One summer, a boy called Toby came to visit his grandmother in the village. Every morning he ate hot pancakes with cold sour cream, juicy apples grew in the garden, and nearby in the little wood flowed a babbling brook, which was lovely for swimming.
Toby really enjoyed staying at his grandmother's. Only one thing upset him — there were no other children in the village to play with.
And so one day the boy went to catch butterflies. He ran along the brook with his net, catching white cabbage butterflies and yellow brimstones, but he released them straight away because they weren't bright or interesting enough. He was about to head home when suddenly he spotted a remarkable butterfly. It was dark ginger, almost red, and on its wings were large dark circles, just like on a peacock's tail.
The boy crept up quietly and threw his net over it. The butterfly tried to fly up, but the net stopped it. The little creature struggled with all its might in the net, but couldn't tear it. And then it spoke in a human voice:
Please let me go! And I'll grant you any wish you like.
Toby thought for a moment, scratched his head, shrugged his shoulders and said:
Well, I want lots of things, but I don't know how to choose. If I wish for ice cream now, I'll eat it and there'll be nothing left. And the wish will be over. What if I remember something I need later?
All right. I'll give you one wish, but you can change it until the sun touches the horizon. As soon as the sun begins to set, you'll be left with whatever you've chosen.
The butterfly replied.
Toby was delighted and agreed. And he wished for roller skates. He looked at his feet, and there were the skates! Bright, orange with black wheels, beautiful. The butterfly hadn't deceived him. The boy wanted to thank her, looked in the net, but she had already flown away. He shouted louder then: "Thank you very much!" and rolled off along the path beside the brook.
But the path was bumpy, and the boy kept stumbling. Toby realised it was awkward to skate on the ground. And he decided it would be better to go fishing. Pop! — a sandalwood fishing rod appeared in his hands. And the skates disappeared. Our hero went to the little river, sat on the bank and began to fish.
He fished and fished. And he caught one! A beautiful crucian carp. He took it off the hook and realised he had nowhere to put it. Toby thought that he should have brought a bucket with him — pop! — and immediately a ginger bucket with black spots appeared beside him, even filled with water. He put the crucian carp in it, wanted to take the rod, but it was gone.
Of course! It turned into the bucket! Well, that's it, no more fishing...
Toby slapped his forehead.
He took the bucket and walked along the brook towards home. The sun was beginning to sink towards sunset, it was time to return to his grandmother's.
The boy walked along thinking what an interesting day it had been. But it was such a shame there was no friend nearby to tell it all to. And then he realised what his most important wish was! He released the carp into the brook, put the bucket on the path and said loudly:
I want a friend!
And the bucket turned into a girl. With dark ginger hair and large dark eyes. The girl laughed and said:
Well done, you've chosen the most important wish in the world! I'll be your friend whilst you're staying in the village.
What's your name?
My name is Peacock Butterfly. You caught me this morning, and it was me who turned into the skates, the rod and the bucket. I was curious what you'd wish for. And I wasn't wrong about you, you're a good person, since friendship is the most important thing to you.
The girl laughed.
I'm called Toby. Let's go and have some apple pies, Grandmother always bakes them for supper.
The boy introduced himself.
And the children went for supper. That's how our hero learnt that a true friend is more important than any toys or possessions. And what would you wish for, little one?
