about the tapestry I weaved. They even said that my work must be better than that of the goddess of weaving herself! I did get a bit nervous, however, not wanting to upset a goddess. My stormy blue eyes started to cloud with worry, as I twisted a lengthy ringlet of my chocolate brown hair around my finger.

All of a sudden, a beautiful woman appeared in front of me. Her luscious black locks cascaded around her shoulders, harmonizing with her piercing grey eyes.

¨I challenge you, mortal, to a weaving competition!" she proclaimed, scowling. With a sudden fright, I realized that she was Athena, my idol, and the goddess of wisdom and weaving. I had upset her!

Minutes after my realization, the competition began. I decided to do an intricate pattern showing the twelve Olympian gods and goddesses. Athena would surely be impressed by that, if nothing else. I noticed that Athena was watching me and my unfinished work. I shakily kept working, and hoped she would be impressed.

Athena: I was enjoying reading my favorite book up in Olympus, when I heard pounding footsteps heading to the room. It was my godly nemesis, Poseidon, collapsing in laughter at the doorway.

"Athena- I heard some-" he started between laughs. He finally composed himself as I gave him a severe eye-roll, and added, "There were some mortals who said that this girl, Arachne was her name, was better at weaving than you!" he slipped into a fit of laughter again.

He may have thought it hilarious, yet I did not. I felt shocked, angry, and betrayed. No mortal could possibly be better at weaving than me! I am the goddess of weaving, after all. "Poseidon! Be quiet right this instant!" I shouted. "I am going down to Earth to teach this mortal a lesson- and that no one can ever be better at weaving than me!" I proclaimed, full of pride.

I came down from the heavens, and challenged her to a competition. I then selected a judge at random from the newly formed crowd gathering around us. This seemingly unbiased judge would surely pick me to win!

As I watched the mortal spin and weave expertly, my heart and hubris begin to soften. I realize that I had been selfish and that I should give this extraordinarily talented weaver a chance. With a start, I realize I should start the design I am weaving. I decide on an elaborate owl, braided to be three-dimensional.

Arachne: The judge examined both of our dazzling and elegant final products. "And the winner is.." he began, building up suspense, "Arachne the weaver!"

I gasped in surprise. Athena's astonishing owl was very magnificent and sophisticated, but with my shimmering fabric and concise detail, looking back on it, I would say I won by quite a margin. I was so ecstatic, I could barely contain my excitement, but then I remembered Athena. I looked over at her, and she seemed lost in thought.

Out of nowhere, my body suddenly began to morph and shift into something grotesquely disproportional. I held inside a shattering scream of agony.

Athena: At once, as soon as the judge I selected announced Arachne the winner, I knew that I had deeply erred in challenging this mortal to a contest. But no mortal can win against a goddess! I reiterated my thought from earlier. If a mortal beat me in a competition, my reputation would surely be lost. Another thought came to mind. Then why not make her a goddess?

Once I had my brilliant idea, I realized that if I were to make Arachne a goddess, she had to be the goddess of something. I noticed a black spider crawling on the floor. Spiders! I thought, Spiders were known for their weaving prowess, after all. And so I made her a goddess- the goddess of spiders. As she begins her transformation into a giant spider, I smile, proud of myself for accomplishing such a feat on my own.

"Great job!" I congratulate her with another genuine smile. "I love your tapestry. As I walk away, receiving no response, I notice that she is bubbling with anger.

Arachne: The goddess that I admired most and tried so hard to impress had just turned me into a SPIDER? And then she has the audacity to congratulate me?! I cannot believe that this same honor and respect for Athena that made me desire her approval resulted in this repulsive fate. How ironic that she, a goddess, wound up being so jealous of me, a mortal. Just thinking about this, I nearly exploded in anger and fail to keep my cool.

I started crawling towards Athena, that horribly spiteful goddess. She stepped back in confusion. I snarl and start to charge, but she disappears.

Athena: I take a step back in fear and shock as Arachne attempts to maim or injure me, and then, once I gather my wits, whisk myself back to Olympus. Why was that mortal ungrateful? I made her an immortal goddess, for heavens' sakes. Mortals! I can never understand them!

A/N: Also does anyone have any ideas as to what Arachne's theme song would be? Not in this story, but in the original myth.