The Spider

In the Long Ago, when there were more people on the land, we had terrible battles amongst ourselves. The ground would be covered with blood and death and no place to bury them. Evil seemed to lurk in the World. Our People cried to The Many for aid. Sometimes they would respond and help, sometimes they would respond and add to our misery.
Then a Youngling grew up to fulfil her place, as they all do. She became The Great Warrior (as her name means) and was brave, very brave. She killed many, she saved many. Her sword was always sharp and well cared for. When the sea waters came to the People, she was one of the first to carry the elders to safe and higher ground. When the sky waters left the People, she was one of the first to build a boat to cross the Sea, if the Wind was willing, to find food and safe shelter.
When the sea wyrms came, she was the one who dealt the killing blow to the fiercest one. She, it was, who discovered that their scales could be collected and used for many things. When the land was blighted and nothing could grow, she again made a boat and asked the Wind to carry her across the waters to the Place of Seeds and Nuts, that we would not starve. She took reeds and wove them to create nets that would allow us to gather fish from the waters without being dashed to death on the rocks. She took reeds and wove them into baskets for the tiniest of Our People to be carried in. But when the elders aged to the ground and were given to earth, they were gone and we were sad as they were lost.
Although her name means Great Warrior, her strength was not in fight or struggle. She was resourceful, creating help from the plants around us, instead of causing war to get what we needed.
One day, The Many came to us, to her. They said, “Great Warrior, we have seen your deeds and your actions, and we have heard you never complain. We have watched as you were a Youngling, then an adventurer, and now the chief elder. We would like to make you a forever being.” This caused confusion, for as we all know, the only Forever beings are the stones and rocks. “Not as you are now, forever, but that you can come back after your body goes to earth. We have decided a new animal is needed here on the earth. A small one who is resourceful and crafty.”
Great Warrior of course was honored and afraid of a visit from The Many. She fell to her knees, pressing her face into the earth. “I am only doing what I thought was right for Our People. I have done no more or less than I should. But I will not discard any gift from you, The Many. As you have decided, may you proceed.”
She felt a tickling sensation throughout her body, and suddenly the things of the earth became very very large. She continued to wait for The Many to instruct her.
“You are now a new creature, one that will live on for longer than you could in your person form. This animal is small and delicate but can do great things. We shall call it Araneae, or what outsiders call a spider. You have many eyes and many legs and the ability to make your own baskets and nets. You can watch for danger with your eyes.”
“But why spiders? I am… I was … great. This form is a small thing that can be easily crushed.”
The Many laughed at her. “Because spiders can go in places where larger things cannot. Yes, they are delicate, but so are you, if you think about it.”
From that day forward, Our People have become spiders when we leave the earth. They are always findable if you look enough. Their webs are their biggest strength, and they hear and see much for they are the messengers of The Many. If you are ever in a place where there are no spiders, no Araneae, you are truly alone for The Many will have trouble finding you.