OK, enough dilly-dallying around.....here is the first story I wrote, which I told you about......
One dark night my beautiful purple butterfly, Flutterbright, was having tea under the moonlight beside her butterfly tree. Suddenly she saw a dark, sinister figure perched on a limb at the edge of her treetop dwelling. She was of course frightened and asked him to go away. But he didn’t leave, he came closer.
Flutterbright asked, “Who are you?”, in her tiny, soft voice.
He said, “The creatures around here call me Black Bart.”
She cautiously approached him and saw that he was a bat, with velvety wings and beautiful green eyes. He was really quite handsome, she thought.
She asked him if he would like to join her for tea, and he came and sat with her beneath her butterfly tree.
Then Bart told her that he had been standing watch over her for several nights because he had seen a couple evil looking characters sneaking around in the woods who were supposedly up to no good. “You needn’t be frightened of me, my dear. I find you quite lovely.” And he sighed deeply, knowing that he could never reveal what was in his heart to her, a butterfly.
She dipped her head and blushed at his kind words, revealing a sweet little dimple when she smiled. As she lifted her eyes to him he nearly swooned with joy.
After admiring Flutterbright’s Treetop home Bart said, “Would you like to visit my cave sometime? It’s just next door in the hillside, and I have some wondrous, magical things you might enjoy seeing.
“Yes”, she said, “I would enjoy seeing them. I may stop by some evening, but now I must ask that you to go, as it is getting very late.” Black Bart bowed to the lovely butterfly and flew out of her Treetop.
Flutterbright lay in her hammock but could not sleep for thinking of Bart’s beautiful green eyes. Yes, she thought, as a secret smile flashed her tiny dimple, he really is quite handsome, and very charming too.
A few nights later, being very curious about what magical things he may have, and not being able to get him out of her mind, she ventured forth to find his cave. The cave really was just next door, and not seeing anyone about she peeked into the cave.
It was dark and warm with flickering light, casting dancing shadows all around. Entranced she fluttered inside and glanced around. The first thing she saw near the entrance was a black cauldron, with something bubbling away inside and glowing red.
Walking farther around the caves rough, stone wall, she came to a wondrous drum which drummed out strange sounds, all by itself, whenever she just touched it. It was like a big barrel, laid on it’s side on a stand.
Turning from the drum she found herself face to face with a very freaky plant! She let out a squeak, holding back a startled scream. The plant was moving, as if it was posing, watching her as if for approval of its posturing. Very strange!
Flutterbright started back toward the entrance when, across the room, she saw the flickering light which was causing the dancing shadows.. She walked toward it and realized that it was several lights, all hovering and moving in the air! How wonderful they were! She almost clapped her hands for joy. Next to them was a magic carpet couch. It, too, was floating free in the air! She fluttered around it, moving under and above it, but no where did it touch the floor. How amazing is that?, she though. She decided to sit on it to see if it would really hold her up. Yep, it really was magic!
She looked up and then she screamed.
There was a monster, chained under a bed, across the room, and she could see it moving restlessly, it’s red eyes glowing as it looked at her!
Before she could calm herself from this fright, she screamed again!! She saw some dark shape rushing toward her! She cowered back on the couch, folding her purple wings about herself, as if for protection.
As soon as she had screamed Black Bart had flown to her side. He had been deeply enfolded in the dark purple shrouds of his batwing chair, from which he had been watching her examine his treasures. He settled by her on the couch, wrapping his wings gently about her.
:”I’m sorry,” he said, trying to soothe her. “I didn’t mean to frighten you that way when I flew up from my chair. Monster had already frightened you, and here I’ve made it worse trying to get to you quickly.
A tiny tear fell from her eye and landed on his furry chest as she looked up at him. “Is it chained tightly? It can’t get loose?”
“Yes, yes, my dear,” Bart spoke softly. “He is never loose, unless I let him, but never when anyone else is here. As long as I feed him from time to time he behaves himself…although he can get quite angry,” Bart said, glancing toward Monster, who glared back and rattled it’s chain.
“Why is he there?” Flutterbright asked.
“Well, he sort of came with the bed. An wicked wizard put a curse on King’s son, a really nasty young man he was, too, and now he is chained eternally to that bed. Wherever the bed goes, he goes. I never allow him to crawl from under the bed when I have company because he is really quite vile looking. He almost makes me shiver, and I have had him for some time now.” Bart chuckled, trying to ease her fear.
But it was more than she could handle for her first visit and she fluttered up and winged her way toward the mouth of the cave. Bart went with her, telling her how happy he was that she came to visit him and hoped she enjoyed his magical things. Well, except for Monster, and he chuckled again.
Flutterbright said she thought he had some marvelous things, but that maybe next time, he could come and visit her in her Treetop, instead. She gave him a weak smile and flew away home, leaving Black Bart gazing after her.
He knew that nothing could come of it, and that he would have to keep his feelings locked away in his heart, but he loved that beautiful butterly!
He turned from the entrance, very angry with Monster for frightening her. As he flew across the room he was thinking up the worst punishments for Monster that he could dream up!!
As he reached the bed he exclaimed, “Maybe I’ll just throw you into that boiling cauldron!!”
), so here I am.
