Giovanni

When Giovanni opened his big blue eyes after his afternoon nap, he found himself face to face with an apple. Not a juicy apple, like the ones he'd been munching all week, but a shrivelled apple that somebody had already taken a bite out of.
"Thanks a bunch," muttered the caterpillar, looking around to see if he could spot the culprit. But he found himself looking out over an empty orchard. "Where's everyone gone? And is this all they left me?" he mumbled.

Like all caterpillars when they hatch, Giovanni had a big appetite. He was ready to eat anything - even this measly apple. As he bit into it, he realised his milk teeth were no match for the leathery skin. And as if that weren't bad enough, it was just a wee bit too small to see him through the season. He was going to transform himself into a spectacular butterfly with large wings and a tongue shaped like a trumpet, three times its body length. That needed a lot of energy.

With nothing much to do, Giovanni climbed to the treetop and smelled the morning air. It was a fine summer day, perfect for a picnic when the caterpillar had a thought 'I shall wait until the sun softens my apple and then...MMmmm I shall eat it!'

But then another problem came up.

'What shall I do for food meantime?’ wept the caterpillar whose empty tummy was beginning to sound like a sneezing tap.

'Hello Miss, HELLOOOOOO,' Giovanni called out to the sun, 'How long will it take for you to cook this small apple?'
The sun was busy fluffing up clouds to make a little rain and did not hear the caterpillar. But a raven did.

'Well well, what have we got here?' asked the bird with jet-black feathers and shining eyes as he landed on the apple tree. 'What is it that you're screaming about?'

'I am Giovanni and ... I was...' but the caterpillar didn't have a chance to finish his sentence when the bird butted in.

'You are a juicy caterpillar, that's what you are, and I am going to eat you!' This said the raven grabbed the caterpillar and was about to swallow it whole when Giovanni wedged himself between the raven's beak.

'Please don't eat me,' implored Giovanni, 'I am hungry and alone ... I'll tell you a joke if you spare me!'

'A joke? Can caterpillars tell jokes?'

'Sure, we can,' replied Giovanni who was beginning to lose his grip wedged inside the strong beak.

'Right then,' said the raven releasing Giovanni, 'make sure you tell me a good joke or I will have you for dinner!'

The sun had turned west and seemed to have zoomed her radiance onto the caterpillar who, taking centre stage on top of his apple, began to tell the joke.

'Do you know why giraffes have long necks?'

'No, I don't flipping know why giraffes have long necks!' was the raven's reply. To get a better look at the caterpillar, the bird had now turned his head sideways and closely inspected Giovanni like a scientist examines a rare specimen.

'They have long necks ... because they can't swim!' said the caterpillar proud of his joke.

The bird did not look impressed.

'Is that it? ‘ said the raven drooling with saliva.

'Please Mr Raven spare me as I am only very young ...In eight weeks I shall turn into a beautiful butterfly.........'

'I prefer juicy caterpillar to butterflies and that's final,' snapped back the bird.

'Do you like apples maybe?' asked Giovanni handing over his meal.

'No thanks. I'm not a vegetarian,' replied the bird, 'I fancy young birds for breakfast, pigeons' eggs for lunch and grubs for dinner!'

'But it's not dinner time yet!' protested the caterpillar.

The raven had opened his beak again revealing a black spotty tongue and was just about to eat Giovanni when suddenly a cat jumped out and scared the raven away.

Apart from his proud high-flying tail, the cat looked shy. He kept his head down as he rubbed his marbled coat against the tree's bark.

'I think you may just have saved my life,' said the caterpillar getting his breath back. 'Let me introduce myself. I am Giovanni the caterpillar. What's your name?'

'My name is Figaro. What are you doing in this neck of the woods?' enquired the cat keeping an eye on the raven.

'In six weeks I am supposed to turn into a butterfly,' was Giovanni's reply as he looked at his squeegee body. 'And I've only got this apple to keep me going until then."

'That's not very much, is it?'' said the cat who, clasping the trunk with his sharp claws, had climbed up the tree and now stood on the same branch as the caterpillar’s. 'Humm, what a great view you've got from up here!' continued Figaro admiring the panorama. Then he noticed Giovanni's apple. 'That's a mouth-watering cox apple you've got there,’
'You can have a little bit if you are really hungry,’ replied the caterpillar.
'No thanks I couldn't eat your little meal. As a matter of fact, how will you survive with just an apple?" asked Figaro whilst shooing away the raven. The bird had been circling the air like a vulture who refuses to give up his meal.

'I don't know how I'll survive ... I am so hungry I could eat a whole orchard. Do you like apples? asked Giovanni.
'I like apples ... but I very much prefer YOUNG CATERPILLARS LIKE YOU!!'

The cat suddenly revealed teeth as sharp as viper's fangs. He was just about to grab Giovanni's head when the branch they were on snapped off and both prey and predator fell to the ground. The caterpillar landed on top of the cat's belly but Figaro was out for the count.

'You better come inside or that raven above your soft head will snap you up,' said a voice coming from the depth of a rabbit hole.

There was no time to waste. Giovanni crouched into a little ball and rolled his way down into the hole. It was a dark, warm and misty place.

‘Welcome!' said the same voice from a far corner of the underground chamber.

'Thanks…,’ said the caterpillar quickly looking around to see who his host might be. 'My name is Giovanni...'

'This is no time for introductions. Preying eyes are at the door,' interrupted the host, 'you'd better come to the far end of the chamber and stay close to me.'

'But I can't see you!'

'Don't' worry, I can see you,' said the mysterious host.

With his pointed bill, the raven had shattered the entrance to the tunnel and was working his way through to the chamber with the speed of an earthquake.
Then, amid a cloud of dust and a heap of stones there stood the raven in front of a terrified Giovanni.

'Hello Master Caterpillar, how are you?' said the raven with his bill drooling with sticky saliva as if it were a leaking oilcan.

'Master Giovanni is just fine,' snapped the host from the corner of the chamber. 'You, though, are not.'
With terrifying speed a snake as thick as a fireman's hose, lounged forward and grabbed the bird.

It was an old and toothless albino python, all white except for his scarlet eyes that were as vivid as children's blood. He was equipped with a forked tongue, long rubbery and split in the middle. He had lived in the same burrow for over two decades and had seen all kind of goings on. This snake was a great judge of character.

'Please don't eat the raven,' implored the caterpillar.

It was too late. The bird was sliding head down the snake's mouth. Only the bird's feet stuck out like some old TV aerial.
When the caterpillar looked at the snake again, he knew there was no hope for the raven: in the middle of the reptile's slender body was a big bump.

'This raven ate young chicks as well as butterflies. You should be glad you are alive!' said the snake admiring the curve of his fat belly.

'Thanks for that, but I don't know who to trust anymore. Will I ever make it to become a butterfly? And how will I survive with just an apple?' said Giovanni close to tears.

'How right you are to be upset. But things aren't always what they seem around here,' said the snake before giving a big yawn. "You shouldn't worry about food too much for I go months without eating anything. Eat your apple slowly, I'd say you should eat a bite a day, and get twelve hours sleep before and after each bite,” suggested the snake and gave another yawn.

There was angry screeching at the entrance to the chamber. Figaro the cat had woken up and wanted a taste of the caterpillar.

'Giovanni, are you in there?'

On hearing Figaro's voice, the caterpillar began shaking with fear.
'That sounds like the cat I met earlier on,' cried the caterpillar.

'Giovanni, are you in there?' said again the cat.

'Yes, I am,' replied the snake pretending to be the caterpillar by wiggling the tip of his tail. He then asked Giovanni to stay put. 'Don't be frightened my friend, just think of your juicy apple. I'll do the rest.'

Still hurting from the fall, Figaro was soon mesmerised by the wiggling grub down in the chamber. It didn't take long for him to scratch away earth and stones to get to it.

'We meet again Giovanni,' smiled the cat licking the soil off his nose.

'Yes, hello ...please don't hurt me,' begged the snake again wiggling the tip of his tail as if it were a helpless caterpillar.

The rest of the snake's body hid behind the entrance to the burrow, its mouth fully opened.

'Of course I won't hurt you I just love jelly babies like you. Go on, my friend, make yourself comfy on top of my tongue,' said Figaro sticking out his gooey tongue. Suddenly, like a bolt of lightening, the snake grabbed the cat. There was no struggle.

With her body now resembling a two-bumped camel, the snake struggled to the entrance to the burrow, waved at the sun, and slowly sealed the entrance to the chamber with heavy stones.

'We’ll be safer with the door shut; you'll be surprised how many opportunists would find their way down here,’ said the snake to the caterpillar. 'Sasastrassadopolous is my name. Chill out my friend and enjoy your apple.'


Forty-four days had passed since Giovanni and Sasastrassadopolous had made themselves comfortable in the balmy chamber. Not once had Sasastrassadopolous left the door unguarded for he could not have accommodated anyone else in his body. He had only just about managed to digest his heavy meal. Meanwhile, the caterpillar had eaten his small apple and, just as the snake suggested, he had taken long naps in between snacks. It was at these times Giovanni dreamed of becoming a butterfly with wings as big as saucers. He also dreamed of juicy apples: Royal Gala apples, Spartans, Wyggeston Pippins, Red Devils, Golden Hornets and several fat Pink Ladies. And he was dreaming of one when he suddenly felt the transformation or metamorphosis, as scientists like to call it, was now imminent.

' Sasastrassadopolous, it's time!' announced the caterpillar excitedly.

'Time for what?' yawned the snake.

'I have to get started with the pupa as in ten days exactly I will have wings to fly with,' said Giovanni.

'Pupa?' asked the snake.

'Sure. The pupa is the caterpillars' magic cape. Once snug inside it the transformation begins. Just wait and see.'

These were the very last words Giovanni the caterpillar said before wearing the pupa, a toffee and caramel caloured cocoon the size of macaroni. And, just like when a magician is about to perform a trick, the underground chamber went very quiet. The snake coiled himself up in front of the pupa to make sure no harm came to it.
Then a little crackling noise could be heard. The pupa was hatching just like a quail's egg. First to emerge where the butterfly's wings. They didn't look anything fancy at first, grey and wet thought Sasastrassadopolous. Then, ever so gently, they began to unfold and flap like a puppy that has just taken a bath. With every flutter, the butterfly seemed to get bigger and bigger until two magnificent sky blue wings with gold, emerald and ruby dots glistened in the sun. The transformation was complete!

'What a beauty,' said Sasastrassadopolous, who inspected his body just in case he too might be growing wings.

Giovanni was delighted with his wings but quite alarmed, if not terrified, by his six long legs.

'I think something has gone wrong with my metamorphosis,' said the butterfly looking away. 'I have grown six spindly legs when only a couple would have sufficed! I am a freaky butterfly!' Giovanni had tears in his new purple eyes.

'Don't cry my friend. You are not freaky - all butterflies have a six-leg set complete with feet. Sometimes the problem with nature is that there are creatures who get the lot whilst, others get nothing at all, like me. Had I got a couple of legs I would not have had to crawl about all the time,' complained Sasastrassadopolous.

'I don't know why butterflies come with six legs but, please, let me give you some of mine,' replied Giovanni pulling his legs.

'No, don't do that or you'll hurt yourself ... You will need all of your legs when visiting blossoms out there."

'Haven't I got wings to do that?' asked the butterfly, still pulling at his legs.

'Of course you have wings, but how will you know if the flowers have made any nectar for you? Those legs of yours are like drinking straws. All you have to do is stand on flowers and your feet will suck up the nectar."

" Sasastrassadopolous, you have been so good to me. You have saved me from predators, taken me into your home and cared for me. How will I survive without you? asked Giovanni fluttering his wings.

'I certainly will miss you, my friend...' replied a teary Sasastrassadopolous.

'And I will miss you too.'



Giovanni was looking forward to his new journey as a butterfly. There were lots of flowers in gardens, big and small, near and far just waiting for him. Sasastrassadopolous only wished he could have helped. His biggest dream was to fly up in the air and see the world from the sky.

"Will you come to visit me?"

'Yes, Sasastrassadopolous, I will.'

The snake continued to look gloomy. He felt he was going to lose the only friend he ever had.

'Cheer up Sasastrassadopolous, I promise I will be back. And, if that's alright with you, my babies will all come to visit you also. I know you'll look after them the way you looked after me,' said Giovanni flapping his iridescent wings.
'I shall be delighted to welcome each and every member of your beloved family to my home,' said Sasastrassadopolous drying his tears.


And that's exactly what happened. Giovanni the butterfly, and his baby caterpillars, returned time and time again to visit their friend the snake whenever the orchard bore apples. No other orchard in the world grew apples as juicy. Word had got out that a huge python lurked around the area snapping up anything that threatened his caterpillars. Cats and ravens stayed well clear.
Every day visiting butterflies shared with Sasastrassadopolous the excitement of air travel. They described in detail how the world looked from the sky: the dizzy heights of the forest trees, the deep blue sea, and all the creatures that inhabited the earth. Sasastrassadopolous was not alone anymore. His own world had grown wings.

END


Thanks for your time. I am looking to make this story 'flow' better and would welcome your comments.

Thank you

Anjelo