VOM ERSTEN SCHMETTERLING
Es waren einmal zwei Waisen. Sie waren Bruder und Schwester. Esther war die Jüngere, Amparo war der Ältere der beiden. Als ihre Eltern starben, leben sie davon, dass sie Gemüse und Blumen züchteten und alles verkauften.
Der Bruder und die Schwester hatten ein grundverschiedenes Wesen. Amparo war ein wahrer Faulpelz. Er wollte nichts tun. Er spielte nur in der Nähe des Flusses. Er hielt es aus, stundenlang sein Spiegelbild im klaren Wasser zu betrachten oder zu verfolgen, wie die Vögel fliegen. Es kam ihm nicht einmal in den Sinn, der Schwester bei der Arbeit im Garten zu helfen und seinen Lebensunterhalt zu verdienen. Aber beim Essen warf er Esther jedesmal vor, dss ihre Kost bescheiden und abwechslungslos war.
"Warum kaufst Du jeden Tag diese kleinen Fische?" fuhr er ärgerlich seine Schwester an. "Wer soll dauernd diesen Fraß essen?"
"Paro", antwortete Esther, "hab Geduld, morgen will ich viel Gemüse und Blumen pflücken. Ich will sie verkaufen und Schweinefleisch kaufen."
"Das soll ich dir glauben? Jeden Tag versprichst Du das und ständig kochst Du ein und dasselbe."
Esther kränkte es, dass ihr Bruder gegen sie so ungerecht war.
"Statt Vorwürfe zu machen, solltest Du mir lieber helfen", sagte sie. "Man muss den Garten besser gießen, sonst verwelken unsere Blumen."
"Was? Du willst aus mir einen Diener machen?" rief Amparo.
"Es schickt sich nicht, dass wir einander vorhalten, wer für für wen arbeitet", erwiderte das Mädchen. "Wir sind allein und haben niemanden, den wir um Hilfe bitten könnten. Worauf sonst können wir uns verlassen als auf unsere kleine Wirtschaft, die uns unsere Eltern hinterlassen haben?"
"Du sollst mich nicht belehren", Amparo war ihr einen zornigen Blick zu.
"Ich bin es statt, bei Dir zu sein, bleib allein hier und iss deine widerlichen Fische."
Während er das sprach, lief er auf den Hof. Er brach im Garten eine duftende Rose und lenkte seine Schritte zum Fluss, wo er gewöhnlich seine Zeit verbrachte. Esther blieb allein zurück und brach in bittere Tränen aus.Es tat ihr weh, dass der Bruder gegen sie so ungerecht war.
Am Fluss vergaß Amparo die ganze Welt. Er betrachtete sein Spiegelbild; er konnte sich nicht satt sehen. Er streckte sich eine Rose ins Haar und neigte sich wieder übers Wasser. Da rutschte er aus und fiel vom Ufer hinab in den Strom. In dem Augenblick kam Esther, um nachzuschauen, was ihr Bruder machte. Sie sah, wie Amparo ins Wasser fiel und rief aus "Paro! Paro!" und lief an jene Stelle. Amparo aber war nicht mehr zu sehen. Esther rief die Nachbarn zu Hilfe. Die Leute liefen herbei und durchsuchten den ganzen Fluss, doch von Amparo keine Spur! Nur eine Blüte tauchte plötzlich aus dem Wasser empor, dieselbe Blüte, die in Amparo's Haar gesteckt hatte. Die Blume flog über das Wasser, sie hatte Flügel und schillerte in vielen Farben.
Die Leute blickten sie mit Befremden an , und Esther lief ihr nach.
Die geflügelte Blume flog in Esther's Garten und flog dort von Blume zu Blume.
Und die Menschen sagten, das sei Amparo. Er habe sich in einen Schmetterling verwandelt.
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FROM THE FIRST BUTTERFLY
Once upon a time there were two orphans. They were brother and sister. Esther was the younger, Amparo was the older of the two. When their parents died, they made a living by growing vegetables and flowers and selling everything.
The brother and sister had fundamentally different personalities. Amparo was a real slacker. He didn't want to do anything. He only played near the river. He could endure hours of looking at his reflection in the clear water or watching the birds fly. It didn't even occur to him to help his sister work in the garden and earn a living. But when he ate, he always accused Esther of her diet being modest and varied.
"Why do you buy these little fish every day?" he snapped angrily at his sister. "Who's going to eat this food all the time?"
"Paro," Esther replied, "be patient, tomorrow I want to pick a lot of vegetables and flowers. I want to sell them and buy pork."
"I'm supposed to believe you? You promise that every day and you always cook the same thing."
Esther was offended that her brother was so unfair to her.
"Instead of blaming me, you should help me," she said. "We have to water the garden better, otherwise our flowers will wither."
"What? You want to make me a servant?" cried Amparo.
"It's not appropriate for us to accuse each other of who works for whom," the girl replied. "We are alone and have no one to turn to for help. What else can we rely on but our small economy that our parents left us?"
"You shouldn't lecture me," Amparo gave her an angry look.
"It's me. Instead of being with you, stay here alone and eat your disgusting fish."
While he was saying this, he ran into the yard. He broke a fragrant rose in the garden and directed his steps towards the river, where he usually spent his time. Esther was left alone and burst into bitter tears. It hurt her that her brother was so unjust towards her.
"Instead of blaming me, you should help me," she said. "We have to water the garden better, otherwise our flowers will wither."
"What? You want to make me a servant?" cried Amparo.
"It's not appropriate for us to accuse each other of who works for whom," the girl replied. "We are alone and have no one to turn to for help. What else can we rely on but our small economy that our parents left us?"
"You shouldn't lecture me," Amparo gave her an angry look.
"It's me. Instead of being with you, stay here alone and eat your disgusting fish."
While he was saying this, he ran into the yard. He broke a fragrant rose in the garden and directed his steps towards the river, where he usually spent his time. Esther was left alone and burst into bitter tears. It hurt her that her brother was so unjust towards her.
At the river, Amparo forgot the whole world. He looked at his reflection; he couldn't get enough of it. He put a rose in his hair and leaned over the water again. Then he slipped and fell from the bank into the stream. At that moment Esther came to see what her brother was doing. She saw Amparo fall into the water and called out "Paro! Paro!" and ran to that place. But Amparo was no longer to be seen. Esther called the neighbors for help. People ran over and searched the whole river, but there was no sign of Amparo! Only one flower suddenly emerged from the water, the same flower that had been in Amparo's hair. The flower flew over the water, it had wings and shimmered in many colors.
The people looked at her with surprise, and Esther ran after her.
The winged flower flew into Esther's garden and flew from flower to flower.
And people said that was Amparo. He turned into a butterfly.
