A simple story with many meanings

                                                          The Little Caterpillar

                                                   A short story by Pam Castillo

Behind the great white house was the garden. In it grew beautiful flowers and the willow tree. The willow tree had long flowing limbs that gracefully cascaded downward creating a canopy that lightly brushed the ground. Each of its limbs were finely dressed in lovely green leaves

Of all the leaves on the tree there was one special one. On it was laid a single green egg. Within the egg a tiny caterpillar grew. Several days came and went. The afternoon rains gently fell, the sun shone, and the warm breezes softly kissed all that grew in the garden. The tiny caterpillar grew and grew. One day, it began to move around inside the egg. The day had come for her to free herself.

A tiny voice from within her spoke softly. She obeyed, and began to move and struggle about within the egg. One side of the egg split open and the little caterpillar, used all of her strength and freeing  herself crawled out of the egg.  She was very hungry and set about the business of eating the leaves of the willow tree. The gentle rains came and went. The sun bathed all that lived there in its warmth and the breeze gently touched all that was in the garden.

 

After a time, the little caterpillar had grown very big and again the voice within her softly spoke. Again she obeyed. Setting about the important task of looking for that very special limb. For on it she would attach herself and spin her cocoon. Within its silken walls she would sleep. Protected in the days that were to come.

Time past and she was again awaken by the little voice that was within her. The little caterpillar obeyed and began moving around inside her silken home. She struggled with all of her strength to free herself from the confines of the cocoon. After a time, the top of the cocoon split open and with great effort she crawled out.

Exhausted she quietly rested on a leaf, basking in the warmth from the sun. She felt different. Somehow.. the world had changed.

For sometime the little caterpillar continued to sit alone on the leaf of the willow tree. Suddenly she saw the both of them. They were the most beautiful creatures that she had ever seen, flitting from flower to flower. They had such delicate wings, that were of many colors. “What are they?” she wondered.

Then to her surprise they called to her, “ You are more beautiful than the most beautiful flower in this garden. Please come, and be with us”. She called out “How, could I go with you? I am but a caterpillar, I can not fly as you do.” Then they flew away. She was again alone. Sitting on the willow leaf, that over looked the flowers in the garden.

The next day to her delight they returned. “Come fly with us , for you are more beautiful than the any flower in this garden”. The little caterpillar began to cry as she, being a caterpillar could not fly. Again...they flew away. The little caterpillar felt great sadness in her heart as she was so afraid that they would never return. She just sat all alone on the willow leaf and softly cried.

The next day the warm breeze blew , and gently caressed all things that called the garden home. On the gentle currants of the breeze they both returned. The little caterpillar's heart began to race at the sight of their wings fluttering in the breeze. This time they flew to the leaf where she sat alone. They lightly lit down onto the leaves and began to plead, “Come and complete us, as you are more beautiful than the most beautiful flower in this garden”. As they spoke to her, the afternoon rain began to gently fall.

As quickly as it came the rain had ceased falling. leaving behind, rain drops that covered the garden. They  appeared to be diamonds that had been thrown askew. The two beautiful butterflies again took to the sky, leaving the little caterpillar behind. She was so very sad and felt as if her heart would break in two.

The next day she looked up into the sky and she saw them. She could not believe her eyes. They had returned. Again they alighted on her willow's leaves. “ Come and complete us “. they pleaded. “For you are the most beautiful of all”. “ I can not fly ,” she cried, “ I am not like you. I am a caterpillar”.

Now near the top of the willow tree far above the little caterpillar a single raindrop sat on a single leaf. The breeze blew and it began to move. Slowly it rolled to the edge of the leaf. Gently it fell through the leaves  through the canopy of the willow tree. Down the single raindrop traveled, until it came to rest on the leaf that was next to the little caterpillar. The butterflies said to her in the most softest of voices, “Look” as they pointed towards the raindrop.

The little caterpillar did as she was asked. In the raindrop she could not believe what she saw. “ Come, complete us. “ the butterflies said. “For you are the most beautiful thing in this garden.”

Tears of joy fell from the little caterpillar's eyes. “ Yes I will join with you” For in the raindrop she didn't see a caterpillar. She had become like them. Her heart became filled with such joy that she thought it would burst. The two beautiful butterflies again beckoned to her. She fluttered her wings and freed herself from the leaf that grew on the willow tree. That day three tiny hearts were filled with joy.

They flew into the warm breeze that delicately caressed all that was in the garden. A breeze that was as delicate as the wings of a butterfly.