The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

SPIDERS

IN SCOTLAND, SPIDERS ARE GOOD LUCK AND THIS STORY
DATES BACK TO THE 15TH OR 16TH CENTURY. WHEN THE
CLANS WERE AT WAR IN SCOTLAND, THE CLAN THAT WAS
BEING DEFEATED STARTED TO RETREAT AND THE PRINCE OF
THAT CLAN SOUGHT REFUGE IN A CAVE. ONCE INSIDE,
HE SAW A SPIDER AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO KILL IT, WHEN HE
THOUGHT TO HIMSELF THAT HE KNEW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE
HUNTED AND HE DECIDED TO LET THE SPIDER LIVE. AFTER
A TIME THE SPIDER WOVE A WEB ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE
CAVE AND WHEN THE ENEMY CLAN CAME TO SEARCH THE CAVE
FOR THE PRINCE, THEY SAID, "HE COULD NOT BE IN THERE
BECAUSE THE SPIDER WEB WOULD HAVE BEEN BROKEN." SO
THEY PASSED THAT CAVE ON AND THE PRINCE'S LIFE WAS
SAVED. THAT IS WHY IT IS BAD LUCK TO KILL A SPIDER.

Submitter comment: CELIA HEARD THIS LEGEND WHILE HITCHHIKING FROM
EDINBURGH TO GLASGOW IN THE FALL OF 1970. I DON'T
THINK SHE BELIEVES IT; BUT DOES THINK THE LEGEND
IS INTERESTING.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT ; DETROIT

Date learned: 10-14-1971 ; 00-00-1970