Henrietta & The Spider Queen

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Henrietta who lived with her parents in a small village surrounded by trees. The house they lived in was old and worn, with many cracks and holes just large enough for little things to crawl in from the forest outside. Henrietta despised bugs and insects of any kind, and she was particularly fearful of spiders. No matter how greatly she disliked them however, Henrietta could never bring herself to kill another living thing, regardless of how many skittering little legs it had. Instead, she kept a large glass jar by her bedside. And whenever Henrietta found a small intruder in her home, she would carefully catch it in the jar and release it back into the garden outside.

One night, Henrietta went out to release a pair of particularly large moths she had caught fluttering around the kitchen. When she reached the woods at the edge of the garden, she opened the jar and watched as the two moths sped away. They did not get very far however, for they were soon trapped once again, this time in a shimmering spiders web. Suddenly, from out of the branches came the largest spider Henrietta had ever seen. It was brown and hairy, with a dark pattern on its back shaped like a crown.

“Ah Child. It’s you again.” Said the spider.

Henrietta did her very best not to scream as she shyly replied “Do... Do I know you?”

The spider bowed with its many legs and said “I am Chelicera; Queen of the spiders. We first met long ago, when I was but a small and nervous little thing, scurrying in the corners of your home. When you caught me and left me here in this place I was so scared. But then you came back, again and again, always with prey for me to catch.

I soon grew large and strong. With your help I have become more powerful than any spider in this forest, and my family has spread far and wide across these lands.

You have been my benefactor, child. My champion. And in recognition of your services, I shall offer you one favor. Whatever you may need, you shall have the full assistance of myself and any of my children.”

Henrietta gazed in horrified wonder at the magnificent spider queen and her many glittering eyes. She could feel her terror slowly fading as the significance of the queens offer grew louder in her mind.

Henrietta paused for only a moment before responding. Thinking quickly, she made her best curtsey and said “Thank you, your highness. As a matter of fact, there is a very important matter that I could use some assistance with, if you would be so kind.”

“And what is that, my champion?” replied the spider.

“Do you know the big red house at the top of Cherrywood Hill?” asked Henrietta.

“My home has always been this forest.” replied Queen Chelicera “But my children have made their homes all across this village. They know every house and every hole. They can guide me.”

Henrietta nodded and continued; “There is a man who lives in that house. A doctor by the name of Porter. He is quite tall, with a silver mustache. Would you and your children go to him, and ask him politely to leave me alone?”

“All of my children?” Asked the Queen, “I have many thousands at least.”

“Yes. ” replied Henrietta, “That should be enough.”

“I have asked him several times myself, but he is... insistent.” Henrietta continued, absentmindedly touching a faded bruise hidden beneath her sleeve. “Perhaps if you and your family were to ask him, he would finally listen.”

“I see..” replied Queen Chelicera. “Very well then. Fear not, my champion. I shall gather my children and deliver your message at once.” And with another deep bow, the great spider turned and headed back through the branches.

Henrietta stood in silence for a moment, listening to the sounds of many long legs moving through the leaves. Then she took her empty jar, and went back inside to get ready for bed.

The townsfolk were never entirely sure what happened to Dr. Porter that night. They knew only that his screams woke many of the families on Cherrywood hill, and that he fled town in a panic the next morning, to the great relief of many young women in the village

Some say he died of heart failure shortly after leaving. Others say he started a new life somewhere far away, plagued by nightmares and a seemingly irrational fear

of both spiders and young women...Henrietta was forever grateful to Queen Chelicera for her help. After that night she would often visit the Queen in her garden, sometimes accompanying her through the forest on clear nights. In time, Henrietta overcame her fear of spiders, among other insects, choosing to spend more and more time exploring the forest, and learning from the creatures she met there.

Years later, people began hearing many strange stories about life in the little village. Some said there was a witch who lived in the forest just beyond the town. Some said folks who had beaten their children or their spouse were likely to find the witch’s monsters waiting for them in the night. Some said that hunters had gone into the forest looking for her, but were never seen again.

And some said that if you were ever in danger, if you were scared, and if no one would listen; to find a spider and ask them to deliver a message to the witch of the woods.

If you were kind to the spiders, they said, the witch Henrietta would always listen.