THE SPIDER’S

THREAD BY
RYONOSUKE
AKUTAGAWA
LEARNING TARGETS
1. I can state the summarize of story through
mapping.
2. I can analyze the positive and negative values in
the story
3. I can create different endings by analyzing the
situation
VOCABULARY
EXERCISE
 a. physical pain or mental
___1. A notorious thief who had performed murder and
arson and other acts of evil. anguish

___2. Those who were so evil as to be sent to this place b. well-known for some bad
were tired by its various torments, and left without even quality or deed
the strength to cry out.
c. turned or applied for aid or
___3. He firmly grasped the spider’s thread with both security
hands and began to climb the thread, higher and higher.
d. to grip something firmly
___4.Having no other recourse, he hung there from the
with the hands
thread, resting, and while doing so looked down below
e. a line of waiting people or
___5.What did he see but an endless queue of sinners,
intently following him up the thread like a line of ants! vehicles
Hi NERIAN, it is nice being here with you.
I am Ryonosuke Akutagawa, in Japan I am
“the father of the short stories”, I
published a lot of books including this story
that we will talk about later. If you are
familiar with anime I have done voice over
for some anime characters. I am done
introducing myself. Let us start the story
by answering this question, Why Buddha
took the spider’s thread and lower it down
in to the depths of hell?
One day, the Buddha was strolling along the brink of
the lotus pond of Paradise. His eyes fell on a man
named Kandata who was squirming with the other
sinners in the bottom of hell. This Kandata had
done so many evil things his lifeline but he had to
his credit one good action. Once, while on his way
through a deep forest, he had noticed a little spider
creeping along beside the road. He was about to
trample it to death when he suddenly changed his
mind and spared the spider’s life.
Now, as he looked down into hell, the Buddha remembered this
good deed and thought he would like to deliver Kandata out
of hell. Looking around he saw a spider of Paradise spinning
a beautiful silvery thread on the lotus leaves. The Buddha
took up the spider’s thread in his hand and let it straight
down to the bottom of hell which held Kandata securely with
the other sinners in the Pool of Blood on the floor of hell.
On this day, Kandata lifted his head by chance and saw a silver
spider’s thread slipping down toward him from the high
heavens. Kandata grasped the thread tightly in his two hands
and began to climb up and up with all his might.
What did Kandata felt after
seeing the silver spider’s
thread? If you are Kandata,
will you risk your life by
climbing up using a single
spider’s thread?
After climbing for a while, he was finally exhausted and could
not ascend an inch higher. He stopped to rest and looked
below him. What he saw filled him with fear. For, below on the
thread, countless sinners were climbing eagerly after him up
and up, like a procession of ants.
Kandata blinked his eyes at them with his big mouth hanging
foolishly open in surprise and terror. How could that slender
spider spider’s thread which seemed as if it must break with
him alone, ever support the weight of all those people? If it
would break in mid air, even he himself would have to fall
headlong back to Hell.
What was Kandata’s reaction
after he saw that his fellow
sinners were also climbing
up?
If you are in Kandata’s
situation will you react the
same way? Why or why not?
 So Kandata cried out in loud voice. “Hey, you
sinners! This thread is mine. Who gave you
permission to come up it? Get down! Get down!”
At that moment, the spider’s thread broke with a snap
t the point where Kandata was hanging. Without
even time to utter a cry, Kandata shot down and fell
headlong into the darkness, spinning swiftly
around and around like a top.
 After Buddha saw what
happened to Kandata, did he
regret giving Kandata a
chance to prove he is a good
man?
After reading the story, Is
Kandata a good man or not?
Moral/ values
The story is inspiring and full of priceless lessons.
The story reflects the culture of the origin of the
story. It emphasizes the forgiveness of a god
because even though he is a very wicked
criminal, with only a small good deed, he was
pardoned by Buddha and let him climb up to
heaven using a spider’s thread. But his
selfishness contributed to the weakening of the
thread and eventually, put him back to hell
where he deserved.