Of Spiders and Men

How Robert the Bruce’s spider led me to love

Photo by Casey Horner on Unsplash

My first historical crush was Robert the Bruce. So brave, hiding in his cave, talking to a spider. He was so beloved that, when he died, they cut out his heart and pickled it. They encased it then in a silver casket, to be strung around the neck on a chain. Perhaps they thought the strong beat would echo through the hearts of the men and lead them to victory in the Crusades. When they…