You Can Have Mine

When Hazel was born, the universe gave her a rainbow coat.

Most caterpillars wriggled into the world in shades of beige, green or black. Some were white or had one or two colours. But Hazel was every colour of the rainbow.

Because she was different, the other caterpillars stayed away. Perhaps they were jealous of her, or a little in awe. Either way, this meant Hazel was lonely. She would have given anything to have friends.

She wriggled the world alone until one day she crossed paths with a toad. The toad was crying softly on a lily pad when Hazel asked him what was wrong.

‘Oh, hello,’ said the toad. ‘I’m just sad because I’m so ugly and disgusting.’’

Hazel felt confused. She thought the toad was beautiful.

‘Well that’s silly,’said Hazel. ‘I don’t think you’re ugly at all.’

The toad blinked. ‘Oh, but I am,’ he said. ‘All my cousins are green and shiny like emeralds, but I’m grey and dull like a piece of coal. I’d give anything to be green.’

Hazel wriggled closer to the toad and said, ‘Don’t be sad. You can have mine.’ And she gave the toad all her green. The toad was so gleeful and grateful! He leapt high in the air, called out ‘Thank you caterpillar!’ and landed in the pond with an almighty SPLASH.

Hazel was happy she’d been able to help the toad. She wriggled the world alone once more until she crossed paths with a cockroach. The cockroach was staring forlornly at the ground, rubbing its legs together, when Hazel asked him what was wrong.

‘Oh, hi,’ said the cockroach. ‘I’m just feeling low because I’m so plain and ordinary.’

Hazel felt confused. She thought the cockroach looked really interesting.

‘Well that’s silly,’ said Hazel. ‘I don’t think you’re plain at all.’

The cockroach looked up. ‘Oh but I am,’ he said. ‘All my cousins are bright shiny beetles who glisten in the sun, but I’m just brown. I’d give anything to be red.’

Hazel wriggled closer to the cockroach and said, ‘Don’t be sad. You can have mine.’ And she gave the cockroach all her red. The cockroach was so thrilled and thankful! He cried, ‘Thank you, caterpillar!’ as he scuttled away.

Hazel was happy she’d been able to help the cockroach. She wriggled the world alone once more until she crossed paths with a crow. The crow was covering her eyes with her wings and singing a sad little song, when Hazel asked her what was wrong.

‘Oh no,’ said the crow. ‘I didn’t want anyone to see me because I’m so dull and drab.’

Hazel felt confused. She thought the crow looked sleek and elegant.

‘Well that’s silly,’ said Hazel. ‘I don’t think you’re dull at all.’

The crow uncovered her face. ‘Oh but I am,’ she said. ‘All my cousins are covered in fluorescent feathers that look like the sunset, but I’m invisible. I’d give anything to be covered in colours.’

Hazel wriggled closer to the crow and said, ‘Don’t be sad. You can have mine.’ And she gave the crow all the colours she had left. The crow was so excited and ecstatic! She swooped up into the air, singing ‘Thank you, caterpillar!’ as she flew away on the wind.

Hazel was happy she’d been able to help the crow, but with all her colours gone, she felt so cold and exposed. She wriggled onto a low hanging branch and started to cry. The toad, who had hopped back to find her, felt the plop plop plop of her tears on his head. The cockroach, who had scurried back to find her, saw her clinging sadly to her branch.

The crow, who had flown back to find her, could feel Hazel shivering as she landed next to her. Before they could even ask her what was wrong, Hazel curled and swirled suddenly, wrapping herself in a thick silken blanket of snowy white, where she stayed in silence and stillness.

‘It’s my fault,’ said the toad. ‘She gave all her green to me.’

‘No, I think it’s my fault,’ said the cockroach. ‘She gave all her red to me.’

‘No. It’s my fault,’ said the crow.’ She gave all her colours to me, and now she has no colour at all.’

One by one they took their colours and laid them over Hazel like a patchwork quilt. Then they waited and hoped she would wake up.

While she slept, the universe gave Hazel a brand- new coat. When she emerged from under her blankets, her caterpillar-self had disappeared and in its place was the most magnificent butterfly her new friends had ever seen. Hazel’s wings were every colour of the rainbow and she was more beautiful than before. She thanked her friends for staying with her. She felt sure she would never be lonely again.

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Worksheet: Punctuating quoted speech