my entries for the Construct Cup |
in every thread, story weaves—binding family together through spider’s art. once, when stories were new, one young wife left her mother’s home for her own. her husband was strong and brave and his emperor loved him and called him battle-commander, miles and months away, while she was left at home, amid servants who knew her not and kept her house clean and kept her food cooked and she was left keeping nothing but her husband, so far away, and she was lonely. and she was bored. she wrote her mother, asking for counsel, and her mother said learn poetry— but she had no gift for words. she wrote her sister, asking for counsel, and her sister said console yourself in your children, but she had no child nor husband at home, she wrote her best friend from childhood, asking for counsel, and her friend said find some young man and explore while your husband is gone, but she loved her husband and could not see another. so, in despair, young wife sat at her window, and looked out after her husband, goddess Zhīzhū, who is Spider, came and smiled, and showed her that between her husband and her was thread, finer than spider silk. “Gather that thread and remember your mother’s teachings, for it is your love and it will bring him home again.” that very hour, she wound yarn and set warp and wove weft using thread made from heart. soon, she had scarf that she sent her husband holding her love and he remembered her and came home again. and she taught her daughters how strong yarn weaves family together. line count: 56 Prompt ▼ |