How Butterflies Came to Be

The story of How Butterflies Came to Be

Even long ago when the world was new, Bear’s spirit was the strongest and most admired in the forest. Bear happily spent his days deep in the heart of the woods where he hunted for berries, climbed trees, and swam in the deep, clear lakes full of fish.

Bear loved to swim in those brilliant blue lakes!  The water was crystal clear and and the sunlight was warm and pure. The fish shone like jewels in every color of the rainbow!

One day a fish swam up to Bear and asked, “What’s it like up there?” 

“What do you mean?,” asked Bear.

Then several little fish swam up to bear and they all wanted to know about the parts of the world they had never seen. “What do trees look like close up?” “Do birds speak, or sing?” “What about the night sky? What is that big, yellow ball, and what are the little lights all around it?” “What are those white, puffy things in the sky?” “How many other creatures are up there?”

Bear’s head was spinning! He loved the little fish and wanted them to see all of the wondrous things he had seen. Then an idea struck him. 

“If you want to see the world above, I will help you,” Bear declared. “But it will take a leap of courage and you must promise to share your beautiful colors with the sky.”

“We promise!” 

And so, the bravest of the fish leapt from the water and, when they did, something magical happened. One by one they sprang into the air. As they did, they grew delicate wings, each one more vibrant than the last. They fluttered among the flowers, between the towering pines of the forest, and high into the clear, blue sky. 

From that day forward, they graced the earth with their color and beauty. And Bear still loved to swim in the lake. He had the fish below and the butterflies above. And it was good!