Curse of the Praying Mantis

One of nature’s vicious creatures is the praying mantis. Although the insect is a sleek and elegant creature, few people know how it came to be. The following account is a tale that has been lost over time, but recently was rediscovered in an ancient temple near Amritsar. For fans of folk lore please enjoy the Curse of the Praying Mantis.

On the island of Lanka, a tribe of female goblins known as rakshasis controlled it and the surrounding waters. By casting a glamour these demon females hunted their favorite delicacy, man flesh. Not only did they enjoy the taste of flesh, but they also craved a man’s companionship. The goblin tribe thought that the more a man trusted his companion, the sweeter his flesh tasted.

Therefore, the hunt happened in four stages. First, the female goblins caused shipwrecks at the narrow strait near Lanka island. All female goblins worked together to cause the ships to wreck. This was accomplished by using their glamour to make the rocks in the narrow strait to become invisible. So the unwitting captain and crew ran their ship into the rocks, causing it to sink. Second, as the sailors washed ashore the female demons would attend to all the sailors' needs. The female goblins, using their glamour once again, hid their hideous form and appeared to be beautiful human females. Each goblin would pick her favorite sailor and provide food, shelter, and companionship. Third, the goblins would bide their time until the sailors claimed them as wives. It would not take very long because they gave the sailors every comfort and desire. Fourth was the great feast, in which the men realized too late that they were nothing but a demon’s meal. It was the goblins' greatest joy, and their victims' greatest terror.

Over time, the rakshasis’ appetites became insatiable. Soon not one trade ship survived the narrow strait. This became a major concern to the capital city on the mainland. Food, textiles, and other supplies never arrived. The result was an epidemic of famine, crime, sickness, and death. As the capital city citizens cried for relief from their pain and suffering, Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom, answered the call. She could not ignore the damage the goblins inflicted upon the sailors or the capital city.

Saraswati in her infinite wisdom descended upon Goblin City. Her mission involved justice for the lost lives, and punishment for the rakshasis. Her course of action was swift, final, and absolute.

Standing tall and proud Saraswati said, "I bring a proclamation from the heavens, so listen well all of you. Let it be known that the rakshasi tribe's glamour abilities are to be stripped from them. This is punishment for the evil deeds perpetrated against the sailors, as well as the suffering inflicted at the capital city."

"As I kneel on my knees before you, great wise one," the goblin queen said, "I must protest on behalf of my tribe. Why are we being stripped of our powers? We only act according to our nature. We should not be condemned."

Saraswati, not one to be outwitted, did not agree with the goblin queen’s plea. Much to the rakshasis’ displeasure, they were locked in their true form forever. The true form of the goblins would strike fear into anyone. They had small heads, with eyes too large for their sockets so it looked like they would pop out. Their arms were bent at odd angles with sharp claws.

Saraswati, angered by the goblin queen’s argument, decided that the entire tribe should be shrunk physically to three inches in height. The idea was to have small bodies to reflect their small-minded thinking. So, the entire tribe became praying mantises.

Author's Note

My story was created using the source Goblin City from The Giant Crab, and Other Tales from Old India, by W. H. D. Rouse. The above link can take you to the original story. However, I will provide a brief summary. The sailors crashed on an island populated by demons. These demons married and then ate the sailors. Eventually a fairy sent a magical horse that could change size and fly. Then some of the sailors got on the horse. Other sailors stayed and were eaten.

For this story I focused on plot changes. For example, instead of a fairy I chose Saraswati the goddess of wisdom. I also threw in a plot twist that explained the origin of the praying mantis, similar to old myths that tried to explain things before the scientific method was the standard. Originally I posted a much shorter version of this story on my blog. If you want to read it, you can find it there.

For several weeks a lot of my classmates have read and commented on my story. The feedback they gave me was extremely useful. I cannot thank everyone enough for their advice and suggestions. I tried to cover everything they mentioned. I added more details about the female goblins' powers and how they caused the shipwrecks. I also added more to the exchange between Saraswati and the goblin queen . Overall I really enjoyed the experience, and look forward to working with my fellow classmates in the future. I think this current version is definitely better than the original. I hope that those of you who take time to read it will enjoy it.