: Originating from West African Ashanti folklore, Anansi is a famous trickster who often uses his wit and cleverness to outsmart larger animals or even gods to get what he wants, such as food or stories.
Spider stories range from ancient trickster myths to modern tales of perseverance. Here are some of the most enduring "solid" stories about spiders from folklore, literature, and history: Folklore and Myth Spiders
: A story about a spider named Helen who is left at a zoo. She becomes the zoo's unsung hero by spinning webs that catch pesky flies, eventually leading the zookeepers to make a rule to be kind to all spiders. Modern and Moral Tales : Originating from West African Ashanti folklore, Anansi
: Written by Eric Carle, this story follows a spider that is so focused on spinning its web that it ignores various farm animals' invitations to play. Its persistence pays off when the web is finished and it catches a fly. She becomes the zoo's unsung hero by spinning
: A humorous tale about a young spider learning to build webs. After much practice, Jimmy finally completes a masterpiece, only to realize he accidentally cocooned himself in the center of it. Story: How Spider Helped a Fisherman
: A legendary Scottish tale where the defeated King Robert the Bruce, hiding in a cave, watched a spider try six times to swing its thread to a nearby beam and fail. On the seventh attempt, it succeeded, inspiring the king to try one more time and eventually win Scotland's independence. Classic Children’s Literature
: A moral story about a spider named Adrian who hopes to survive without eating bugs . After hearing a fly speak his language, he learns about a faraway forest where spiders live in harmony with flies by eating plant buds.