The poem is a didactic poem as it teaches an important lesson to the readers. Through this children’s poem, the poet teaches the readers a very valuable lesson, which is applicable to both the children and the adults. She says one should never give in to flattery and false words as they mean nothing. Men have been trapping women for centuries with false words or praises and it has done nothing but harm. She requests the readers not to be as innocent and foolish as the fly in the tale but to be careful in the big bad world that’s waiting for them. One should only believe in oneself and not what others say or think of them.

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The spider tries a more persistent and clever way to entrap the fly by using flattery. He exclaims with happiness how beautiful and sweet the fly is. He says that the fly’s wings are gauzy ( thin and shiny ) and how brilliant are your eyes. So he asks her to step inside his parlour where he has a little looking-glass and the fly can see herself how pretty she is.

Read summary of The Spider and the Fly

The spider tries a more persistent and clever way to entrap the fly by using flattery. He exclaims with happiness how beautiful and sweet the fly is. He says that the fly’s wings are gauzy ( thin and shiny ) and how brilliant are your eyes. So he asks her to step inside his parlour where he has a little looking-glass and the fly can see herself how pretty she is.

Read summary of The Spider and the Fly