Queer Things 
had taught her, but that all she knew 
she had learned by herself. 
“Let Minerva come and try her skill 
against mine if she chooses,” she ex- 
claimed in her enthusiasm. 
Now Minerva, the great goddess, 
heard what the rash little maiden had 
said and was much displeased, and she 
believed: that any mortal who would 
dare to challenge a goddess for a test 
of skill deserved severe punishment. 
She was willing, however, to give 
Arachne a chance to withdraw her 
challenge. Disguising herself as an 
old woman she called upon the little 
maid as she stood at her loom. Ina 
kindly manner she praised Arachne’s 
work, then advised her to try her skill 
with mortals as much as she pleased, 
but not to think of competing with a 
ooddess. | 
Arachne, blinded by her conceit, 
told the old woman to mind her own 
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