The Vegetarian Spider

Sally chewed idly on a daffodil stalk as she admired the flowers in the garden. Pink tulips, soft purple lilacs and stunning red poppies were all spread beneath her like a banquet. "Life is good," she thought to herself as her black hourglass figure soaked up the May sun.

Suddenly the sound of buzzing filled the air, followed by a loud scream.

“Whooooa, watch out, watch out!”

SNAP SNAP SNAP went three silk strands in Sally’s web.

“Wow, did you see that barrel roll, Sally?” exclaimed Morley, the Mosquito.

“Morley, for the last time, you are not some B52 bomber. You are a mosquito. Your job is to fly around people’s bedrooms at night while they’re trying to sleep and make annoying buzzing sounds.”

“I know, Sally. I’m very sorry I flew into your web,” said Morley, staring down at the ground, a frown on his pointy face.

“It’s OK, Morley. I understand,” Sally assured him as she unwound the mosquito’s sheer wings from her web. After that was done, she released each of his long skinny legs, careful not to hurt him.

“Gosh, thanks, Sal,” Morley smiled as he readied himself for take-off. “See ya later!”

“Bye, Morley,” replied Sally as she began to repair her home. Slowly she reattached each strand, spinning more silk as she needed it.

“This stupid web, I don’t even know why I bother. I certainly don’t need it for anything, and my friends keep flying into it,” she muttered.

Her home repaired, Sally scurried back to the center. The fragile web began to sway gently in the afternoon breeze. Over by the pansies she could see Madge wrapping up what looked like a rather plump fly.

Feeling herself being watched by four pairs of eyes, Madge looked up and waved one of her eight legs at Sally.

“Oh hellooo, Sally. Have you caught any roses lately?” Madge chortled, amused at her own joke.

“Very funny, Madge,” Sally snapped back, taking another bite of her dandelion stalk.

Madge went back to her fly as Sally watched two squirrels argue over a nut. She wondered if she was really the only vegetarian spider in the entire world? Surely there had to be one or two spiders that felt the same way she did.

Sally could still remember the first time an insect had flown into her web. It had been a very tiny ladybug. Its back was the color of summer cherries with shiny black dots that gleamed in the sunlight.

“Please don’t hurt me,” the ladybug had squeaked as Sally rushed up to it. Why, the poor little thing had been so frightened its eyes were rolling around in its head.

“But I’m hungry,” said Sally.

“But couldn’t you eat something else?” the ladybug suggested hopefully. “Perhaps a rose petal or a snap dragon? I’m quite fond of mulberry leaves myself.”

“Lady, I’m a spider. I eat bugs,” Sally replied as she rubbed her two front legs together.

“Please just try this little bit of clover I have with me,” begged the ladybug

“Oh, very well,” agreed Sally as she popped the clover into her mouth.

“Mmm … mmm … say, this is pretty good,” said Sally. “But I’m still not sure.”

“Wouldn’t you like to be my friend?” asked the ladybug shyly. “I’m sure you’d make a wonderful friend, and we could tell stories and eat flowers together all the time. Think of all the fun we could have!”

“A friend?” thought Sally to herself. “Why, I’ve never really had any friends. All the other bugs in the garden are afraid of me.”

Sally smiled at the ladybug and hugged her with all eight of her legs as the ladybug cheered with joy.

Ever since that day, Sally had been eating nothing but flowers, leaves, and grass. They were all very tasty, and she was actually relieved that she didn’t have to hurt any more insects. The only time Sally was sad was when one of the other spiders in the garden caught her eating a sunflower or a lily and teased her. That was the only really hard part, the teasing. Sally knew in her heart that she was doing the right thing, but it wasn’t easy being different.

“Sally, Sally, look at me!”

Sally looked over her shoulder as Morley flew by, upside down and laughing happily. Flipping back over he did another barrel roll, this one more successful than the last one and buzzed off over a blueberry bush.

“That Morley,” Sally sighed, “always different.”

“Hey, wait a minute,” thought Sally, remembering the mosquito’s joyful smiling face. “He likes being different.”

Then Sally thought about the tasty nectar of the clover and how pretty the rose petals smelled when she nibbled on them. And about all of her bug friends that came to visit her and who loved her very much. It was then that Sally realized what Morley had known all along, different wasn’t so bad after all!