Adam Spider, by David Martinez

Adam Spider was the first male of the Spotted Spider tribe to survive his honeymoon. Love between spiders is a risky business because the male is smaller than the female and very tasty. A spider mother-to-be stays hungry all the time, ready to pounce on anything that touches her web. The females of this species are also prone to bad temper days when they just have to be left alone. Or else! They might never reproduce, except that the whole Spotted Spider tribe loves music and dancing so much. Even a grouchy girl can be soothed and smoothed by the right tune.

Some spider boys had figured out that their chances for romance were better if they came dancing and drumming to the wedding web. Other males were so scared of the spider bride that they had come holding on to a safety rope for quick escape. Others had tried bringing presents for the lady love, but even they were eaten and sucked dry. No male Spotted Spider had lived long after mating. Most were eaten long before any chance to try even one kiss.

Adam was the genius to first put together all the elements of safe spider sex. First he caught a sweet, juicy fly and tied it up into a neat package. Then he tied one end of silk line to a leaf bent over like a spring. He secured this line with a slip knot , so that it would flop him to saftey with one pull of the line. Only then did he try to woo a wife. He approached the web singing and dancing to the tune of a beautiful love song, all the while displaying this delicious present wrapped in silk. With one foot on a radial line of her web, he drummed the special Spotted Spider love rhythm. He could touch this part of her web because she only put sticky glue globs on the spiral transverse lines. All this time Adam kept a sharp eye out for any sign of a bad mood in his beloved. With a shy smile on his face and the safety line firmly in his hand, he played sweetly on her web.

Of course, Grandmother fell in love. She was charmed by his music, amused by his dance moves, impressed by his wit, and quite full from his generous present. And so they begat the Spotted Spiders, who now live in cherry treees all over the Blue Mountains. The two sexes don't get along much better these days, but now more males survive the wedding night, thanks to Adam.

David B. Martinez © 1995