The Butterfly’s Picnic

One sunny day, a little butterfly named Bella woke up with a big idea.

“I want to have a picnic!” she said happily. “And I will invite all my friends!”

Bella flapped her wings and flew out into the warm air. She was excited!

First, she flew to her best friend, Barry the bee.

“Barry, I’m having a picnic! Will you come?” she asked.

“Buzz-tastic!” said Barry. “I’ll bring honey sandwiches!”

Then Bella flew to Tammy the turtle.

“Tammy, I’m having a picnic! Want to come?”

Tammy smiled slowly. “Oh yes! I’ll bring lettuce rolls.”

Next, Bella found Freddie the frog near the pond.

“Freddie, do you want to join my picnic?”

Freddie jumped up. “Ribbit! Yes! I’ll bring my fly pie!” (Yuck! But frogs love that.)

Then she invited Sally the squirrel.

“Picnic? I love food!” said Sally. “I’ll bring nuts and acorns.”

She also invited Penny the porcupine, Gary the grasshopper, and Oscar the owl.

Penny said, “I’ll bring fruit sticks!”

Gary said, “I’ll bring green punch!”

Oscar said, “I’ll bring a funny riddle!”

Bella was so happy. “This will be the best picnic ever!”

Soon, they all met in a grassy field near the stream. The sun was shining, the flowers were dancing, and the birds were singing.

Bella laid out a big picnic blanket.

“Let’s eat and have fun!” she said.

Barry the bee flew in with honey sandwiches. They were sticky and sweet!

Tammy the turtle carried lettuce rolls in a little basket.

Freddie brought his fly pie. It was wiggly and funny-looking. Most of the animals said, “No, thank you!”

Sally came with crunchy nuts dipped in chocolate.

Penny the porcupine made pokey fruit sticks—apples and pineapples on toothpicks.

Gary the grasshopper brought his bright green punch.

Oscar the owl brought a riddle, but he said, “I’ll tell it after we eat!”

They all sat and began to munch.

“Mmm, delicious!” said Bella.

“Yum yum!” said Barry, with honey all over his face.

But then—SPLAT!

A watermelon slice slid off Freddie’s plate and landed right on Tammy the turtle’s head!

Everyone gasped.

Tammy looked up, blinked, and then said, “Now I’m a fruit turtle!”

Everyone laughed and laughed.

Then Barry flew too close to Sally’s chocolate nuts. His wings got stuck!

“I’m stuck! Help!” buzzed Barry.

Penny gently poked the sticky acorn with her fruit stick.

POP! Barry was free!

But—whoosh! He flew into the fly pie!

SPLAT!

“Ewww!” said Barry. “I’m a honey-fly pie now!”

Everyone laughed again.

Next, Gary the grasshopper said, “Watch my super jump!”

He jumped high—higher—too high!

BOING! He landed right in the punch bowl!

Green punch splashed everywhere.

Gary stood up, dripping.

“I guess I’m the drink now!” he said.

They laughed even more!

“This is the silliest picnic ever!” said Bella, wiping her eyes.

When they finished eating and giggling, they all lay down in the grass.

The sky was blue, and white clouds floated by.

Oscar finally said, “Here’s my riddle: What kind of picnic never ends?”

Everyone thought.

“A dream picnic?” asked Penny.

“Nope!” said Oscar.

“An extra big picnic?” asked Sally.

“Nope!” said Oscar.

Oscar smiled and said, “A picnic in your heart!”

“Awwww!” said Bella. “That’s the best kind!”

The sun began to set. The sky turned orange and pink.

Bella looked at her messy, happy friends.

“I love this day,” she said. “One butterfly, many friends and a picnic to remember!”

Everyone cheered.

Then they packed up their food, cleaned the field and said goodbye.

It was a funny, messy, happy day—just the way it should be.

The End

Moral:

Good friends + yummy food + lots of laughs = a day you’ll never forget!