Are you allergic to differences?
“If you hate difference, you’ll be bored to death.”
Toba Beta‘s Quotes (Author of Master of Stupidity)

Do you consider to accept the differences? This English short story about ladybug and mousedeer remind us to accept the differences. Read the following short fable story.

Ladybug Story: Everyone Must Be Like Me

“I want all painted red. Everything here must be red like me. Everyone must follow my colour,” said a red ladybug, standing on a green blade of grass.

“I’m green! Why should I change myself to follow you,” a grasshopper grumbled.

“I’m your leader. I don’t like difference. My word is a command,” said Lady Bug.

Yellow Butterfly, Black Ant, Grasshopper and other insects spoke each other in a whisper mode.

“If you don’t like my decision, you can go away from here. All must be red here. It is my decision. Lion, the King of the Jungle, has given me authority to lead you in this area,” said Lady Bug.

“Lady, I’m with you,” said Red Centipede.

“Me, too,” said Red Scorpion.

A green chameleon crept closer toward Lady Bug.

“Chameleon, you can adapt your colour to the colour of the place around you. If everything becomes red here, you can do, too. Come and join us!” said Lady Bug.

“I’m sorry Lady Bud. Adaptability is my special skill. It’s my nature and everyone here has their own nature. Even if I can change my colour, I disagree with your decision to force the others. Why don’t we just respect the difference?” said Chameleon.

“Go away!” Lady Bug expelled Chameleon.

Red animals, like red birds and red butterflies, stood near Lady Bug. They agreed with Lady Bug’s decision. The flowers, trees, and the grass could not move anywhere even if they disagreed. The animals, who decided to change their colour, stayed with Lady Bug whereas those, who disagreed with her, left her.

In the morning, Lady Bug and her followers painted everything in her territory red. All animals and plants became red. Lady Bud was flying around the red territory with a satisfied smile.

Since that day, no matter the animals in red territory liked or disliked the situation, they were painted red and lived in the red place.

Three days later, a mouse deer walked across the red territory.

“Where is the green grass? All here is red. Mr. Bull must like it,” said Mouse Deer, walking here and there in confusion.

“Hey, Deer! You step on my body!”

Mouse Deer heard a loud voice under his front left foot.

“Oops!”

Mouse Deer stepped backward and he saw Lady Bug lying on the red grass.

“Are you blind?” shouted Lady Bug.

“I’m sorry. I could not see you. You have the same colour with the red grass. I could not see the difference,” said Mouse Deer.

“Everything must be red here. It’s my new rule,” said Lady Bug, holding akimbo.

“Everything? Should I become red? I’m handsome brown. I don’t want to smear my body with red tomato sausage,” said Mouse Deer.

“If you want to be here, you must paint your body with red colour,” said Lady Bug.

“It’s not natural. My body will be sticky. It’s not cool,” said Mouse Deer.

“Go away! We only accept those who have the same colour!” shouted Lady Bug.

“Cool, my lady! Cool!”

Mouse Deer turned around.

“I should leave this scary place,” said Mouse Deer.

He took a deep breath. Without saying goodbye, he moved three steps forward but then he stopped.

“What are you waiting for? Just go away!” said Lady Bug.

“I have an important question,” said Mouse Deer.

Mouse Deer turned around and he walked toward Lady Bug.

“Lady, where are you?”

“Stop! I’m here!”

Again, Mouse Deer stepped on Lady Bug.

“Hi, you step on my body.”

Mouse Deer heard another voice.

“Who are you? Where are you? I can’t see you. Everything is red here,” said Mouse Deer.

“I’m under your foot.”

“Me, too. I’m centipede.”

Mouse Deer stepped backward. Lady Bug tried to get up but then Mouse Deer stepped on Lady Bug again.

“Where are you Lady Bug?” asked Mouse Deer.

“Deer, don’t toy me! You step on me again!”

“I’m sorry I can’t see you. The grass has the same colour with you. Another animal can step on you if everything is red. We need colourful ecosystem. We need the difference. Now, I cannot see the difference between grass, flower, and you. You don’t want to be my meal, do you?” said Mouse Deer.

“You are right, Deer!” said Centipede.

Mouse Deer stepped backward and released Lady Bug and Centipede.

“Red grass looks yummy,” said Mouse Deer, opening wide his mouth and closing his head toward Lady Bug.

“Deer, I’m here. Don’t eat me!”

“I don’t see you. I just see the grass.”

“Just don’t eat the red grass!” shouted Lady Bug, trembling in fear.

Lady Bug gazed Mouse Deer’s mouth.

“You are right. We need colorful ecosystem. I should respect the difference. I’m aware that I also need the difference. Even if you don’t eat me now, another animal may eat me because they cannot see me,” said Lady Bug.

Lady Bug repented what she did to her friends. Then, she flied to find those who left red territory and ask them for forgiveness. All animals came back. Everything became colorful again and it was the richness of the universe.

Then, she learned to accept and respect the differences.

THE END

This short fable fiction of Ladybug is written by YW Purnomosidhi a.k.a. Mas Wahyu Didik from Indonesia.