A collection of stories around weaving – nettles, Big Brown Dogs, spiders and a bridge of magpies. Warning very sketchy notes
Arachne and Athena
Spider Boasting Competition Bad choices Angry Athena and Arachne is turned into a web spinning spider
Old Lady and Porcupine Needles
When she finishes her weaving the world will end Each night Big Brown Dog removed part of the weaving As she liked walks and bones and smells
Six Swan Brothers
https://www.grimmstories.com/en/grimm_fairy-tales/the_six_swans
‘The Six Swans’, a fairy tale collected by the Grimm Brothers, gives a similar story. Another jealous stepmother makes magical shirts which, when left for the six brothers
should they pick up the beautiful white shirts?
They do and get transform them into swans.
The brothers can tell their sister The only way for the curse to be broken is …
six years of silence and six shirts of nettles
One brother loves his swan life and retains a single swan-wing
transforming weaving shirt from nettles deadly threat no speaking or sound last minute success
Weaver for the Gods
Japan
It is a love story from the old days of old Japan and tells of the Weaving Maiden who dwelt upon the shore of the Bright River of Heaven. Her duty was to weave the garments for all of the gods. She took her duty most seriously working tirelessly hour after hour weaving the white cloth for the garments of the gods. Ream upon ream of cloth lay piled all around her but she never stopped for rest or respite. Instead she spent all her time weaving. You see she was afraid. She was afraid because she had heard this saying,
“Sorrow, sorrow, age-long sorrow And eternal gloom Shall fall upon the Weaving Maiden When she leaves her loom.”
Hard work no rest did not care about herself – raggged clothees and wild hair
Play no weaving Danced across the stars of heaven with the herd Boy of Heaven
Gods clothes began to get worn out But Father you told me not work all the time Father banished the Herd Boy across the river
Taking up the shuttle she laboured diligently as the tears rolled down her face but she continued weaving the clothing of the gods. Sometimes the cloth came out grey as grief, at other times it came out rosy or gold as in pleasant dreams and the colours change according to her mood. weaving what was in her heart Gods loved these more than anything
Bridge of magpies across the bright river to cross one night each month
Creative Storytelling