The Mystery of the Silver Spider facts for kids
The Mystery of the Silver Spider is an exciting book from The Three Investigators series. It follows the adventures of Jupiter Jones, Pete Crenshaw, and Bob Andrews as they solve a mystery involving a missing royal jewel and a prince in trouble.
Contents
The Silver Spider Mystery
In this story, the Three Investigators almost crash their car into Prince Djaro. He is soon to become the ruler of Varania, a made-up country in Europe. Varania is a place that still loves its old traditions and styles, like those from the 1600s to 1800s. The Investigators quickly become friends with Prince Djaro.
A Royal Mission
Soon after, the United States Secret Service asks the boys for help. They need to travel to Varania to watch over Prince Djaro. There are whispers that someone is trying to stop him from becoming king. A very important part of the mystery is the Silver Spider. This is a special piece of jewelry. It is the most valuable treasure in Varanian history. You can think of it like the Crown Jewels in England.
The Plot Against the Prince
The Investigators quickly find themselves in the middle of a big plan. A group of people, led by Duke Stefan, wants to take over Varania. Duke Stefan is a powerful nobleman who is temporarily ruling the country. He and his men try to make it look like the Investigators stole the Silver Spider. This would make Prince Djaro look bad and stop him from becoming king. Prince Djaro cannot be crowned unless he wears the Silver Spider around his neck.
Stefan's group stole the real Silver Spider. They left a fake one in its place. During their escape, Bob Andrews gets amnesia, meaning he forgets things. The real Silver Spider also goes missing. The Three Investigators and two people loyal to Prince Djaro hide. They plan to show everyone Duke Stefan's bad deeds and help Prince Djaro become the rightful ruler.
Finding the Spider
Even when things look hopeless, the Investigators succeed. Jupiter remembers an important piece of Varanian history. This helps them tell the loyal citizens of Varania what is happening. The mystery is finally solved when Jupiter finds the Silver Spider. It was cleverly hidden by Bob in a real spider's web. Jupiter realizes it was "nothing more than a spider" after all.
Other Countries' Versions
German Edition Changes
The German version of the book is called Die drei ??? und die silberne Spinne. It was first published in 1984. This version changed many parts of the story. For example, the names of the Varanian characters were changed to sound Swedish. The adventure was set in a place called Magnusstad in Texas. The local traditions, which were also based on Swedish culture, were presented as just tourist attractions. The historical facts that helped solve the mystery were changed to events from a made-up novel. This led to some parts of the story not making sense. A translator named Leonore Puschert made these changes because she really liked the Swedish language.
