The Little Green Caterpillar
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The Little Green Caterpillar
Authors note:
Kate had been working in the nursery and noticed a green caterpillar on a melaleuca plant and decided to take it home to show Harvey her four year old son. I thought nothing more of it until I got a text from Kate that night saying that Harvey was so excited about the caterpillar that he wanted to take it to bed with him. The image of Harvey and the caterpillar curled up in bed inspired me to write this story.
The blurb
Harvey's Mum brings home a green caterpillar to show him and is surprised at how attached her son becomes to his 'new friend'. The caterpillar builds a cocoon and changes into a butterfly, much to Harvey's bewilderment. Kate patiently explains and helps him to understand the remarkable transformation that his friend is going through, and Harvey grows up a little through his experience.
Illustrations by Harvey aged 4
Once upon a time a little green caterpillar climbed to the top of a little green melaleuca tree. Both the caterpillar and the melaleuca tree were babies but they didn't know that. They thought they were very grown up.
The little green caterpillar felt very safe on the little green melaleuca tree because it had a clever way to hide from birds. When a bird came close it would pretend to be a green branch, making itself very straight, sticking out sideways just like a real branch. Since the caterpillar and the tree were both green it was very nearly invisible. Any bird that might be thinking about a caterpillar breakfast would be totally tricked. This made the little green caterpillar smile.
Sometimes when it was hungry it would munch on some leaves from the little green melaleuca tree. They tasted so good that it would eat leaves until its tummy was full. That also made the little green caterpillar smile.
The little green caterpillar felt very safe on the little green melaleuca tree because it had a clever way to hide from birds. When a bird came close it would pretend to be a green branch, making itself very straight, sticking out sideways just like a real branch. Since the caterpillar and the tree were both green it was very nearly invisible. Any bird that might be thinking about a caterpillar breakfast would be totally tricked. This made the little green caterpillar smile.
Sometimes when it was hungry it would munch on some leaves from the little green melaleuca tree. They tasted so good that it would eat leaves until its tummy was full. That also made the little green caterpillar smile.
Even though the little green caterpillar was safe and well fed there was something not quite right. It also wanted a friend.
One day when it had had its lunch and was sticking out sideways and pretending to be a branch a kind lady called Kate saw it. She wasn't deceived by the caterpillar's branch trick because she knew a lot about trees.
Kate wasn't just kind, she was also smart. She could tell that the caterpillar was lonely and needed a friend. Kate knew someone that was also kind and who might like to be the caterpillar’s friend. His name was Harvey and he was her special son. They lived at Bannockburn with his Dad whose name was James
Kate very carefully picked up the little green caterpillar and placed it in her lunch box. She had eaten her lunch so that was OK. She also put in some small branches from the little green melaleuca tree for the caterpillar to eat just in case it got hungry. Kate knew that the melaleuca tree would grow more branches and that caterpillars like little boys were often hungry.
One day when it had had its lunch and was sticking out sideways and pretending to be a branch a kind lady called Kate saw it. She wasn't deceived by the caterpillar's branch trick because she knew a lot about trees.
Kate wasn't just kind, she was also smart. She could tell that the caterpillar was lonely and needed a friend. Kate knew someone that was also kind and who might like to be the caterpillar’s friend. His name was Harvey and he was her special son. They lived at Bannockburn with his Dad whose name was James
Kate very carefully picked up the little green caterpillar and placed it in her lunch box. She had eaten her lunch so that was OK. She also put in some small branches from the little green melaleuca tree for the caterpillar to eat just in case it got hungry. Kate knew that the melaleuca tree would grow more branches and that caterpillars like little boys were often hungry.
When Kate arrived home she showed Harvey the little green caterpillar and he was very excited. He touched it with his finger and it wriggled about. He thought it was afraid or hurt. He knew that sometimes he wriggled about when he was afraid or hurt
Kate explained that the caterpillar wriggled because it liked Harvey and was excited to meet him. She explained that it was lonely and wanted to be his friend. Harvey gently stroked the little green caterpillar to let it know that he would like to be its friend too.
Harvey decided that he would like the little green caterpillar to sit next to him while he was having his dinner. He wanted to give it some of his dinner to eat but Kate explained that caterpillars prefer fresh leaves from melaleuca trees. She went into the garden with Harvey to find some melaleuca leaves so that the little green caterpillar could eat its dinner with Harvey.
Kate said, “Harvey it’s time for bed and time for your story”. Harvey looked very sad which was odd because he loved his bed-time story. Then James had an idea that made Harvey very happy. James asked Harvey if he would like the little green caterpillar to come to his bedroom and listen to the story too.
Kate explained that the caterpillar wriggled because it liked Harvey and was excited to meet him. She explained that it was lonely and wanted to be his friend. Harvey gently stroked the little green caterpillar to let it know that he would like to be its friend too.
Harvey decided that he would like the little green caterpillar to sit next to him while he was having his dinner. He wanted to give it some of his dinner to eat but Kate explained that caterpillars prefer fresh leaves from melaleuca trees. She went into the garden with Harvey to find some melaleuca leaves so that the little green caterpillar could eat its dinner with Harvey.
Kate said, “Harvey it’s time for bed and time for your story”. Harvey looked very sad which was odd because he loved his bed-time story. Then James had an idea that made Harvey very happy. James asked Harvey if he would like the little green caterpillar to come to his bedroom and listen to the story too.
Harvey smiled and jumped up clapping his hands and was very happy. He gently picked up the little green caterpillar in its little white box and carried it to his bedroom. He climbed into his bed and snuggled down with the caterpillar beside him ready for his bedtime story.
Both he and the caterpillar thought the story was so good that they wanted another one. Kate read them another story that Harvey and the little green caterpillar also enjoyed. Harvey loved these stories even more because he was sharing them with his new friend.
Harvey yawned and asked in a sleepy voice if his new friend could sleep in his bed tonight too. Kate laughed and said that caterpillars didn't sleep in beds and that it would get squashed because Harvey was much much bigger than the caterpillar. She said she would put the little green caterpillar in a safe place to sleep. She said that they would both sleep better in their own beds.
Both he and the caterpillar thought the story was so good that they wanted another one. Kate read them another story that Harvey and the little green caterpillar also enjoyed. Harvey loved these stories even more because he was sharing them with his new friend.
Harvey yawned and asked in a sleepy voice if his new friend could sleep in his bed tonight too. Kate laughed and said that caterpillars didn't sleep in beds and that it would get squashed because Harvey was much much bigger than the caterpillar. She said she would put the little green caterpillar in a safe place to sleep. She said that they would both sleep better in their own beds.
One morning after a few weeks had passed Harvey looked inside the caterpillars little white box to say hello to his friend, but there was no little green caterpillar to be seen. He wondered if he hadn't put the lid on properly and it had climbed out. He looked everywhere in his room but it couldn't be found.
Harvey ran to find his Mum to tell her the upsetting news. He took her hand and pulled her to his room to look into the little white box.
Harvey looked up at his Mum expecting her to look sad but to his surprise she was smiling. She explained that the little green caterpillar wasn't gone at all. She pointed to a little brown bundle of old melaleuca sticks sticking to the side of the little white box. She said, "Your friend the little green caterpillar is inside the little brown bundle of sticks. It has made a new
snug bedroom where it will sleep for a while".
Harvey wanted to open up the stick bedroom and tell his friend that now wasn't the time to sleep, it was day time and the time to play.
His Mum explained that all caterpillars need a long sleep for a special reason and that if he let the little green caterpillar sleep he would get an amazing surprise when it woke up in a few weeks.
Harvey knew his Mum was wise so he decided to let the caterpillar sleep. He knew that even though it was asleep it was still his friend. So every day he would open the lid on the little white box and say "hello little green caterpillar, have you had enough sleep yet", and then close the lid to keep it safe.
One morning when Harvey opened the lid on the little white box to say hello he got the biggest surprise. He called his Mum and said, "Something terrible as happened. A butterfly has got into the box and eaten up my little green caterpillar".
Harvey ran to find his Mum to tell her the upsetting news. He took her hand and pulled her to his room to look into the little white box.
Harvey looked up at his Mum expecting her to look sad but to his surprise she was smiling. She explained that the little green caterpillar wasn't gone at all. She pointed to a little brown bundle of old melaleuca sticks sticking to the side of the little white box. She said, "Your friend the little green caterpillar is inside the little brown bundle of sticks. It has made a new
snug bedroom where it will sleep for a while".
Harvey wanted to open up the stick bedroom and tell his friend that now wasn't the time to sleep, it was day time and the time to play.
His Mum explained that all caterpillars need a long sleep for a special reason and that if he let the little green caterpillar sleep he would get an amazing surprise when it woke up in a few weeks.
Harvey knew his Mum was wise so he decided to let the caterpillar sleep. He knew that even though it was asleep it was still his friend. So every day he would open the lid on the little white box and say "hello little green caterpillar, have you had enough sleep yet", and then close the lid to keep it safe.
One morning when Harvey opened the lid on the little white box to say hello he got the biggest surprise. He called his Mum and said, "Something terrible as happened. A butterfly has got into the box and eaten up my little green caterpillar".
Kate came running in and looked inside the little white box. Harvey looked up at his Mum and to his surprise she wasn't upset. She was laughing when she said, "Harvey that beautiful red butterfly didn't eat your caterpillar. That beautiful red butterfly is your little green caterpillar that has grown up.
Harvey thought his Mum was being silly. How could the butterfly be his caterpillar? It didn't look anything like his little green caterpillar.
Kate said, "Harvey do you remember when I told you that you would get an amazing surprise in a few weeks. This is the amazing surprise. Your little green caterpillar has changed into this beautiful butterfly, just as one day after lots of sleeps you will grow up to be a man as big and as strong as your Dad.
Harvey thought that was silly too because his Dad was so big and so strong that he drove a police car. Harvey thought he could never do that.
Kate sat down with Harvey on his bed and said "I think it's time for a story". At first Harvey felt a little sad that his friend the little green caterpillar wasn't with him to hear the story. Kate said, "this is a story about caterpillars" and Harvey sat
up straight to listen to every word.
The book had lots of pictures of little caterpillars of all colours. One was like his friend the little green caterpillar. He was amazed that caterpillars could be so many different colours and sizes. Some even had stripes like his Dads police car. From the pictures he could see that they all changed into beautiful butterflies or moths. After the story, which was so good that he wanted it read to him twice, he understood that his friend the little green caterpillar was also his friend the beautiful red butterfly.
Harvey thought his Mum was being silly. How could the butterfly be his caterpillar? It didn't look anything like his little green caterpillar.
Kate said, "Harvey do you remember when I told you that you would get an amazing surprise in a few weeks. This is the amazing surprise. Your little green caterpillar has changed into this beautiful butterfly, just as one day after lots of sleeps you will grow up to be a man as big and as strong as your Dad.
Harvey thought that was silly too because his Dad was so big and so strong that he drove a police car. Harvey thought he could never do that.
Kate sat down with Harvey on his bed and said "I think it's time for a story". At first Harvey felt a little sad that his friend the little green caterpillar wasn't with him to hear the story. Kate said, "this is a story about caterpillars" and Harvey sat
up straight to listen to every word.
The book had lots of pictures of little caterpillars of all colours. One was like his friend the little green caterpillar. He was amazed that caterpillars could be so many different colours and sizes. Some even had stripes like his Dads police car. From the pictures he could see that they all changed into beautiful butterflies or moths. After the story, which was so good that he wanted it read to him twice, he understood that his friend the little green caterpillar was also his friend the beautiful red butterfly.
Kate said, "Harvey you will have to be very brave". Harvey didn't know what his Mum was talking about. He repeated "very brave"? Yes she said. "Now that your little green caterpillar has grown into a beautiful red butterfly it will want to use its wings and fly away.
Harvey burst into tears and said, "No it’s my friend and it'll want to stay with me". Kate said, "Do you remember in the story what butterflies like to do"?
Harvey nodded and said, "They like to fly", and his Mum added quietly, "and they have to drink sweet juice from flowers called nectar to stay alive ". Harvey remembered that funny word 'nectar' and nodded.
Kate said, "Sometimes friends have to say goodbye. But you could find a new caterpillar friend and watch it change into a butterfly, wouldn't that be fun. You could have lots and lots of caterpillar friends". Harvey smiled because he liked the idea of having lots of friends and watching caterpillars change into butterflies was pretty cool.
Harvey burst into tears and said, "No it’s my friend and it'll want to stay with me". Kate said, "Do you remember in the story what butterflies like to do"?
Harvey nodded and said, "They like to fly", and his Mum added quietly, "and they have to drink sweet juice from flowers called nectar to stay alive ". Harvey remembered that funny word 'nectar' and nodded.
Kate said, "Sometimes friends have to say goodbye. But you could find a new caterpillar friend and watch it change into a butterfly, wouldn't that be fun. You could have lots and lots of caterpillar friends". Harvey smiled because he liked the idea of having lots of friends and watching caterpillars change into butterflies was pretty cool.
Harvey thought for a while and then without saying a word he picked up the little white box and took it outside. Kate could hear him talking to his friend the beautiful red butterfly, and then he said, "Fly butterfly fly". To her amazement the beautiful red butterfly flew out of the box and landed on Harvey's shoulder. Harvey proudly walked around the garden with the beautiful red butterfly sitting on his shoulder. He talked to it about his back yard and how he liked to play with his cars on the path.
Harvey said, "Butterfly now you need to find some neck-taar" and the butterfly flew up into the air and did two circles around Harvey as he span around watching it. Then it flew up into the sky
Harvey said, "Butterfly now you need to find some neck-taar" and the butterfly flew up into the air and did two circles around Harvey as he span around watching it. Then it flew up into the sky
Kate came into the garden and put her arm around Harvey's shoulder and they both watched the beautiful red butterfly get smaller and smaller until it was gone.
Harvey said, "Mum I'm hungry" and Kate knew that all was well and felt a welling of pride knowing that Harvey had grown up more than a little bit on this day.
THE END
Harvey said, "Mum I'm hungry" and Kate knew that all was well and felt a welling of pride knowing that Harvey had grown up more than a little bit on this day.
THE END