중학교 영어 3 (미래엔 최연희) 연계 글

It was in a little town in Lydia that Arachne, the daughter of a wool dyer, grew up. Her father colored wool with purple dye, and she wove it into fine cloth. Her work was so beautiful that visitors came from far away just to watch her hands. "Athena, the goddess of weaving, must have taught you," some of them said. Arachne did not like these words at all. "No one taught me," she answered. "If Athena wants to see real weaving, let her come and weave against me."

Athena, who heard about this challenge, decided to visit the proud young weaver. She came as an old woman with gray hair and a walking stick. "You are the best weaver among people," the old woman said. "Still, ask the goddess to forgive your proud words." It was this advice that made Arachne angry. Arachne, who did not want advice from anyone, dropped her thread and turned to the old woman. She asked, "Why doesn't your goddess come here herself?" It was at that moment that the old woman disappeared and the goddess herself stood in her place.

The contest began at once. Athena wove the great gods on their high seats. In each corner, she added small pictures of people who had challenged the gods and lost. Arachne, who was not afraid at all, filled her cloth with stories of gods who had tricked people. Her work had no mistakes, and not even Athena could find a single one.

The goddess was furious. In the end, she changed Arachne into a spider. Arachne's body became small and round, and her fingers turned into thin legs. Even so, she kept spinning thread and weaving. Today, when you see a web in a quiet corner, remember that it is Arachne's children who are still at work.