The Caterpillar and the Ant

 In the middle of a park in the center of a city there is a bench. But it is what is under the bench that is important to our story. For there was both a caterpillar at one end and an ant at the other, and at the moment that we find them, they are staring at each other quite intently and with grave caution.

    And so we meet the ant, who is thinking to himself: 'If only I could pass without that enormous creature gobbling me up...' and other thoughts in a similar vein. And the caterpillar, who is thinking to herself: 'If only I could pass without that pinching-looking creature nipping me in the behind...' and other thoughts in a similar vein.

    Thus the day went on and on and on, until it turned into night, and a moth began to flutter about the bench. In fact, it was this very moth that changed the future for the ant and for the caterpillar. It did so by flying under the bench from one end to the other, brushing against the caterpillar and hovering just above the ant. When the ant saw how close the moth flew to the caterpillar, and that the caterpillar did not eat the moth, the ant cocked his head. And when the caterpillar saw that the ant did not even so much as raise his pinching mouth toward the moth, the caterpillar let out the breath she had been holding in all day.

    Tentatively at first, but then with confident steps, the caterpillar and the ant made their way toward each other, drawing closer and closer. And when they met in the middle of the bench, they laughed as they saw the looks on each others face.

    For they realized in that moment that they had both been afraid needlessly.

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