The Three Butterfly Brothers

There were once three little butterfly brothers, one white, one
red, and one yellow. They played in the sunshine, and danced
among the flowers in the garden, and they never grew tired
because they were so happy.

One day there came a heavy rain, and it wet their wings.
They flew away home, but when they got there they found the door
locked and the key gone. So they had to stay out of doors in
the rain, and they grew wetter and wetter.

By and by they flew to the red and yellow striped tulip, and
said: "Friend Tulip, will you open your flower-cup and let us in
till the storm is over?"

The tulip answered: "The red and yellow butterflies may enter,
because they are like me, but the white one may not come in."

But the red and yellow butterflies said: "If our white brother
may not find shelter in your flower-cup, why, then, we'll stay
outside in the rain with him."

It rained harder and harder, and the poor little butterflies
grew wetter and wetter, so they flew to the white lily and said:
"Good Lily, will you open your bud a little so we may creep in
out of the rain?"

The lily answered: "The white butterfly may come in, because he
is like me, but the red and yellow ones must stay outside in the
storm."

Then the little white butterfly said: "If you won't receive my
red and yellow brothers, why, then, I'll stay out in the rain
with them. We would rather be wet than be parted."

So the three little butterflies flew away.

But the sun, who was behind a cloud, heard it all, and he knew
what good little brothers the butterflies were, and how they had
held together in spite of the wet. So he pushed his face
through the clouds, and chased away the rain, and shone brightly
on the garden.

He dried the wings of the three little butterflies, and warmed
their bodies. They ceased to sorrow, and danced among the
flowers till evening, then they flew away home, and found the
door wide open.

~A German Folk Tale~