My Story Corner: Naughty Simon

Simon was a little naughty boy who loved to be in the garden chasing butterflies, squirrels and hitting the bushes as he walked by to see hundreds of insects flying off. His mother Maggie was a lovely woman who adored her son. Her blind love for the child had made Simon a very insensitive and cruel boy. By the time Simon turned eight he became a real menace. He had no friends and the only friend he had was a little caterpillar. He let it crawl on his arm and brought tender leaves to feed it.

All day long, he would walk around his garden or forest around the lake. His entire day was spent in following the snails, hopped like robins or feeding bread to ducks and swans in the lake. He envied the people who went fishing and spent the whole weekend around the lake.

Maggie used to tell him the stories of animals and plants to make him humble and kind to living creatures. Simon however grew to be a rough child and ignored his mother's instructions not to break plants and scare little creatures living on them. Especially at dusk!
She explained to him on many occasions that the fairies and plants sleep in the evening and he should not disturb them.

Simon had never seen any fairies and it was quite impossible for him to believe that fairies lived and slept in soft beds of flowers!
It made him more curious to see the fairies in their true form.

One day, at sunset he ventured out to go around little forest near the lake. It was a nice and breezy day for summer. The plants swayed to and fro with cool wind. It felt good in warm weather.

As Simon walked through the bushes, he was swirling his stick around the bushes, snapping delicate leaves and branches. Suddenly, to his surprise, he saw a swarm of glittering creatures coming out of the bushes. Before he could realize anything, he saw a glowing little creature coming close to him, fluttering its wings in pain. It stood on a leaf with its florescent glow. Simon now saw how beautiful the creature was! It was miniature angel! It had coloured spotted wings, golden hair falling on her shoulder.
She said in a very soft and musical voice Simon ever heard,

"This is our bed time and all the plants and fairies are sleeping after the day's toil. Please do not hit or break the branches of these bushes at this time. Your mother must be worried about you .Go home".
Simon couldn't believe that a fairy was speaking to him!!!He was very excited and lo! He swung his stick around the whole bunch of bushes to see other fairies.

This was a big mistake!!

Never be cruel to fairies. They are really lovable creatures. But Simon injured many of them by shaking and swinging the stick around. The whole place was full with butterflies, glow worms and little insects and fairies.
Then came, the fairy Godmother! She touched Simon with her silver wand and before Simon could say anything, he was changed into a caterpillar!

Simon was utterly confused! Absolutely unbelievable! He couldn't imagine himself to be crawling!

But there he was... A crawling creature!
His eyes were wet with humiliation.
 But there was no one to see his tears, no one to show him sympathy.
It was getting dark and he wanted to go home. He never felt so homesick as he did now. He wanted to be with his mom.
Only she loved him! How am I going to go home?"

First time, Simon felt scared!!

Simon's mom was frantically looking for her son but he was nowhere to be seen. She went to the lakeside where she always found Simon. But today, Maggie couldn't see any sign of his son. Today, Simon was deep into the forest by the canal where children were scared to go!
"I am here ... mom. Look at me".

Simon was desperately trying to reach for his mother who was calling him. But Maggie couldn't hear him. His voice swept away in loud breeze. Yes! Even the breeze sounded louder than him.
Maggie was now getting nervous. She couldn't see Simon anywhere.

She went back home sobbing.

Poor Simon crawled and crawled for hours to get back home. He knocked at the door. He knocked again. But the door didn't open. He quietly lay down against the door and slept...

Next morning his mom opened the door, Simon wanted to run to her, but caterpillars cannot run fast. She saw him, lifted him and put him on a plant. He sadly went back to hide in bushes of his garden. He felt safe hidden under the leaves.

While he was moaning over his bad luck, he saw a chameleon reaching for him. Simon dragged himself on dry leaves and wriggled under a black rock piece and managed to save himself this time!

He was famished and wanted a nice hot soup that his mother always made for him. He walked  to his house hoping this time he would be able to reach his mom.  But alas! He was just a tiny little caterpillar. He escaped his mother's attention even though she was an inch away from him.

another black caterpillar took pity on him and made friends with Simon. Simon was grateful and agreed to walked with his friend caterpillar to lakeside tree and found a safe place to hide. He waited till sunset to crawl to canal side and find the fairies. He wanted to beg fairy godmother to forgive him.

Fairy Godmother was kind but she said "You can be human again only when you have done a 'kind deed' to help living creatures".

"I don't know how to help" Simon moaned. But fairy Godmother had already left. Disappointed, Simon dragged himself back to his house, and crawled at his bedroom door, unnoticed and lonely. He slept at the corner of the door. He felt safe in his own house.

"I am sorry mom for not listening to you. I'll be kind to all living creature. I promise."Simon mumbled to himself.

"I will think about doing some good deed at dawn".

Simon tossed around all night. He was scared of being a caterpillar all his life!
The night seemed never ending.
In the morning, fresh aroma of pancake made Simon hungry. He went to his mom. Poor Maggie was making pancakes, thinking Simon would love to have it when he comes back.
Disappointed, Simon made his way to the canal side to meet his friend. While waiting for his friend, he saw ants trying to carry a large dead insect.

"They can't do it. The insect is too big!" Simon thought.

He asked them. "Why are you carrying this dead animal? You don't eat them!!"
"No. We are cleaning the place."said one ant.
"But why would you do that? The council people will do that.
The ants looked a him in surprise and said,"We are also as responsible as anyone else to keep our environment clean and healthy. We don't want to be a burden on nature!"
"What do caterpillars do?" Simon wanted to know
"Oh! You are food for many birds. If you escape their eyes then you would be a beautiful butterfly, helping in pollination. Everyone in nature has some duty to do".
"Your parents should have taught you that." said another ant.
"Hmm, Oh well! My mom didn't tell me what caterpillars do". Simon murmured and crawled to climb a tree. He wanted to look around.
He found a nice place to hide and peeped through a small hole. The nature is so beautiful. He was enjoying viewing it first time. No sticks, no anger and no hitting!!!
He was pondering over  of being "A burden on nature".
"I don't want to be a burden".
He suddenly saw a little boy torturing an injured sparrow.He reminded of himself !
Simon got off the tree to help the bird. But his friend said," Are you crazy? The bird will eat you". But Simon was already on his way to the boy.
He crawled under his trousers, tickling him. The young boy started screaming and jumping when he felt something creeping  in his trousers. He left the bird and ran to look for his parents.
Simon went to the bird. It looked dead. Simon went to the ants and requested them to help him  pull the bird into the bushes.
The ants said, "We only carry dead".
"Please! Otherwise it will die." The ants were touched by his sincerity and agreed to help the bird. Simon dragged a leaf with some dew drops and berries for the bird. The bird sipped it and felt better. Even the bird's friends had abandoned it knowing that it would be dead soon.
 Simon just waited by its side while the bird rested and slept to recuperate.

He felt so good and forgot that he actually was doing a good deed! The bird spread it's wings and hopped. Simon smiled and felt a unique feeling of peace and content.
 Simon didn't realise when he dozed off. When he woke up, his mom was beside him thanking Lord for His mercy. The neighbours had joined her in her grief  and were helping her to find Simon.

"Where is that sparrow? It's  injured."
The sparrow perched on his shoulder and twittered. He took the bird on his fingers and smiled with happiness. The sparrow thanked him and flew away.

Simon was human again!!! His good selfless deed paid him.

The fairy Godmother fluttered its glowing wings and Simon saw a glimpse of her.

"Oh, thank you fairy godmother!"Simon whispered.


Moral of the story: Parents are like a potter who gives a definite shape to a lump of clay handling it delicately yet firmly.

It is parents’ duty to teach children the right attitude even though you love them but a firm hand is important to hold them when they are tumbling down.