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 One bright sunny morning Zed, the
butterfly, was fluttering about the meadow. The other bugs were still
sleeping, but he’d gotten up a little early to spend some time by himself.
"What are those?" he gasped, looking down at the most beautiful flowers
he’d ever seen. "They’re pink, and purple, and blue. I’ve never seen such
flowers before. He flew into the center of one. "Och, the pollen is sweet
and fragrant." He scooped some up with his legs and fluttered back to the
other bugs. "Look what I found," he shouted, waking them all up.
"What is going on?" Ursula asked.
She yawned and flapped her wings up and down. "It’s too early for us
butterflies to be up."
"Look, Ursula. Taste this pollen.
It’s sweet and smells so nice," Zed said.
Ursula took a taste. "It’s
delicious. Where did it come from? What is it?"
"I’ve never seen that type of flower
before. It’s growing among the iris leaves, all tangled up in them. Some
of the flowers and blue and some are purple and some are pink. They’re so
pretty. Why don’t you wake up the others and I’ll take you all to see them
for yourself," Zed said.
Soon all the butterflies and
ladybugs were awake. "This had better be worth it," Tammy said. "You woke
us up early. I need my beauty sleep you know."
"Come with me everyone," Zed called
and fluttered into the air. He flew across the meadow, followed by four
butterflies and three ladybugs. "We’re almost there." He flew to the iris.
"Where are they? Where are the pretty flowers? I see the iris leaves and
something’s tangled all around them, but just squished up things, not
pretty flowers." Zed was confused. Where had the flowers gone?"
"Thanks a lot, Zed. You woke us all
up and dragged us clear across the meadow for some shriveled up flowers?
I’m going home," Tammy said and flew away. The others followed, mumbling
things at Zed.
Zed flew around the flowers,
confused. After a while he flew back home. None of the rest of them would
speak to him all day. They sat around yawning and grumbling how tired they
were. The next morning Zed got up and flew back across the meadow. There
were the flowers again, just where he thought they were. "They’re back! I
knew I’d not imagined it. You’re not shriveled up again either. I must go
and tell the others." He darted back across the meadow and shouted, "The
flowers are there. Follow me everyone. Come and see them."
Ursula opened her eyes. "Not again,
Zed. You dragged us there yesterday and there were no flowers. Surely you
don’t expect us to follow you again?"
"I brought back some more pollen.
Where did I get it? I’m telling you, the flowers are back," Zed said
excitedly.
"I’ll come with you, Zed, but we’re
not waking the others up. I’m not going to be happy with you if there are
no flowers," Ursula said. She flew across the meadow behind Zed.
When they got to the iris, Zed
couldn’t believe his eyes. The flowers weren’t there. All that he could
see was the shriveled up things. "Zed? Where are the beautiful flowers?"
"They were here, Ursula. I promise.
I got this delicious pollen from the inside of them," Zed frowned in
disbelief.
"I’m going home. Your imagination
has gone crazy," Ursula said and fluttered away.
"I don’t understand. Where are the
flowers?" Zed cried. He sat on the iris leaf and pouted.
"What’s your problem?" Sally
bumblebee asked. "I’ve never seen such an unhappy butterfly before." She
flew down and landed on the leaf next to Zed.
"I’m so confused. Every morning I
come here and there are these beautiful pink, blue, and purple flowers. I
gather pollen and then fly home. When I come back, all that is left are
these shriveled up things," Zed said.
"You’re not too bright, are you?
These are morning glories. They bloom when the sun rises and shines on
them. After an hour or two they close back up. You’re not imagining
things, Zed," Sally said.
"Morning glories? They’re supposed
to do this?" he said, picking up one of the shriveled things.
"Yes. It’s the way nature is."
"I’ve been getting up earlier than
usual. I suppose that’s why I’ve never seen them before. We usually sleep
in," he explained.
Sally buzzed and flew away. "That
explains it," she called.
The next morning Zed woke the other
bugs up even earlier. "I want you all to come with me. I’ve got something
to show you," he said.
"Zed, we’ve been through this
before," Ursula growled.
"Trust me. They are special flowers
that only bloom in the morning when the sun first hits them. If you’ll
follow me, I promise this time you won’t be disappointed."
The others hesitantly followed him.
When they reached the iris they all gasped. "It’s true," Tammy said. "Look
at the beautiful flowers!"
"Zed, you aren’t crazy after all,"
Ursula said.
The bugs spent an hour or two
gathering pollen and enjoying the flowers. Like magic, they shriveled up
right before the bug’s eyes. "Wow! That’s amazing," Tammy smiled.
Every morning from then on, the bugs
got up early and went to the morning glories. They enjoyed the pollen more
and more each day. They did have to go to bed a bit earlier at night so
they wouldn’t be so tired, but aside from that, life in the meadow was
grand. |
