The blue butterfly

Story telling sessions with my children are one of my favorite ways of spending quality time together. It often gives me an insight into not only how creative and imaginative kids can be but also can convey subtle messages without being preachy. During one such session, it was my elder one’s turn to narrate a story.  My younger one and I listened with rapt attention to his tale. I must confess, it was so captivating, that it transported me to my own childhood! I will narrate it as he did without making any changes to his original story. I hope I do justice to his tale.

In a beautiful jungle there was a school. A lion was the teacher in the school and he had three students, a giraffe, an elephant, and a peacock. One day the lion decided that he would hold a fancy dress competition and the winner would get a prize and lots of gifts. As the students were walking back home, the giraffe and the peacock started arguing.

“I am the best, look at all the beautiful brown mosaic on my yellow body. I do not even have to make an effort to dress up”, said the giraffe.

“Have you seen how beautiful are my feathers? It has to only rain, and they fan out into the most amazing colours you would have ever seen. I am the best”, argued the peacock.

The elephant who was listening felt very sad. He had a grey body which was very wrinkly, nothing to be very proud of. He was wondering if he should go to school the next day or stay at home. The elephant reached home and sat under his big banyan tree with tears in his eyes.

“Oh god, why didn’t you make me beautiful like my friends?” he cried.

Just then his friend, a little blue butterfly came and sat on his trunk.

“Why are you sad, my friend?” she asked.

The elephant told her the whole story.

“But I think you are the best. Nobody can work as hard as you or lift heavy loads. Nobody has a memory like you. Don’t be sad.” She tried to cheer him up.

“I don’t want to go to school tomorrow. My friends will make fun of me”, he said.

“I think participating is more important than winning. So you should go to school”, she told him.

The next day the elephant walked to school with a heavy heart. As he reached school, he saw lots of other animals from different schools who had come to participate in the competition. He felt even more upset. There were so many beautifully dressed animals.

“They must be laughing at me,” he thought as he saw everybody stare at him as he walked up on the stage. He wanted to run home before the results were announced.

As the competition ended, the lion announced the results.

“And the first prize goes to Master. Elephant.”

There was a huge round of clapping and the elephant was overjoyed.

“We have never seen such an innovative dress, elephant,” the lion said, “here’s your trophy.”

As the elephant collected his trophy, his eyes fell on a mirror near the stage. He looked blue! How did his colour change from grey to blue? He looked really beautiful. Did someone apply paint on him? Suddenly he realized his body was completely covered by thousands of blue butterflies that made him look so pretty. His friend, the little blue butterfly had gotten all her friends to sit on the elephant and cover him completely. Such a sweet gesture it was! He was glad she was his friend.

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image coutesy: google