When I was growing up, there were certain animals and bugs that we were allowed to kill. Venomous snakes and spiders were never well loved. And many spiders bit the dust just because they were "creepy" or looked too much like a venomous spider.
One spider that was fiercely protected though was this yellow and black garden spider. KNown properly by the name of Argiope, the elderly ladies in my life called them Writing Spiders, Garden Spiders, or Name Spiders.
If you don't like spiders, then this one is definitely a yucky looking specimen to have around. It is large...sometimes seven inches across! It builds enormous webs that you don't want to walk into. But it also has magical powers. And in the Ouachita Mountains...you respect things with magical powers.
From a very young age, my grandmother taught us that you NEVER kill or even bother a writing spider. If you tear down it's web, or try to kill it...it will rebuild the next day. And it will write your name in it's web. When that happens...you are doomed to die.
If you kill it, then you have doomed yourself to bad luck. The worst kind of bad luck, like disease, grief and yes...even death. That is how powerful the magic of this spider is. Some other legends say that if the spiders hear you speak the name of a love one, or if they count a child's teeth, they will write those names in their webs too.
As a tribute to all the elderly people in my life who left these spiders looming in their gardens, and taught me to respect the power of Nature, here is a photo of my spider. She has been hanging on my porch for weeks, and everyone is forbidden to bother her web.
Cool we have one at our house and we feed it every day
ReplyDeleteForreal
DeleteNoooo,plz say this is fake,I said my moms name around oneðŸ˜ðŸ˜
ReplyDeleteI always heard that growing up to, It's Kinda like the weeping willow, they say if you plant one when it's full grown you will die. That is my favorite tree but I could never bring myself to plant one. I always loved listening to stories an superstitions when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteOn a very divine walk these appeared at times like signs
ReplyDeleteI killed 2 today and then read all this crap, I pray that their is redemption in my ignorance lol, I wouldn't have if I had known but they were on my building and one was on the front door, had several actually, one was a barn spider which was scary looking as well and Wolf spiders and what I think was a balloon spider. All that was on and around my building and lounge chairs lol
ReplyDeleteYou still alive? I just killed one and came in a read this and kinda freaking out
DeleteI saw one today.I let it be.Folklore is not to be taken lightly.
ReplyDeleteOh my! I just did the same thing and was freaking out when I read the Aug.29th post. Well said and agree!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a lil boy around 8-9 years old I was told if u smile at on n say ur name your name would be in its web and you would die hearing this from a class mate I didn't believe them so I did that and the next morning I ran out to see the web and across the mid of it spelled out Johna my name being johnathon my grandma n I took a pic of it not believing our eyes but then we left her and her web alone I rem taking the picture to school for show and tell and also I rem being scared that I was gonna die for like 2 years
ReplyDeleteI just walked into a huge web that a writing spider spun all the way across my door frame. I moved the spider to the Bush next to the door. I genuinely hope nothing bad happens. I couldn't get out my door if I didn't move it. I'd never hurt it.
ReplyDeleteIf u nicely move it you will not be in any harm. I grew up with these same focklore but i had one basically on my back door where i let my dog out. I called my grandmother & asked what to do. She said as long as u moved her in the morning daylight still in your yard u were safe.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I literally just did , the fact that mine had built across my front door literally overnight was a sign of protection or some kind of Godly omen , so I got broom and gently moved it to a Dogwood tree in my front yard
DeleteDemon magic it says in the bible they will weave a web of evil or something along those lines look it up
ReplyDeleteI lill writhing spiders for fun nothing will happen it's bs
ReplyDeleteWell thn . Your just a dick
DeleteFor me their web will go down but I don't harm spiders of any kind,but I'll squash a grandaddy in a heartbeat.
ReplyDeleteThey stink and like going to light and end up in your tent while camping
I remember my mom telling stories about them when I was a child. She and I always enjoyed looking for them. Sometimes finding several at one time. I currently have a very large female over top of my shrubs by my front porch. I enjoy checking on her when I go in and out. I am not a big fan of spiders, but I leave them alone if they or not venomous. I see them as mother matures pest control.
ReplyDeletePromise
ReplyDeleteIn in in in fuck
You
This legend is very real. I had seen one for the firtst time while I was over at my best friends house. I was fascinated so I took several pictures of it. I received a call while I was out on the porch smoking a cigarette and taking the pictures. It was another friend of mine who asked me what I was up too. I told her whos house I was at, mentioning him by name and began to tell her all about this ridiculously massive spider outside of his house. 13 days later, my best friend killed himself. I do not know if he disturbed the web or if he killed the spider. What I do know is that I had said his name right up close to the damn thing....
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