Clementine The Caterpillar.

Clementine was a happy caterpillar, she loved her best friends, Madeleine and Lucy. Clementine enjoyed waking up every morning and meeting her friends to crawl along the long, tall branches of the tree they lived in.  Clementine felt like she knew every little nook and cranny of that tree. She always knew where to find her friends,  where they were going to play and where to find the crunchiest leaves. She felt safe and loved.

 It was on a warm summers day when the sunlight was casting it’s magical golden glow through the leaves that Clementine was taking a particularly long time to walk along the branches to find her friends, when Barry the Beetle came scurrying up behind her.  “I will be glad when you all finally turn into butterflies and fly away from this tree so that I can get across these branches quicker.”        

A butterfly? I’m a caterpillar? Clementine told Lucy all about what Barry the Beetle had said. Lucy exclaimed “It will soon be time for us to change into butterflies, I am so excited! I can’t wait to fly and soar through the sky.”

Suddenly Clementine got a wobbly feeling in her tummy. What if her wings didn’t work? What if the birds were unkind to her? It didn’t feel good.  Clementine’s friends were all so excited. Clementine felt like she was the only caterpillar to ever feel like this. The wobbly feeling in Clementine’s tummy started to spread all over her body until a trickle of tears started to escape out of Clementine’s face. 

Whatever is the matter?” asked Clementine’s friends.  Through little sobs Clementine told them how scared she was.

Lucy thought carefully, “Clementine, you will be a wonderful flyer,”

 Madeleine smiled at Clementine, “Clementine, you are so gentle, I am sure the birds will be kind to you."

But every time she thought about leaving the tree, the wobbly feeling in her tummy got bigger and she started to cry again. As Clementine wondered if this feeling would ever go away there was a cool breeze which gently blew away her tears. Clementine raised her head and in front of her was the most majestic butterfly fluttering her wings of sparkly gold through the air, she spoke in the softest of voices.

“My name is Anna, whatever is the matter?” 

Clementine told Anna how scared she felt when she thought of turning into a butterfly.  Anna nodded her head, “Turning into a butterfly can feel scary, maybe I could show you what it’s like to fly?”

“I have tummy ache.” replied Clementine.

  “I understand, I think I have someone who can help.” said Anna

Anna let out a whistle and Frankie the Firefly landed on their branch. “Could you shine your light for me please?”   Frankie wiggled and giggled and shone his light for Clementine.

“Clementine, what is your favourite smell?”

“The smell of the crunchiest leaves in the morning.” 

“Pretend to breathe in the smell of the crunchiest leaves and when you blow out try to blow away the worries and blow out the light” Clementine took a deep breath in through her nose and blew out her mouth, every time she did Frankie turned his light on and off for Clementine.  Clementine kept breathing in the smell of the crunchiest leaves and blowing away her worries. This helped the wobbly feeling in her tummy get a little bit smaller!

So, Clementine climbed on to Anna’s back as she gently flapped her wings and hovered in the air. 

Clementine looked up and saw butterflies dancing above!