Japaneseshortstory Stories

The Spider's Thread is Akutagawa's most well-known short story. It is an exquisite allegory about good, evil and redemption. Kandata, the wicked criminal sent to Hell for his sins, is given a chance to save himself, thanks to the Buddha remembering that he had once spared the life of a little spider. But Kandatas fate is sealed for all eternity when he tries to save himself at the expense of others.