In a garden, there once lived a pretty butterfly and a sturdy little ant
who were very good friends. One day, the butterfly and the ant happened
to meet when the butterfly landed on top of a flower just as the ant was
working below. 'Friend Ant,' called the butterfly, 'Isnt this a fine
flower we have come across?'

'Indeed it is, very fine!' replied the ant.

'Dont you love how this flower gives you a wonderful place to sit while
you enjoy the sunshine?' said the butterfly.

The ant paused for a moment, thinking. Then he said, 'Im afraid youre
mistaken, Butterfly. The flower blocks the sunshine and gives cool shade
away from it, that is what makes it enjoyable.'

The butterfly frowned. Looking around with some confusion, she saw no
shade, only sunshine. She decided that her friend Ant must be confused,
but she let it go, and decided to just go on with the conversation.
'Friend Ant,' she called down to him again, 'isnt this flower
beautiful?'

'Well, its nice,' said the ant, 'but its just like every other flower
here.'

Shocked, the butterfly looked at the lovely flower she was sitting on,
then around at the other flowers in the garden and their array of
colors, shapes, and sizes. 'Friend Ant,' she called down to him. 'I
think you must be playing games with me. One flower is as different from
another as night is from day!'

'Not really,' he called back up at her. 'Most flowers are basically the
same. A tall green stalk with leaves on it, with a leafy cap at the
top.'

The butterfly looked around once more, trying to understand what Ant
meant, but she saw no green stalks, just bright beds of soft, colorful
petals. She began to get angry. 'I dont know what youre playing at, Ant,
but Ive lived in this garden for a long time and I know what flowers
look like. For instance, take this one, look how bright and blue it is,
with white in the center. Surely you agree that this is the loveliest
flower in the garden!'

Ant suddenly smiled kindly, realizing the problem. 'Oh, silly Butterfly,
you must be looking at the sky. Thats what the blue and white thing is.
A flower is a tall green stalk with leaves on it, like I said. You
should know the difference by now.'

This made the butterfly VERY angry and she began to raise her voice.
'Are you calling me stupid? I know the difference between the sky and a
flower! Clearly its you who does not know what a flower is, you and your
talk of stalks and things! You must be the stupid one here!'

'How dare you call me stupid?' shouted the ant. 'I was only trying to
help you by explaining the difference to you, since you were confused
about what flowers look like, and then you go and insult me! You should
be ashamed of yourself! Maybe you DO know what flowers really look like,
and youre just lying to make yourself seem special. Theyre green leafy
stalks and you know it!'

'Now youre calling me a liar,' said the butterfly. 'I think YOU are the
one lying. Youre pretending to be stupid and not know that flowers are
colorful with petals because you want me to feel sorry for you. Well, I
dont like liars, and I will no longer be your friend, because I dont
need friends who lie and insult me!'

'Thats just fine with me!' said the ant. 'Youre the real liar here and I
dont want to know you either, so go away and let me be. I dont want to
see you ever again!'

And that was that. The butterfly flew away to a different garden full of
soft colorful beds, and the ant stayed where he was, surrounded by tall,
leafy stalks... and the rabbit in the corner of the garden watched them
both and sighed.

Oenone Atreide

Penned by my hand on the 25th of Valnuary, in the year 420 AF.