The Butterfly and the Spider.

Once there was a carefree butterfly.

He flew through the forest everyday, always smiling and happy.

But one day, when he wasn't paying any mind, he flew into a spider's web.

The spider was not pleased by this and set him free.

"Why did you set me free and not eat me?" The butterfly asked.

The spider looked at him to respond. "Because you are happy. And happy things like you still have a chance in this world."

The butterfly was confused but didn't question the spider and flew off.

The next day he can across the web again and watched the spider.

The spider caught many things in his web that day, but none went free like he did.

The butterfly wondered about what the spider had said for weeks and decided to pay him a visit.

"Spider, oh spider." He called. "What you said to me the day you set me free from your web, what did you mean?"

The spider looked at him but quickly looked away. "Don't worry about what I said. Happy things like you should not worry."

But the butterfly pleaded for him to explain. The spider gave in and took him around the forest.

"See those ladybugs in that flower, do they look happy?"

"Yes." Answered the butterfly with a smile.

"Do they?" Questioned the spider. "Look closer."

As the butterfly looked closer he could she the ladybugs had dull eyes.

"Oh..." He said after a minute. "I suppose they really don't look happy."

The spider nodded and showed him more of the animals and insects around him. He opened up a world the butterfly had never seen before.

After they were done, the butterfly sat with the spider in his web.

"Spider, why does everyone look so unhappy?"

The spider slowly shook his head. "Because the world is unhappy. But you aren't."

"Right, I am happy."

After that the butterfly left the spider. But now he wasn't sure if he was really happy. Was he just sad like everybody else but just didn't know it? The butterfly flew around the world, pondering this. The more he pondered, the less happy he was.

One day he found himself stuck in the spider's web again. When the spider came to free him, he was saddened to see that the butterfly no longer looked happy.

"Dear butterfly, why do you look so unhappy?"

"Because, the world isn't happy, so how could I be?"

"Oh dear..." The spider sighed deeply. "Little butterfly, you shouldn't let the world get you down. You were happy before."

"But now I know what the world is! You opened my eyes to all the darkness!"

The spider frowned and shook his head. He picked up the butterfly and held him close. "Dear butterfly, the world is indeed a dark place, it's full of awful things. But, there are many good things."

"Like what?" The butterfly scoffed.

"Like you. You and all others that are happy and kind. Friends and love and everything can be good, little butterfly. You just have to focus on that."

The butterfly looked down and thought for some time. He was happy before, so why shouldn't he be happy now? Even if the world and things went wrong, there was still good in the world. He looked up at the spider and hugged him, gently nuzzling his cheek.

"You're right, spider. I should be happy like I once was."

The spider smiled with a nod.

"And I want to make sure you are happy too." The butterfly smiled softly and kissed the spider's head.

The spider smiled more. "I would like that, butterfly."

So from then on the butterfly stayed with the spider. Whenever another creature got stuck in the spider's web, they made sure it was happy before setting it free. They were happy together everyday from then on.