An Old Man's Tale

There once lived an old man, far up in the mountains away from everything. He lived alone, isolated in the land around him. He didn't mind though, as he loved where he lived. He grew his own vegetables and had some cows which provided him with milk. His home was an old thatch cottage with just a few rooms and a big open fire at the heart of the house where he would sit every night and read. He read not only to himself but to a rock. You see when one lives alone for many years, they find other ways of keeping company and the old man did this by befriending a rock. He read to the rock every night whom he named quite simply, Rock. He was not crazy however as he found objects such as Rock enabled him to talk for hours without being interrupted as well as feeling like he had company.

One very stormy night, as the windows rattled with the wind and rain, the old man sat down after stirring the fire. He began to tell a story to the rock who was opposite him on a stool beside the fire. Now Rock, I'll tell you a story from some time ago. Since I was a young man I would go for a walk everyday after tending to the cattle and garden. The scenery on the walk was never less than magical. When the Sun would shine, the mountain glowed with light and the area seemed happy. I'm not sure if you could say a flower or a tree was happy but if you looked closely you could almost make out a smile on some of them. That is how beautiful it is when the Sun shines up here. There is a small bridge nearby and I would sit on it everyday pondering and listening to the water flow as it was very relaxing. Then after awhile I would continue on my walk until I decided I had walked enough and returned home. One day I was sitting on the bridge when I heard a beautiful sound. "What on earth is that?" I asked myself. It was some kind of singing or so it seemed. High and low I searched but could not find where this beautiful sound was coming from. So I waited until the sound stopped and saw something moving among the reeds. It was a beautiful blue Butterfly and it took flight into the air as I returned to my walk assuming the noise was just a bird nesting nearby for the summer.

It was indeed early summer and the trees were green with leaves. There were yellow Buttercups in every field and Bumble Bees were hurrying past about their business every few minutes. The Swallows were swooping in and out of the meadows catching bugs and looking for mud to build their nests. It was only my house they would build on high up in these mountains as it was the only house around. So I knew they were the Swallows who would be making my home theirs for the summer. After a long walk I made my way back as it was getting dark. The moon was rising and was full that night. By the time I had made it back to the bridge it was nightfall but what a beautiful night it was. The Moon lit a path for me. Trees almost shone as their leaves reflected the moonlight which bounced off of them. You could see for miles around. Then I heard it. It was beautiful. The sound I had heard earlier. I walked toward the edge of the bridge and slowly looked down below. There, amongst the reeds, I saw something that I will never forget. A Butterfly, as blue as the sky, glowed like a spark from a fire and it sang a song, such a beautiful song which brought a tear to my eye. I looked on as it sang. It seemed to be telling a story. I thought, perhaps it was a story of its life. I had never heard a Butterfly sing and this was special. Something had touched this little creature's heart and it felt it needed to sing this beautiful song because of it. I could not understand what it was singing so I just listened until as quick as it had begun; it stopped singing and fluttered off into the night sky.

I walked toward home on the well lit path, thinking of what I had just seen. A singing Butterfly. Was I going mad? That is what I thought until I saw something peculiar. As I walked, something in the bushes nearby caught my attention. It was a badger running through a hedge and then another. They hurried through, followed by a fox. I made my way over quietly and peered through a gap in the hedge. To my surprise, there were many different animals all gathered around in a circle. The moon continued to shine brightly and they remained there for some time as though waiting patiently for something to happen. After awhile, I noticed something in the centre of the animals. It was the Butterfly. It began to sing and I couldn't believe my eyes for what I saw amazed me. Will I tell you what I saw Rock? Well, the animals got up one by one and began to dance around the Butterfly as it sang its song. They danced around the trees and danced around flowers and they danced around the Butterfly as it sang until dawn when it stopped and fluttered off again into the sky. The animals left soon after and when they had all gone I too went home for some rest after the shock of that night.

After a few hours sleep, I awoke and tended to the cattle and garden. The Sun shone brightly and the birds were singing. I set off walking and came to the little bridge above the stream again where I sat for awhile. I stared into the water and saw my reflection. I noticed something above my head and looked up. It was the Butterfly. It landed on my shoulder and began to sing. This time I could hear it clearly as it sang words I understood. It sang "In my life I have seen many things, lush green valleys and flowers so rare but never have I seen a more beautiful place than this." Then it fluttered and flew off again as I realised how lucky I was. I now understood why this Butterfly sang. You see Rock, when I was young; I was not alone in these mountains. There were many people but times were hard and they all left to find work. I could not tear myself away from my home though and I stayed behind. When I walk outside every morning and I look around at the beauty which surrounds me, I just smile and I smile so wide that it lasts for the day. This is all the happiness I need right here and from then on I knew that I was meant to stay here for a place of such beauty has to be seen by human eyes. I never did see that Butterfly again though. Now Rock, it's getting late and the storm has eased off. I think it's time for bed eh?

The next morning, the old man went for a walk after tending to his chores. It was mid autumn and the fallen brown and golden leaves lined the old dirt path. The last of the warmth in the Sun was fast fading and birds were preparing for winter. When he reached the little bridge, he sat down for awhile to relax and listen to the soothing sound of the water softly flowing and before setting off again on his walk he said to himself "In my life I have seen many things, lush green valleys and flowers so rare, but never have I seen a more beautiful place than this."