The Mark of the Butterfly

The story begins, as all tales often do, in a peaceful meadow so calm and serene. There, amongst the flowerbeds, fluttered a swarm of butterflies.

It was the mating season, the time of year when the lady butterflies are treated to a dance of courtship. This dance would be performed by the male butterflies, that sought after their affection.

Of all the females, one butterfly caught the eye of all the males. The male butterflies danced, fluttered, and swooped, in the hopes to court this young butterfly to be their own mate.

The lovely butterfly, however, found their attempts to be silly. She would politely flutter her wings to send them away. However, no matter how much and how hard she tried, the males grew more and more attracted to her.

Thinking herself a clever thought, she began to fly away in haste toward the meadow, and all the while, she teased her suitors to follow. A small group of males broke away from the swarm to chase after her.

Not looking as to where she was going, the beautiful butterfly flew deeper and deeper, into the meadow towards the dark woods. The male butterflies realised this, and at once flew well away, for they feared the dangers that lay within. Gleefully, the female butterfly had lost her pursuers, and relished in the moment of peace that she had achieved.

Suddenly, she found herself stuck and was stopped dead in her tracks. Looking around frantically, she tried fluttering her wings, but she couldn't. She began struggling, but she was wound tight. It was very clear to her then, that her movement was restricted.

She found herself bound by tiny strands, nearly invisible, and sticky to the touch. The poor butterfly soon realised that she was trapped in a web. A wise saying among the butterflies can tell you, that wherever there was a web, there was bound to be a spider.

Her antennae flickered, for it picked up movement. To the butterfly’s horror, a spider, ever so slowly, crawled out from hiding. With flesh and eyes as dark as ebony, it set its sights on the poor butterfly. Growing more frightened, the butterfly began struggling frantically as the spider crept down the web to her.

Closer and closer, as the spider neared the butterfly, she wept and broke into tears. Certain that she was staring death in the face, the butterfly looked to the spider and began to plead with it. She begged the spider to spare her life and not be so cruel to eat her. Her plea had gone unanswered, as the spider raised his fangs. The poor butterfly closed her eyes, tears streaming down her cheeks.

What followed, was a harsh sound of cutting. For a while longer, the butterfly kept her eyes closed, prepared to embrace the sting of the spider’s paralysing venom. When she experienced no such sensation, she dared to uncover her eyes. There before her was the spider, waiting, watching, not a word being uttered. She looked around her surroundings for a while and then tried to fly.

To her profound amazement and happiness, her wings began to flutter again. At that precise moment, she took to the air and was overjoyed. The spider had listened earnestly to her impassioned plea and cut her free. She fluttered around, celebrating her unprecedented freedom.

When she felt safe, the butterfly fluttered back to the spider to thank it for its kindness. The spider was complimented for its defiance to nature’s call for sustenance.

She was curious as to why the spider mercifully spared her. The spider responded in kind, shattering his prolonged silence. He politely told the lovely butterfly that he had spared her, but only if she would keep a promise to him. The butterfly nodded and rather hesitantly, was eager to heed him.

Being a solitary creature, the spider was lonely in nature. He humbly asked if she would visit him every day, as the silence of the dark woods brought nary conversation, nor the social comfort of dear friends. Upon graciously receiving his plea, the butterfly willingly agreed to such a promise.

As the days of the mating season would go on, the butterfly would flutter away from the chaos of her swarm to see the spider. With each passing day, she discovered herself enjoying the spider’s company, as the spider enjoyed hers. In proper time and course, the two fell in love, and danced a courtship with each other.

This, sadly, didn’t go unnoticed. It was one fateful day that another butterfly bore witness to this courtship. When the onlooker reported to the swarm of their courtship, the male butterflies were furious and jealous of the spider. It was clear to them, that the spider should not have the gorgeous butterfly.

Led by the most courageous male butterfly, the angered swarm of male butterflies ventured into the dark woods, where they would find the spider. Without warning the swarm struck the spider, and though the spider fought valiantly, the swarm was far too great in number.

Later that day, the butterfly fluttered into the dark woods to find her beloved spider laying in a small pond of his own blood. Shocked at the sight, she flew swiftly to the spider's side. She cried as she could detect his life fading gradually away. The spider, looking to his dear butterfly, bestowed a faint smile. With the last of his strength, the spider embraced her closely. They shared their last moment together with a kiss, a testament of their undying affection.

As they kissed, the spider’s blood seeped onto the butterfly’s wings. With his strength depleted, the spider slumped and closed his eyes. The butterfly held onto the spider dearly as his life spirited away.

The butterfly didn’t move from that spot, for she stayed with her lover for a while longer. Eventually, the blood on her wings had dried and produced its mark. After burying her lover, the butterfly made a vow that day that she would never love again. To bring cause to such vow, the butterfly deemed her marked wings as her weapon.

From that day onwards, whenever any suitor dared to go near her, they would flutter away in fright. For the markings on her wings resembled that of a spider, whom she had so dearly loved.

The End