Friday, February 12, 2016

Storytelling Week 4: The Ladybug and Caterpillar

The Ladybug and Caterpillar


            In the backyard of the Maxwell’s house lived a Ladybug and Caterpillar, This Ladybug and Caterpillar are the best of friends and all of the other insects in the backyard knew it. Caterpillar was the only friend Ladybug had, all the other insects saw how ruthless Ladybug could be.  Ladybug was beautiful with a brightly colored red back sporting fun black spots.  Ladybug knew she was beautiful, and always flaunted about how awesome her wings were.  Caterpillar didn't feel the same way; she felt green and long with no wings, just a bunch of legs.  Caterpillar just felt honored to be Ladybug’s best friend that she never questioned Ladybug’s cockiness. 

            Ladybug and Caterpillar loved to play games like tag, and hide and seek, but this was because she always seemed to win.  Because Ladybug had wings she could always fly faster during tag, and since Caterpillar was so long he was never able to hide very well during hind and seek.  Usually Caterpillar never cared to lose against Ladybug, but lately Ladybug was starting to hurt Caterpillar’s feelings. 

Each time Ladybug would win (which was every time) she would chant her victory loud and proud:

“I am Ladybug, yes I am!”
“Look at my wings, oh how fast they are!”
“I am Ladybug, yes I am!”
“I am the most beautiful beetle of all!”

Even though Ladybug flaunted her fame and never treated Caterpillar like a real friend should, Caterpillar was always there for Ladybug. Until one day…

Caterpillar and Ladybug were to meet at a certain flower by the back gate to play hide and go seek together.  Ladybug waited all morning until and Caterpillar never showed.  Ladybug instantly missed Caterpillar and searched all the gardens and throughout the trees, and still never found him.  He searched and searched asking all of the other insects if they had seen him but they just ignored Ladybug.  Ladybug started to feel bad for how she last treated Caterpillar and started to realize that she was never kind to her only friend.

Ladybug sat on a rock for 14 days without Caterpillar until she saw a beautiful butterfly hovering over her.  She looked up at the Butterfly and asked

“Oh Butterfly with your wings so big and beautiful will you help me look for my friend, Caterpillar?”

And the Butterfly cried:
           
            “Oh silly Ladybug can’t you tell it is me.. your friend Caterpillar, I have been tucked away in my cocoon for 21 days!”

Ladybug cried tears of joy and told the Butterfly that he was sorry for the way he treated him when he was a Caterpillar, and that he had missed him very much. Butterfly appreciated his apology, and asked him if he wanted to play tag.
 

Authors Note:
I decided to write a story about learning the lesson to never take things or people for granted.  I got this idea based off the Jataka Tales for children, each of those short stories have a valuable lesson to learn, it was fun to make up my own story with Ladybug and Caterpillar teaching Ladybug to be more appreciated.   


4 comments:

  1. I love that you just entirely came up with your own story! That is a fantastic way to pay tribute to the Jataka Tales for children but make in all your own. A very creative approach to the assignment. I liked your story and especially the pictures that you put with it. They are just so cute! I really look forward to reading more of your works.

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  2. I think it's so cool that you came up with your own story instead of just switching up elements of a story you read! I love the way children's stories often tell an important lesson, so I think it's great that you utilized that aspect in your own story. This was such a sweet and creative story! Great job.

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  3. I found your story very interesting because I have never read the story from which your story was based off. I believe you taught a very good and important lesson in your story. I loved that you had a caterpillar who was teaching the ladybug to be more appreciated and not to take things for granted. Great job! Can’t wait to read more of your stories!

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  4. I loved this story Sarah! I like that there was a lesson to it as well. I could see this being a real children's book! I like how you broke up the story with dialog and narrative. It added a great flow to the story and made it really easy to read. Keep up the great work!

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