The Butterfly

Quick Answer

Why This Story Works for Bedtime

The garden setting is soft and sensory, with calm scenes of visiting blossoms. The emotional lesson lands quietly: appreciating what’s real and present. It’s reflective without being heavy—good for winding down.

Story Synopsis

In a garden bursting with color, a butterfly decides it’s time to choose a bride. He flutters from flower to flower, admiring their beauty and asking questions, but every choice feels almost-right, never quite perfect. He visits daisies and lilies, listens to roses, and meets other butterflies too—yet he keeps postponing, telling himself he’ll decide tomorrow. Seasons shift. Flowers bloom and fade. The butterfly keeps searching for a match that feels flawless. Eventually, the garden grows quieter and choices become fewer. When he finally wants to settle, he realizes his careful indecision has cost him the very thing he wanted: companionship. The story is a tender reminder that love isn’t about perfection—it’s about noticing, choosing, and valuing what’s in front of you while it’s there.

Story Excerpt

Once in a garden full of bright colors and sweet smells there lived a butterfly who wanted a bride And of course he wanted to choose a very pretty one He fluttered from bed to bed looking with a careful picky eye at all the flowers The flowers sat quietly on their stalks neat and still just the way shy maidens sit before anyone has asked them to marry But there were so many so very many that the butterfly began to feel his search would be terribly tiring The butterfly did not like to take too much trouble So he flew to visit the daisies Among them was a little daisy the French call Marguerite People say she can tell fortunes Lovers pluck her white leaves one by one and with each leaf they ask Does he love me A lot A little Not at all and so on until the last leaf gives the answer The butterfly came to Marguerite too But he did not pluck her leaves Instead he pressed a kiss on each one because he thought kindness always worked better Darling Marguerite daisy he said you are the wisest woman of all the flowers Please tell me which flower I should choose for my wife Which one will be my bride When I know I will fly straight to her and propose But Marguerite did not answer She was offended that he called her a woman when she was only a girl and to her that felt like a very big difference The butterfly asked…

In One Glance