THE FIREFLY

THE FIREFLY

Artwork : "Astral Voyage" by Josephine Wall

There was a time when the fireflies were just some gray night bugs. Such a bug was once climbing on a flower, struggling not to fall as the young woman holding the flower was rocking it. Finally the little bug managed to reach the petals of the flower, making the young woman startle, as if she was ashamed that the bug saw her crying.

"Good evening princess. Why do you cry?" the little voice asked.

She startled again. She was not surprised because the bug was speaking, but because it knew.

"Why did you call me princess ?"

"Because you are. Is there anyone who does not know you ? You are the good fairy, the princess of the night and tenderness, the one that lives on the island in the heart of the summer. Only that we haven't seen you since a long time", the bug sighed.

"I miss my island" the princess sighed, her eyes in tears. "Have you been there lately little bug?"

"Yes, princess, I have been there. I have been there many times, looking for you because all the creatures of the fore4st and of the sea were asking about you. So I could find out that the usurp that stole your throne has banished you. Since then the summer island has started to fade away into fall. It is not anymore happy as it was before, and even the air smells of faded leaves The forests get dry for missing the green of your eyes."

"What about my prince? Have you seen him again?" she asked impatiently. The bug didn't answer. "He has forgotten me hasn't he?"

"Yes, princess. I am sorry. He is not anymore thinking by himself, he remembers nothing at all from the past. If he saw you he would not recognize you. She caught him totally in her black spells"

"Good evening", the star blinked through the trees. "Why are you both so sad ?" it asked landing on the princess' hair.

"The princess misses her home.... and her prince" the bug whispered. The star sighed.

"Unfortunately the harm that has been done to the princess is one of those that can not be mended. However, could we do anything for you princess ? Is there anything that would soothe your pain at least a little ?"

The princess was crying so badly that she barely could speak.

"The ships on the island... I used to like them so much... I was sometimes spending hours to just watch them... I wish I could see them again... at least from the distance... this way I would feel like home... as if I could return..."

The star darkened into sadness.

"I am sorry princess", the star whispered. "It's not up to me to make this wish of yours come true"

"Sssst!" the bug interrupted. "I think you can" it said whispering something in the star's ear.

"You are right" the star said. "Now, princess, I must go and you will not be sad anymore. Because even if you will never see the ships ever again, their lights in the night will always be with you to soothe your loneliness"

The princess smiled and the forest was full of flying lights.

This is how the fireflies became the shining night bugs we all know. They have been shining since the night when they stole the light of the star, for the princess to remember, during the summer nights, the lights of the ships from the island where she was never going to return.

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