The Cat's Diary

"Dear daughter, sit down, please," said the mother to her twelve-year-old daughter, who was getting ready to go to bed in her little cot. "It’s been such a long time since I told you any fairy tales."

"Oh! Let’s!" the girl answered with a smile, her cheeks rosy, and she adjusted the blanket on herself.

"So then, dear, listen!"

“Once upon a time there lived a little pink dragonfly. Her life was lonely and withdrawn. She had no relatives, nor close friends, only distant neighbors with whom she would exchange greetings during rare chance encounters. The dragonfly loved to content herself with her beloved meadow and the blooming roses around her little house in the stump. She hopped from flower to flower, just like any ordinary dragonfly. And then one day the dragonfly met a praying mantis. The mantis was very beautiful, bright green, and had a host of friends who absolutely adored him. The mantis was captivated by her hurried movements, her bright pink color, and her enormous eyes that gazed lovingly at the flowers. He fell in love with the dragonfly in an instant. She seemed to him the most special girl on earth. He tirelessly hopped after her everywhere, recited poetry to her about her innocence, and every morning he gave her flowers."

"The dragonfly, of course, could not resist his attention. She also fell in love with him in return. They enjoyed each other both day and night. They would walk under the moon, give each other flowers, bathe together in the river—everything just as it should be between lovers."

"The mantis and the dragonfly got married. They were both overjoyed at this happy moment, until the mantis asked the dragonfly: "My love," he said, "I’m so happy that you’re with me, but I’m so afraid that you’ll fly away from me. So let’s cut off two of your wings. You have four of them anyway. Two will be left so that you can hop to the shops and visit the neighbors."

"The thought displeased her, but she loved her husband and would do anything for him. So she agreed. Cutting the wings didn’t hurt at all. The dragonfly didn’t feel a thing. She was surprised that living without wings was also interesting. Now she would walk on the ground and search for water and food down below among the grass, leaves, and little stones. For her, this was a whole new world. Though it was damper and cooler, it was interesting, and she gradually grew accustomed to it."

"This is how she made new friends — friendly neighbors, if we don’t count the mean old flea that lived on top of her. Trading pies with the ladybugs, borrowing a cup of sugar when she ran out, and chatting on the sidewalk with passing ants became ordinary everyday events for the dragonfly."

"One day during a walk, she suddenly raised her head and saw butterflies. They were flying from flower to flower and laughing loudly."

"You’re so beautiful!" she called out to them."

"The butterflies looked down at her from above and, noticing she had only two wings, answered haughtily, "Yeah, but you’re not! Ugly as a plucked chicken!" The butterflies laughed again and flew off to the sky."

"The dragonfly just shrugged her shoulders and continued searching for food."

"Years went by. The mantis and the dragonfly had children. They rejoiced at their cute little mutant babies every single day. But the dragonfly felt as though something was missing. As the children grew up and learned to fly far away, the dragonfly began to feel lonely. She started taking frequent walks through the local streets and meadows, remembering how she used to fly before she was married. The difference in her walks was that now she made them on tiny legs, down on the ground with her head tilted up to the sky. She carefully watched the industrious little bees, who performed their work in a playful manner, collecting flower pollen. The same haughty butterflies, who enjoyed the sun and soaring high above. Many others flew past that small scrap of sky visible to the dragonfly. They all rejoiced, sang, and savored the vast spaces above. When she returned home from her walks, the dragonfly would quietly cry. But when she stepped inside to her husband, she would wipe away her tears and enter with a smile. And this would repeat every single day. She missed her wings. Every day she dreamed of flying high, high up into the very center of the blue sky, and then she would wake up and see reality. The dragonfly understood perfectly well that she would never get her wings back, and she desperately tried to suppress the thought of flying in her small head."

"One day during her regular walk, a large shadow suddenly fell over the dragonfly. All the happy and joyful insects instantly vanished or flew away. It was a bird. She saw the dragonfly and looked down at her with eyes wide open. The bird bent down, and the dragonfly cried out in fear. The bird stopped."

"Little bird, I beg you — don’t swallow me right away. Fly up to the sky first, and then swallow me up there," the dragonfly pleaded."

"The little bird looked at the dragonfly with curiosity and carefully grabbed her in its beak. They flew up into the sky, high, higher still — just as the dragonfly had always dreamed. She saw all the flowers of the world in all their splendor. For the first time in many years, she admired her beloved meadow from above. She was now flying high above the butterflies, who now looked at her without any arrogance. The dragonfly was happy. The wind rushed into her face. It was pure bliss."

"Then the bird reached its nest and dropped the dragonfly to its hungry chicks. They tore her apart. But she felt nothing — she was still lost in the ecstasy of her dream flight."

"The End," the mother said quietly.

The girl remained silent for a moment and then said: "What a strange fairy tale. Why did she agree to cut off her wings? That dragonfly was stupid!"

"Don’t say that!" responded the mother. "She fell in love."

"Mom, why are you telling me all this right now? I have no plans to sacrifice myself for boys," the daughter grumbled.

The mother took a deep breath and said: "Darling, your father and I are getting a divorce."