*500
You enter a room hung with beautiful
tapestries. A woman is sitting at a
loom, weaving another tapestry. You hear
a gentle clack-clack as she gracefully
passes the shuttle back and forth. The
weaver looks up at you with bright gray
eyes. "Would you like to try weaving?"
she asks.
*501
You take the shuttle and try to remember
what you saw the weaver do with it. As
you clumsily pass it back and forth, the
weaver says, "I am Athena. I am the
goddess of crafts, of fighting for just
causes, and also of wisdom."
*502
"You are learning well, [name]!" Athena
says. "Do you think your weaving is
finer than mine?"
(Y/N)
*503
Athena's gray eyes turn dark. "Yes,
[name]," she says. You are learning. But
you are not yet a finer weaver than the
daughter of Zeus! Since you think you
are a weaver of such excellence, you
shall spend the rest of your life
weaving!"
*504
With a furious wave of her hand, Athena
turns you into a spider. "Return when
you have learned respect for the great
gods of Olympus," she says as you crawl
away to your web.<
<
THE END
*505
"No," Athena says kindly, "you are just
learning, [name]. But skill always
improves with practice." An owl swoops
silently from the sky and lands on
Athena's shoulder.
*506
Athena grabs your arm tightly before you
can reach the owl. "No [name]," she says
angrily, "there is nothing here for one
who does not respect the wisdom of the
gods and goddesses. You would do well to
ask before you take! Come back when you
are ready to listen to the wisdom of
Athena."
*507
"Where did that owl come from?" you ask.
"He has just come from a beautiful city
that I wish to have for my own," Athena
says. "But my uncle Poseidon, god of the
sea, wants the same city. We have agreed
that whoever gives the city the finer
gift shall have it. Come with me as we
present our gifts!"
*508
Before you can say anything, you find
yourself in a huge crowd of people
climbing to the flat top of a hill high
above a city.
*509
A loud voice silences everyone. "I,
Poseidon, give this city the gift of
water!" declares a huge figure with
flowing blue hair and beard. He is
holding a trident that looks like a
large and very sharp fork. Poseidon hits
the earth with his trident, and water
spurts from the ground in a beautiful
fountain.
*510
You step forward and taste the cool
water. "This water is salty, like the
sea," you say.<
<
Someone in the crowd grumbles, "We
cannot drink saltwater. What good is
this gift?"
*511
Then Athena steps forward. "I, Athena,
give this city an olive tree," she says.
"This tree will provide wood, olives to
eat, and olive oil for cooking and
beauty."
*512
The crowd cheers. "Let the city be named
Athens, after you," someone says. "And
let us build a beautiful temple on this
spot to honor Athena," says another
voice, and the crowd cheers again.
*513
The cheers fade as you follow Athena
down the hillside. As you walk, you are
thinking about the two gifts. The next
time you look around, you are back in
Athena's weaving room again.
*514
"Wisdom is a most important possession,
[name]," Athena says. "My wise owl
reminds me of that. Perhaps you should
take him, as my gift to you."
*515
You take one last turn at the loom,
then nod respectfully to Athena.
"Thank you for the lesson," you say.<
<
"You are a good learner," she replies.
"May wisdom help you on your way.
Farewell!"
*516
"No thanks," you say. "I don't like
sewing."<
<
"Okay," Athena replies. "As you wish.
But you will never gain wisdom without
trying new things.  Good luck on your
journey, young [name]. Farewell."
*549
There is no more to read.
*1000