"Let me hire you as a nurse for my poor children," said a Butterfly
to a quiet Caterpillar, who was strolling along a cabbage-leaf in
her odd lumbering way. "See these little eggs," continued the
Butterfly; "I don't know how long it will be before they come to
life, and I feel very sick and poorly, and if I should die, who
will take care of my baby Butterflies when I am gone? Will
_you_, kind, mild, green Caterpillar? But you must mind what
you give them to eat, Caterpillar!--they cannot, of course, live on
_your_ rough food. You must give them early dew, and honey
from the flowers, and you must let them fly about only a little way
at first; for, of course, one can't expect them to use their wings
properly all at once. Dear me! it is a sad pity you cannot fly
yourself. But I have no time to look for another nurse now, so you
will do your best, I hope. Dear! dear! I cannot think what made me
come and lay my eggs on a cabbage-leaf! What a place for young
Butterflies to be born upon! Still you will be kind, will you not,
to the poor little ones? Here, take this gold-dust from my wings as
a reward. Oh, how dizzy I am! Caterpillar! you will remember about
the food--"

And with these words the Butterfly drooped her wings and died; and
the green Caterpillar, who had not had the opportunity of even
saying Yes or No to the request, was left standing alone by the
side of the Butterfly's eggs.

"A pretty nurse she has chosen, indeed, poor lady!" exclaimed she,
"and a pretty business I have in hand! Why, her senses must have
left her or she never would have asked a poor crawling creature
like me to bring up her dainty little ones! Much they'll mind me,