Santiago Rosillo

Once upon a time there was a cactus who lived in the desert. He was dark green in colour and covered with spikes and although he wasn't the most beautiful of the plants in the desert, he was happy.

He often liked to gaze down from his hill into the gardens below; the houses were full of life, with lots of plants which were well looked after and blossoming with flowers.

Sometimes he felt jealous of that world, although he knew that it wasn't the place for him.

One day just like any other, he saw a butterfly heading in his direction. "She's so beautiful!" the cactus thought to himself, "I wonder what garden she will go to". But the butterfly didn't fly on to a garden and instead she hovered around the cactus happily.

"You are strange, aren't you", said the butterfly. "Where are your leaves and your flowers? Why are you all alone?"

"Well I'm a cactus. I don't have leaves I have spikes, we don't normally have flowers and I'm all alone because not many plants like to live in the desert."

"Wow, that's very interesting, I see you're quite different and special. Can I stay a while with you?"

Surprised by this question, the cactus agreed as he rarely had any company and never as beautiful as the butterfly.

From that moment on, the butterfly often hovered happily around the cactus, this strange, spiky, flowerless plant that continued to surprise her.

One day she decided to land on the cactus and she could then spend all the days and nights she wanted with her ever so strange friend. The cactus felt happy that this small multicolored thing had chosen him to be her friend, he wasn't jealous of the gardens anymore; he didn't even look at them.

The desert and his butterfly were all he needed. Life was looking up.

One day like many others, the butterfly went for a wander with some of the other butterflies,

who took her to a garden and asked her where she had been all this time and where was this strange plant that made her so happy. She felt embarrassed and didn't reply; looking out at the garden she realised that this was a normal life and the right place for her.

The next day she returned to the cactus, who was delighted to see her although she wasn't so happy.

"You appreciate me, don't you?" She asked him.

"Of course! You are the most beautiful thing in the desert!"

"Where are your flowers?" She asked.

"Sorry?"

"I don't know. I've never had any."

"You said you could grow flowers, where are they?"

"Why is there no water here? If you had flowers they would water you! I'm drying out here in the desert with you and I always have to be careful because you sting me!"

"I'm a cactus, I don't know any life but this one. Water comes when it rains but it doesn't rain very often. I told you before that I don't need much."

"Well I've had enough". The butterfly spread her wings and flew away.

"Wait! Don't leave me all alone again!", pleaded the cactus.

The butterfly went as far away as she could; to a beautiful garden full of life. Other butterflies flew happily around the plants and she wasn't used to the softness of the leaves; it had been a long time since she could land without having to look.

What she didn't see, however, was a hungry lizard lurking in the bushes.

The other butterflies flew away but she was so used to the protection of the cactus that she didn't know what to do and clung on to the plant. The lizard pounced and ate her.