Atondido Stories
are the Spider Man who once weaved webs in the sky. I, too,
once dwelt in the star-country, and one dark night as I was
climbing back from the earth-country on your ladder, carrying
my lamp on my back to light the way, when I was near the sky
you cut the strands of the web and I fell to the earth with a great
crash. That is why I have a great hump on my back and scars on
my face, and because of this I have never been allowed to go
back to the sky-country of the stars. I roam the earth at nights as
a forest fairy just as I did in the olden days, for I have my former
power still with me, and I still carry my lamp at my back; it is
the starlight from the sky-country. I shall never get back to the
star-country while I have life. But some day when my work on
earth is done I shall go back. But although you were cruel to me I
will give you food." The Spider Man remembered the nights he
had cut the ladder strands, and he laughed to himself at the
memory of the star-fairies falling to earth with a great crash. But
the man with the light knew that now he had his chance to take
vengeance on the Spider Man. The latter did not suspect evil. He
was glad to get food at last.
Then the humped man said, "I will give you four pots. You
must not open them until you get home. They will then be filled
with food, and thereafter always when you open them they will
be packed with good food. And the food will never grow less."
The Spider Man put the four pots in his bag and slinging it over
his shoulder he set out for his home, well pleased with his suc-
cess. After he had gone away, the humped man used his power
to make him hungry. Yet for several days he travelled without
opening the pots, for although he was almost starving he wished
to do as the humped man had told him. At last he could wait no
longer. He stopped near his home, took the pots out of the bag
and opened them. They were filled with good food as he had
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