OCR Text |
Show AAKY GRAHAM BONNER. CO'TtlC-lT IT VIIMIN MWJ U-Of MONARCH pUTTERFLY TALKS "Good-day, Mr. Sun," said the Monarch Mon-arch butterly. "You look very happy," ie added after a moment. "I am," said Mr. Sun, as he beamed brightly. "It Is so wonderful to be the sun and to look down upon such a lovely world. "No wonder people say I have a sunny nature I I cannot help but hava I it!" j "It Is Interesting to many people to know how the butterflies sleep in the winter," said the Monarch butterfly, "or whether they are all frozen ! Or what happens to them ! So many people, peo-ple, I've been told, often ask. I wonder, won-der, If I told you, Mr. Sun, if you could send around some of your bright rays with the secrets." Mr. Sun smilingly agreed. "I'll see that they hear if you tell me what Is to be said." "The Swallowtail Butterflies," said the Monarch, "stay in their chrysalis state in the winter time. They like t those beds best. "And the Angle Wings all change Into butterflies sometime before they "Mr. Sun Smilingly Agreed." go to sleep, and so they sleep as butterflies. but-terflies. Little Bronze Copper Butterfly Butter-fly spends the winter as an egg. He has lots of growing and changing to do when the spring comes ! I wouldn't care for his way," the Monarch said proudly. "So many people wonder how we disappear when the cold weather comes. In the summer I've often heard people say: " 'What becomes of all the butterflies butter-flies in the winter timer" "If someone will translate for me Into their language I'd like to tell them all of this. "Most of the butterflies eat a good deal more in the fall so they can be strengthened for the cold winter weather and for their sleep, and most of the great butterfly family spend the winter bedtime as little caterpillars. The Fritlllary families sleep as little tiny caterpillars and don't bother to grow their full size until the spring comes when they wake up and con-''' con-''' tinue growing 1 "Then there are some families where the grown-ups sleep as butterflies and where the little ones go to bed as caterpillars and don't change into butterflies but-terflies until the spring comes. The Orange Sulphur and the Clouded Sulphur Sul-phur Butterfly families do this. "But, oh dear, I must stop talking," the Monarch said, for as he looked about him he found that all the butterflies but-terflies had disappeared. "I've never been so late in starting for the South. I must hurry and follow fol-low the birds. "But the butterflies and caterpillar who're staying up North and who're sleeping through the winter will be quite safe and Bnug. They know where the rocks and crevices are which will be the right places for them. If they're chrysallds they will know how to attach themselves safely with a fine silken cord to a tree, so the old wind won't blow them away. "Yes, the winter time is the butterflies but-terflies bedtime and there are only a few of us who go away and stay awake I But the butterflies sleep at different stages of their growth, some as caterpillars, some as chrysallds and some as full-grown butterflies, as I've said. "For Isn't that sensible? You don't find all boys and all girls of ten years old going to sleep and all boys and all girls of twelve years old not sleeping at nil 1 "And as you don't And all boys and flrls doing the same Just because they're of the same age or the same size neither ao you find butterflies all doing alike I "But before I fly off I must sing the Butterflies' Bedtime Lullaby." The Monarch looked up at Mr. Sun and smiled. Then he sang this song: In the winter when It's cold Do not be ao very bold! Po not freexe your prtty wlng-. Do not chill your nose and thing-s! If you're a caterpillar or a butterfly, In a warm place you must lie, Covered up with silken threads, Or In warm and leafy beds. And sleep and sleep and sleep some more. Such are the butterfly ways as of yore. And ere I gro on my wandering- way. I wish the rest of you all a a-ood-day. And pleasant dreams and a good winter's win-ter's rest. Bo that when the spring- comes yo may all look your best. |