A Caterpillar's Wish

Ingrained into the minds of the children of Fosteun is the story of a caterpillar who wished to fly. It goes like this:

Once there was a caterpillar who wished to touch the sky. He sat on the branches of trees day and night, yearning for the clouds and stars above.

"If only I had wings," he'd cry out. "Then I could touch the sky."

One day, a butterfly with beautiful wings came and sat beside the caterpillar.

"Little caterpillar," she said. "Why is it you cry so?"

The caterpillar turned to the butterfly with tears in his eyes. "Oh butterfly, I wish to touch the sky! I wish to rest on the clouds and to fly among the stars!"

The butterfly laughed at this. "But you are a caterpillar! It is your fate to fly in the sky! Why cry over the lack of something that is meant to be yours?"

The caterpillar was amazed by this. Never had he imagined it fate that his wish comes true!

"But I have no wings, how am I to fly if I have no wings?"

"You will have your wings one day. Go! Make your wings your own!" And with that, the butterfly with magnificent wings flew away.

These words puzzled the caterpillar. The caterpillar had no wings, yet it was his destiny to touch the sky. He pondered and pondered, until he thought up a solution. 'Surely,' he thought, 'I am to find my wings! I must find them quickly, for they must have fallen from the sky!'

So the caterpillar searched. He searched in the tallest branches. He searched on the lowest of grassy floors. He searched within tree trunks and bushes and bird nests and mosses. Day after day, he searched and he searched. But not once was a wing to be found.

"It is your fate to fly in the sky! Why cry over the lack of something that is meant to be yours?"

During his search, he passed by a butterfly drinking the nectar of a bright flower. He thought that if anyone knew where to find wings, it must be a butterfly!

"Excuse me," said the caterpillar. "Where is it you found your wings?"

"I found not these wings," said the butterfly, "but I made them myself! I stitched them on my back and I flew with them ever since!"

The caterpillar was amazed. A butterfly is to make his own wings?

"How did you do it?" The caterpillar asked.

"From within a dark cocoon," the butterfly said. "I spun it upon a tree branch and crafted my wings within."

"But how? How did you make the cocoon?"

Yet by the time he asked, the butterfly flew away.

'I must find out more about this cocoon,' thought the caterpillar. 'Perhaps then, I will know how to make my wings.'

The caterpillar began his search anew. He searched not for wings, but for other butterflies. And he learned much from the butterflies around him! From one, he learned about the cocoon. From another, he learned how best to weave it. From yet one more, he learned the best places to weave it and where best to avoid.

Another butterfly taught him how to fly! Another taught him which flowers were best to drink. Another showed him where best to lay his head at night. Each butterfly he met taught him a little more about all there was to know about becoming and being a butterfly. By it all, he was amazed! Each new lesson brought joy to his heart!

Yet none told the caterpillar how to craft his wings. He asked and he asked, and no one would answer the question.

The caterpillar began to give up hope. He sat on a tree branch and looked to the sky. Then, he heard the sound of a butterfly being born and hurried to see.

On a nearby branch, a new butterfly climbed out of an old cocoon. He uncurled his wings which shined brightly in the sun.

'If someone knows how to make their wings, it must be one who just emerged!'

Yet none told the caterpillar how to craft his wings.

So the caterpillar, with a boisterous voice, shouted to the butterfly from his branch.

"Excuse me! How is it you made your wings?"

The butterfly looked over, then shouted back,

"I cannot tell you that! My wings are not made the same as your wings! Only you will know how to make them!"

This frightened the caterpillar. He knew how to make a cocoon, but he must make his wings without knowing how?

"What if I mess up?"

"Then your wings will be more beautiful!"

"What if they don't work?"

"They will work! They have always worked, and they will work forevermore!"

The caterpillar pondered this. Every butterfly he talked to before had a different set of wings, yet all were able to fly. If what this butterfly says is true, then the caterpillar could fly. He just had to try!

Before the butterfly flew away, the caterpillar shouted back one last time,

"Can you stay with me?"

The butterfly fluttered over and sat beside the caterpillar.

"Caterpillar," he said with assurance, "I will wait for you right here, on this branch. You will see me first when you emerge."

The caterpillar was pleased with this. He wove his cocoon in perfect form and enclosed himself inside.

"My wings are not made the same as your wings! Only you will know how to make them!"

When he emerged, he saw not just the butterfly who waited, but all the butterflies he talked to before waiting for him outside. They marveled at his new wings and praised him for his efforts and his courage.

And then, with all those who taught him how, the newly formed butterfly stretched his wings and finally touched the sky.

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