Lara the ladybird was a special bug.
Unlike all her friends, she had
bright yellow wings.
Everyone loved her yellow wings.
Each morning, Bibi Butterfly said hello.
And Manto Mantis always waved.
Even Sesa, the sulky spider,
was happy to see her.
At school, she played
with lots of friends.
But Lara wanted to be like the other
ladybirds. “I wish I had red wings
like you, Mama,” she cried.
So one day, to cheer her up, Lara’s
mother painted her wings bright red.
The next morning,
nobody greeted Lara
on her way to school.
And when she got there,
none of her friends said hello.
Lara sat all alone. No one
noticed her new red wings.
Until Miss Miya spotted her and said:
“You’ve painted your lovely yellow wings!”
Lara’s classmates were shocked.
“Your wings are special!”
“So unique!”
“So rare!”
“Lara,” Miss Miya said, “your yellow
wings are what make you you.
Like Sipho’s spot … and Sally’s legs.”
Back home, Lara took a long bath and
scrubbed until her golden wings gleamed.
“I’ll never paint my wings again!”
she thought. Except, maybe once or twice …
To try a bit of purple …
or something nice.
But not for ever and just for fun.
Lara the Yellow Ladybird
