The day was ending.
In a garden, three little butterflies flew.
One was red.
One was yellow.
One was white.
Three little friends.
The red butterfly loved the red flowers.
The yellow butterfly loved the yellow flowers.
The white butterfly loved the white flowers.
Each butterfly knew its own flower.
They flew together.
They played together.
All the flowers in the garden were open.
Red, yellow, and white.
The garden smelled sweet.
The butterflies flew east.
They flew west.
They flew high.
They flew low.
They followed the smell of the flowers.
They circled around the stems.
They touched the flower faces.
The flowers were happy.
The red flower nodded.
The yellow flower nodded.
The white flower nodded.
It was like a greeting.
It was a small hello.
The butterflies waved their wings.
The flowers waved back.
Then the rain began.
It came without a sound at first.
Small drops, one by one.
Then more.
Then more.
They fell on the petals.
They fell on the leaves.
The garden got wet.
The garden got quiet.
The red flower said, “Red butterfly, come under my petals.”
The yellow and the white butterflies stood in the rain.
The red butterfly said, “No.”
The red butterfly said, “If we come, we come together.”
The yellow flower said, “Yellow butterfly, come under my petals.”
The red and the white butterflies stood in the rain.
The yellow butterfly said, “No.”
The yellow butterfly said, “If we hide, we hide together.”
The white flower said, “White butterfly, come under my petals.”
The red and the yellow butterflies stood in the rain.
The white butterfly said, “No.”
The white butterfly said, “If we go, we go together.”
Three times a flower called.
Three times a butterfly said no.
The flowers said nothing.
They only waited.
In China, people say a butterfly is a flower that learned to fly.
Three butterflies are three flying flowers.
They never fly alone.
The rain grew soft.
The clouds opened.
The rain went away.
The sun came out a little.
It was warm.
The wet petals shone.
The wet leaves shone.
The three butterflies shook their wings.
They flew together to one big flower.
That flower was very big.
The big flower opened wide.
There were still drops on its petals.
The drops were bright, like little lamps.
The day was ending too.
The sky turned soft.
The three butterflies landed on the big petal.
One by one they landed.
They crowded together.
Red beside yellow.
Yellow beside white.
White beside red.
The petal was soft.
It was warm.
The wind blew gently.
The whole garden was still.
The petal rocked gently.
It was like a little boat.
The boat had three little sailors.
In the boat, the three butterflies stayed close.
They were very tired.
The garden grew quiet.
The drops on the leaves dried, one by one.
The birds went to their nests.
The bees went to their hive.
Far away, the lamps came on, one by one.
The garden was the first to sleep.
Then the street.
Then the town.
In China, butterflies feel the cold.
When the air turns cool, they find a flower and sleep together.
That is what they did that night.
The big petal was their blanket.
It was a soft bed.
It was a warm bed.
The petal closed a little.
It was like a hand, holding them softly.
Nobody was left in the rain.
Nobody was left alone.
The three butterflies closed their eyes.
Red slept in the middle.
Yellow slept on the left.
White slept on the right.
Three small breaths.
Three small dreams.
The garden gate was closed.
The moon climbed over the wall.
It looked at the big flower.
It smiled a little.
Inside the big flower, three small shapes stayed close.
They looked like one shape.
The moon walked more softly too.
It did not want to wake them.
The wind blew once more.
The petal rocked.
Rock.
Rock.
They were all asleep.
The garden was at peace.
The night took care of them.
So did the moon.
That is the old story of the three butterflies.
It is a gentle Chinese folktale.
It is also a Chinese fairy tale, and one of the oldest Chinese bedtime stories for children.
Now it is time to close your eyes.
Good night, red butterfly.
Good night, yellow butterfly.
Good night, white butterfly.
This is a very old Chinese bedtime story. It is not long, and it is very gentle. Best read slowly, with the lights low.
