Mary Howitt wrote a verse in a time long ago gone by
“Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly;
To say ‘beware of danger’ to the children that she knew--
A ‘keep safe’ word still true these days for kids like your friends and you.
The spider wanted a juicy fly to be its meal that day.
To win this special tasty treat, it found clever words to say.
The little fly was scared at first, but then began to doubt.
Not trusting yucky feelings, silly fly let spider win out.
But here’s a very different tale—of a funnel-web called Sidney,
And a fly very bright and smart and not, oh no NOT, silly.
Shiny Fly flying ‘round one sparkling day spied out strands of silver rope
That wound around a darkened hole surrounded by a gentle slope.
From the deepest deep of the darkness a dark deep voice now spoke:
‘I am so very, very lonely…’ it sobbed. ‘My heart is nearly broke.
Come close my lovely darling… Let me see you clearly…
Let me touch you, stroke you, hold you… For I love you so dearly!’
‘It would be wrong,’ thought Shiny Fly, ‘to let no one know
And just go
Alone into a secret deep dark dank hole.’
So fly yelled out, ‘No!’
And flew off… to find and tell a friend trusted and true--
Madame Butterfly, kind and wise, who would know just what to do.
Butterfly said, ‘I’m happy that you told me! Now you’ll stay safe and free.
Keep well away from Sidney and just leave the rest to me.
“Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly;
To say ‘beware of danger’ to the children that she knew--
A ‘keep safe’ word still true these days for kids like your friends and you.
The spider wanted a juicy fly to be its meal that day.
To win this special tasty treat, it found clever words to say.
The little fly was scared at first, but then began to doubt.
Not trusting yucky feelings, silly fly let spider win out.
But here’s a very different tale—of a funnel-web called Sidney,
And a fly very bright and smart and not, oh no NOT, silly.
Shiny Fly flying ‘round one sparkling day spied out strands of silver rope
That wound around a darkened hole surrounded by a gentle slope.
From the deepest deep of the darkness a dark deep voice now spoke:
‘I am so very, very lonely…’ it sobbed. ‘My heart is nearly broke.
Come close my lovely darling… Let me see you clearly…
Let me touch you, stroke you, hold you… For I love you so dearly!’
‘It would be wrong,’ thought Shiny Fly, ‘to let no one know
And just go
Alone into a secret deep dark dank hole.’
So fly yelled out, ‘No!’
And flew off… to find and tell a friend trusted and true--
Madame Butterfly, kind and wise, who would know just what to do.
Butterfly said, ‘I’m happy that you told me! Now you’ll stay safe and free.
Keep well away from Sidney and just leave the rest to me.
And brought it to that place—where of his venom Sid is milked,
With other Atrax robustus [name for spiders of its ilk.]
With other Atrax robustus [name for spiders of its ilk.]
[Visit www.reptilepark.com.au to find out all sorts of interesting information,
and visit the Australian Reptile Park at Somersby, NSW
to see the BIGGEST funnel-web in the world...
okay, it's only a model...
but you'll get to see real LIVE Sydney Funnel-web Spiders too.]
and visit the Australian Reptile Park at Somersby, NSW
to see the BIGGEST funnel-web in the world...
okay, it's only a model...
but you'll get to see real LIVE Sydney Funnel-web Spiders too.]
Anti-venom is made from the venom to cure a lethal bite.
Sidney Funnel-web is useful now, but has it seen the light?
No, it remains a predator who craves to hunt its prey,
But cannot harm free flying flies because it’s locked away.
So Shiny fly can buzz and fly, on a bright sunshiny day
And Madame Butterfly can flutter by. Together they happily play.
© 2015 Jacqueline LaFrance
Sidney Funnel-web is useful now, but has it seen the light?
No, it remains a predator who craves to hunt its prey,
But cannot harm free flying flies because it’s locked away.
So Shiny fly can buzz and fly, on a bright sunshiny day
And Madame Butterfly can flutter by. Together they happily play.
© 2015 Jacqueline LaFrance