The Harvestman
The Harvestman (which is a very loose translation of the term) is a mythological figure that appears in many chrub myths and legends, even spanning across different cultures and times. It is roughly analogous to the Grim Reaper figure that appears in some human-based myths and legends. In some versions of the myth, the Harvestman is a type of psychopomp, leading newly dead souls to the afterlife. In others, the Harvestman is death, or a personification thereof. Even in those renditions, however, there is an included element of the Harvestman taking the body and/or soul away.
The Harvestman, unlike the human Grim Reaper, does not come in the form of a chrub, but in the form of a spider. Giant spider populations have been known to prey on chrub, even in the modern era, and some ancient chrub sought to appease their carnivorous neighbors by leaving them offerings. Some chrub settlements even continue this practice, leaving recently deceased members in specific burial spots for the local spider population to claim. The particular spider species associated with this practice are also called Harvestmen, though whether this name is what gave rise to the associated myth or whether they were named after the myth is hotly contested to this day.
Most chrub myths depicting the Harvestman are surprisingly benign. Even when serving as a personification of death, it is rarely depicted as malevolent. It is, however, almost always depicted as infinitely patient. After all, all lives must eventually end. Whether Harvestmen only come for chrub or come for all sapient species is another point that varies greatly from tradition to tradition. Some chrub believe they come for all life, others feel it is specific to their own kind.
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