Jerry Fisher

Heading to the Butterfly Ball

Catherine was born when her egg hatched on the underside of a milkweed plant in a Rocky Mountain meadow. At first she was about the size of a pin head but grew rapidly over several days in the cool spring air. She had a huge appetite and the more she munched on the delicious milkweed plant leaves the faster she grew. In the early mornings she sipped the fresh dew drops left on the leaves from the night before. She grew so quickly that she had to shed her furry green and black stripped skin several times to grow coats more fitting. She was Catherine the Caterpillar and she was heading to the Butterfly Ball. It was time to dress herself in something more appropriate for a grand ball. She wove herself inside of a silken gossamer dressing chamber attached to the underside of a twig. Inside her chamber she was undergoing an amazing metamorphosis. She grew long delicate legs and majestic orange luminous wings highlighted with dark black markings and white dots. She emerged from her chrysalis a beautiful sight to behold. She was Catherine the Monarch Butterfly and she was heading to the Butterfly Ball.