Once upon a time, in a lush green garden, there lived a little monarch caterpillar named Princess Dana. She resided in a cozy tree trunk palace, surrounded by vibrant flowers and buzzing bees. Princess Dana loved to play with her friends, exploring every nook and cranny of the garden. However, there's two things that she dislikes the most: studying (or reading) and eating milkweed.

"Yuck!" Princess Dana would exclaim, scrunching up her face in distaste. "Why do I have to eat this bitter stuff? Why can't I eat nectar and other leaves like the other insects?"

Her mother, the wise Monarch Queen, would patiently explain, "Milkweed is special food for monarch caterpillars. It helps us grow strong and healthy."

But Princess Dana was stubborn. She yearned to try other foods, like the sweet nectar from the colorful flowers. One day, while her mother was busy, Princess Dana snuck away and tasted the nectar.

At first, it was delicious, but soon Princess Dana felt weak and sick. She vomited and felt terrible.

Her mother found her, worried and scolding, "Princess Dana, why did you eat something that's not good for you? You need milkweed to grow strong. Milkweed can also keep you from harm."

Princess Dana explained that she wanted to be strong, but her mother was still upset. Though she was upset, she still thought of a way to convince Princess Dana without scaring her.

Days passed, and Princess Dana felt sad and regretful, still feeling weak. One day, her friend Pippus, a jolly chubby caterpillar, came to visit.

"Hey, Princess Dana! I heard you've been feeling sick. What happened, and how are you feeling now?" Pippus asked, concern etched on his round face.

Princess Dana explained what happened, and Pippus listened carefully. Then, he said, "I have a story to tell you, Princess Dana. It's about our ancestors, the monarch butterflies."

Pippus began to tell the legendary story of the monarch butterflies' incredible migration. "Every year, our ancestors fly 2,880 miles, crossing rivers, mountains, and deserts."

Princess Dana's eyes widened in awe. "Wow, that's amazing!"

Pippus continued, "And you know what? Our great-grandparents' names are in this book!" He showed Princess Dana an old, worn book.

Together, they read the book and found the names of their ancestors who had completed the incredible journey. Princess Dana admired the strength of their ancestors, who fought enemies and transformed their wings into bright orange, black, yellow, and white, scaring away predators.

Princess Dana felt a surge of pride and inspiration. She realized that she needed to eat milkweed to prepare for her own future migration and adventure.

From that day on, Princess Dana developed a love for studying, reading, and eating milkweed. She happily munched on the leaves, knowing they would help her grow wiser, strong, and healthy for the incredible journey ahead.

Monarch Queen was overjoyed that Princess Dana didn't get sick anymore. Pippus and Princess Dana usually sat together, munching on milkweed leaves, talking about their dreams, and feeling grateful for their friendship.

Thank you for reading.

Story name inspiration

Monarc butterfly scientific name;

Danaus plexippus Linnaeus