The Butterfly And The Moon

This is the tale of the Butterfly and the Moon.1

Now, everyday at about noon above the emerald grasses gathered butterflies of every color and size. Their wings of gossamer reflecting the bright Irish sun. They flocked there to feast on the nectar of the beautiful flowers that grew there. At dusk they would all fly away to find a safe perch for the night.2

But there was one small milky butterfly that would stay drifting above the grass late into the night. You see she loved the moon. She loved to look at the moon, and daydream about the moon. All she ever wanted was to be able to fly all the way to its shimmering orb. She would daydream about the extraordinary and beautiful flowers that must grow on its surface, and the wonderful butterflies that must live there.3

One day as she is wandering over the grasses and gazing at the sky a grand yellow butterfly wafted past her. Seeing what she was daydreaming about this butterfly decided that she would talk to her. The yellow butterfly floated up next to her and told her of a thicket of moon flowers just beyond the moors. And how if one was to drink the nectar of these flowers they would be able to fly to the moon.4

The little milky butterfly could not resist this chance. She flew off in search of the flowers.5

Finaly after days of searching she found them. Glowing white and ocean blue, their colors reminding her of her shimmering moon. She waited till the sun had set and the flowers began to bloom. She plunged her tongue into the flower and drank up all the sweet nectar. And up she flew straight up into the sky, heading directly towards the moon.6

But soon she could no longer fly, her wings could no longer move. And so down, down, down she plunged drifting on the wind like a leaf.7

But this did not upset the butterfly, instead she became even more determined to make it work. And so again she drank and up she flew, and again down, down, down she plunged drifting like a leaf on the wind. And yet still again, and again. Soon a month had passed and she still tried every night. One night the grand yellow butterfly drifted past her once more. She fluttered up to her and said: 8

‘I have watched you for many a night now, and every night you try and fail to fly your way to the moon. And though you fail you still try. Do you not understand that this is impossible?’ And the little milky butterfly laughed fluttering around the yellow one. 9

‘Of course I know, it was not but two days that I realized this.’ The yellow butterfly was confounded, how daft she must be to try at something that she knew was unattainable. 10

‘Then why do you try?’ The yellow asked desperate to understand. 11

‘Because though I know it to be impossible, if I was to give up than how would I ever know for sure?’ The grand butterfly flew off contemplating what the little milky butterfly had said. 12

For you see nothing is truly impossible unless you stop trying.13