Once upon a time, there was a butterfly who felt that he was getting old and it was time to find a mate to live with. So he decided to go to the flower garden to find a little lover he liked.
At first, it flew around, carefully examining every flower. Each flower sat quietly on its stem, looking gentle and peaceful, just like young girls who hadn’t yet fallen in love. But there were so many flowers! The butterfly looked and looked but couldn’t decide which one to choose. It thought to itself, “This is too much trouble. I’ll go find the smartest flower and ask for its advice.”
It thought of the daisy. In France, people call this flower “Marguerite,” and it is said that it can tell fortunes! How does it work? You pluck off the petals one by one while asking questions, such as, “Does he really love me?” or “Will we be together for a long time?” Everyone can ask in their own language.The butterfly wanted to try it too, but instead of plucking the petals like everyone else, it gently kissed each one. It felt that only by treating the flower with sincerity could it get the best answer.
The butterfly said, “Dear Daisy, you are the wisest girl of all. Can you tell me which one I should choose as my wife? Who will I end up with?If I know the answer, I can fly straight over and propose to her!“
But the daisy didn’t answer. Actually, the daisy was a little upset. It was still just a young girl, but the butterfly had already called it a ”woman,” which made it feel a little precocious. The butterfly asked again, but still got no response.After asking a third time, it finally gave up and thought, “Never mind, I’ll find someone myself.” Then it continued on its “matchmaking journey.”
It was just the beginning of spring, and the ground was covered with crocuses and snowdrops. The butterfly saw them and said, “Wow, these little girls are so cute and pretty. But they seem to know nothing and are a little too young.”
Like many young people, the butterfly wanted to find a slightly more mature partner. So it flew over to the autumn peony. But after a while, it felt something was off—the flower had a bitter taste, not its preferred type.
Next, it encountered the violet, which it found too passionate; the tulip, too flashy; the daffodil, too ordinary; the bodhi tree, whose flowers were too small and had too many relatives; and the apple tree, whose flowers bloomed like roses but wilted the next day and fell off at the slightest breeze. The butterfly thought to itself, “Marrying such flowers would likely end in divorce before the wedding even takes place.”
Later, it encountered a pea flower and found her particularly charming. She had red and white colors, was gentle and kind, and looked like the kind of girl who would take good care of a family. Just as the butterfly was about to propose to her, it suddenly noticed a withered flower hanging nearby.
It asked curiously, “Who is that?”
The pea flower said, “That’s my sister.”
The butterfly was startled and asked, “Then… will you become like that too?”
After saying that, it quickly flew away, not daring to mention marriage again.
It flew to the honeysuckle flower. The honeysuckle flower hung on the fence and also seemed like a nice girl. But the butterfly thought her complexion wasn’t very good, and her skin was a little yellow, not the type it was looking for.
Thus, spring passed, summer was nearly over, and autumn arrived. The butterfly was still undecided, unsure of whom to choose.
By this time, the flowers had all changed into their most beautiful clothes, but unfortunately, their youth was gone, and their fragrance was not as strong as before. The butterfly began to miss those small flowers with their delicate fragrance. It found the mint and thought that although she didn’t have any eye-catching flowers, she was fragrant all over, and you could smell her scent from head to toe.
The butterfly said excitedly, “I will marry her!”
So it immediately proposed to the mint.
The mint stood straight, remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, “We can be friends, but let’s forget about anything else. I’m already old, and you’re about the same age. We can take care of each other, but there’s no need to get married. We’re both so old, let’s not make a joke of ourselves.”
Hearing this, the butterfly felt empty inside. It finally realized that it had been so picky that time had slipped away.It had been too picky, and as a result, it hadn’t found anyone suitable.
Soon, late autumn arrived, and the weather became cold and damp. The wind blew through the willow trees, making a “whooshing” sound. It wasn’t good to be wandering around outside at this time of year. Not only was it easy to catch a cold, but people would also gossip. The butterfly didn’t want to fly anymore, so it took the opportunity to sneak into a house.
The house was warm, and the stove was burning brightly, as if it were summer again. The butterfly thought, “This isn’t bad. I can stay here.”
But it didn’t expect to be discovered so quickly. Someone caught it, stuck it on a needle, and put it in a small box. This was a way for people to express their affection, but in the butterfly’s eyes, it wasn’t a good thing.
It said sadly, “I’m like a flower now, pinned to a stick. This is so painful! It’s just like getting married because I can’t fly anymore.”
It tried to comfort itself, but another potted plant in the house didn’t agree. It said, “This isn’t a good thing.”
The butterfly heard this but didn’t pay much attention. It thought to itself, “The flowers in pots stay indoors all day and come into contact with too many people, so you can’t believe everything they say.”
This is a short story about love and choice. Although it is about a butterfly’s search for a mate, it actually teaches us some life lessons.
First, the butterfly was constantly searching for the perfect partner but always gave up because of minor details. Sometimes it was because the other was too young, sometimes because they were too old, and other times it was simply because a flower had wilted, causing it to doubt the entire future. This mindset is actually quite common: people often strive to find the most suitable person but overlook the most important aspects of a relationship—mutual understanding and growth.
Second, the butterfly is too picky when choosing a partner, ultimately missing the best opportunity. This teaches us that relationships shouldn’t be dragged out or approached with greed. Sometimes, the right person is right in front of us, but we fail to cherish them.
Finally, the butterfly ends up pinned in a box, symbolizing a state of “loss of freedom.” Although it says it has “settled down,” it is not truly happy. This also reminds us that marriage or romantic relationships should be free, equal, and mutually respectful, not a form of bondage.
Though simple, the butterfly’s story reflects the mindset of many people when facing love: fear of missing out on something better, constant hesitation, and ultimately losing the opportunity. So, if you’re struggling with love, try letting go of perfectionist thoughts, be brave, and cherish the person in front of you.
After all, love isn’t a math problem with a standard answer. What matters most is that two people are willing to walk together through thick and thin, never leaving each other’s side.
