Butterflies in Grandmother's Garden

Butterflies in Grandmother's Garden

8-year-old Katy wanted to catch butterflies. She had a net and a plastic jar to store the butterflies in. She entered her grandmother's garden where she knew she would find many specimens to catch.

She saw a white butterfly close to her grasp. As she swung her net, the butterfly flew away. She crept up to the butterfly again and slowly lowered her net over him. He was trapped or so she thought. Katy moved her jar close to the net trying to force the butterfly into the jar.

The butterfly escaped from the net and flew further away toward the far end of the garden. He hid among some plants and leaves that camouflaged him so that Katy could not easily see him.

As she moved close to where the butterfly was hiding, Katy heard her grandmother call her for lunch. She turned toward the house and left the butterfly free to fly and pollinate grandmother's flowers.

Score one for the butterfly and zero for Katy this round.

Susan Langer

Genre: Flash Fiction