# Help me identify this short story **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028 "2012-02-16T14:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Courk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Courk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Courk)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/1 "2012-02-16T14:54:22Z")
Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. Spoilers follow, though I don’t know what I’m spoiling. Back in 2003/2004, I read a short story in my English class. It was about a guy who was traveling to a jungle looking for a certain spider. He spent a while looking and never found it, then one night he’s tapped in a pit or a cave, and come morning he’s surrounded by them. I don’t think it was a new story at the time, so the date I read it may not be helpful. Any help would be great, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/2 "2012-02-16T14:58:56Z")
Cafe Society will get much better results than MPSIMS, so let me move this thither for you. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/3 "2012-02-20T04:49:39Z")
I read the story in high school myself (1970-1974). Can’t recall the name, but I’ll cast about. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2012, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/4 "2012-02-20T06:40:06Z")
I believe you’re referring to “Cave of the Spiders” by the reclusive author Araneae Brown. Just kidding. I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![VampireLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ab992/32.png) [@VampireLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VampireLilly)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2013, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/5 "2013-05-29T14:47:49Z")
> [@Courk](#): > > Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. > > Spoilers follow, though I don’t know what I’m spoiling. > > Back in 2003/2004, I read a short story in my English class. It was about a guy who was traveling to a jungle looking for a certain spider. He spent a while looking and never found it, then one night he’s tapped in a pit or a cave, and come morning he’s surrounded by them. > > I don’t think it was a new story at the time, so the date I read it may not be helpful. Any help would be great, thanks! I know this is an old post I’m responding to but I’ve been searching for the same short story! I came across your query in one of my many many attempts to find out the name of this story. So far it’s been suggested to me that it was ‘The Visitor’ by Roald Dahl or ‘The Valley of the Spiders’ by H.G. Wells but neither of those, though interesting, have proved correct. So I’m hoping that by reviving this thread I’ll be able to get more assistance! It definitely involved a man and a pit or hole that filled with spiders at night. I also read it in English class which, honestly, was awhile ago. Any help would be appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![VampireLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ab992/32.png) [@VampireLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VampireLilly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/6 "2013-05-30T00:57:15Z")
Update: I found the title and author on another forum! If anyone is interested, the story is called ‘The Bamboo Trap’ and it’s by Robert S. Lemmon. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/7 "2013-05-30T01:12:01Z")
Wow, GJ **VampireLilly**! Signing up for the Dope, posting a thread seeking info on an obscure short story and then answering your own question all in the same day! That’s gotta be a record or something! ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/8 "2013-05-30T03:27:26Z")
Here’s the story: [http://books.google.com/books?id=zIA8pHDzTOsC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq="Robert+S.+Lemmon"+"The+Bamboo+Trap"&source=bl&ots=pjsycU8aec&sig=CGf45aWKIU3CdtWbj8j8ySFmFIc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=28WmUY\_WAYrj4AOkj4HQCQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q="Robert%20S.%20Lemmon"%20"The%20Bamboo%20Trap"&f=false](http://books.google.com/books?id=zIA8pHDzTOsC&pg=PA10&lpg=PA10&dq=%22Robert+S.+Lemmon%22+%22The+Bamboo+Trap%22&source=bl&ots=pjsycU8aec&sig=CGf45aWKIU3CdtWbj8j8ySFmFIc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=28WmUY_WAYrj4AOkj4HQCQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22Robert%20S.%20Lemmon%22%20%22The%20Bamboo%20Trap%22&f=false) ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/9 "2013-05-30T03:29:11Z")
And the Best New Poster award goes to **VampireLily**! ---
**Author:** ![VampireLilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7ab992/32.png) [@VampireLilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VampireLilly)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/10 "2013-05-30T04:03:23Z")
Aw shucks, thanks guys! And thanks for the story link too! ---
**Author:** ![Courk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/91b2a8/32.png) [@Courk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Courk)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2013, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-short-story/613028/11 "2013-06-01T20:32:53Z")
Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes! Finally, I can read that story again! (Though just skimming it gave me the heebie jeebies – why did I want to find it again?)