humorous animal fable

by Bill Tiepelman

The Enchanted Owlfly

In the forgotten corner of a forest where the mushrooms grew weird, the animals cursed freely, and the trees groaned about their root pain, there lived a strange little creature known as the Owlfly. To be fair, he looked like a regular owl—well, except for the fact that he had enormous butterfly wings instead of the usual feathery ears. And as anyone who met him would say, he was a bit… eccentric. The Owlfly, or Ollie as he preferred to be called, was famous (or infamous, depending on who you asked) for two things: his enormous, ridiculously adorable eyes and his mouth, which was anything but adorable. In fact, it was downright foul. Ollie could curse like a sailor, and he knew it. This wasn’t just a creature of whimsy; this was a tiny menace with wings, big eyes, and an arsenal of insults sharp enough to fell a tree. One fine (or mediocre, as Ollie would say) morning, he perched himself on his favorite branch, fluffing up his delicate butterfly-winged ears. "Bloody hell," he muttered as he glanced around, squinting in disgust at the nearby forest critters who were doing their usual nonsense. Squirrels, as far as he was concerned, were nature’s most annoying little bastards. Ollie and the Squirrelly Scuffle Sure enough, a squirrel came bouncing up the tree, chittering at him as if it owned the place. Ollie fixed it with a glare, his big eyes narrowing. "Oh, for crying out loud, can’t you fluff-tailed nut-chompers find another tree to infest? This branch is reserved for the enchantingly foul-mouthed, which I believe is just me." The squirrel, oblivious to Ollie’s surly attitude, skittered closer, clutching an acorn like it was a precious gem. "Bugger off!" Ollie squawked, his wings flaring out in a colorful display. "Do I look like I give two hoots about your precious acorn collection? Go bury that thing somewhere else before I use it as target practice." The squirrel blinked at him, apparently unfazed, then gave an almost mocking twitch of its tail before scampering off, leaving Ollie muttering curses under his breath. "Blasted rodents… they think they own the bloody forest. They don’t pay rent; they don’t even have the courtesy to bring snacks." As Ollie grumbled to himself, a curious blue butterfly landed beside him, blinking its large eyes at him. "Ah, great. Just what I need—a winged insect with no sense of personal space," Ollie mumbled, but the butterfly just fluttered its wings and stared at him. The Bewildering Butterfly The butterfly seemed to be trying to tell him something, but all Ollie could see were its antennae waggling like it was auditioning for a disco show. "Look, pal, I don’t speak butterfly," Ollie said, flicking his own winged ears dismissively. "So unless you’ve got something to say in plain Forest Common, I suggest you flutter along." But the butterfly didn’t move. It kept flapping its delicate wings, doing a sort of odd dance. Ollie squinted, tilting his head. "Oh, for the love of moss and mushrooms—fine, let’s get this over with. What are you on about, bug?" Finally, the butterfly leaned in, as if about to reveal the secrets of the universe, then whispered, "You have a leaf stuck to your butt." Ollie froze, his massive eyes widening. "Excuse me?" He twisted around and, to his horror, realized the butterfly was right—a rogue leaf was clinging to his fluffy posterior, a most undignified accessory. "Oh, you cheeky little winged tattletale!" he hissed, yanking the leaf off and flicking it away. The butterfly snickered, fluttering back. "Careful there, Ollie. Your bark is bigger than your bite." “Says the insect who gets eaten by birds for a living,” Ollie snapped back. “Keep flapping, you blue nuisance, before I forget I’m supposed to be enchanted and start a little butterfly buffet!” A Meeting with the Forest Fairy Just as Ollie settled back down, a flash of light appeared in the nearby bush. “Oh, what now?” he grumbled, rolling his eyes. Out from the foliage came a tiny forest fairy, her wings glittering like broken glass. She looked entirely too cheerful for Ollie’s taste. “Good morning, Ollie!” she chimed, smiling wide. “Good is a relative term,” Ollie replied, his tone as dry as dead leaves. “What are you here for? Let me guess—another one of your forest ‘blessings’? Last time you tried that, I was sneezing glitter for a week.” The fairy chuckled. “Oh, come on! I just wanted to remind you of your purpose. You are the Enchanted Owlfly, after all!” Ollie snorted. “Yeah, yeah. Guardian of the forest, voice of wisdom, yadda yadda. Look, Glimmer, I’m just here to keep idiots like that squirrel from getting too cozy. And maybe to scare off a few humans if they wander too close. I’m not some holy-winged guru here to sing the praises of trees.” “But Ollie,” she cooed, undeterred, “You have the heart of a true guardian!” “Glimmer, I’d sell that ‘true guardian’ heart for a decent nap and a day free of leaf-clingers, squirrels, and chatty fairies,” he replied, flapping his butterfly wings with annoyance. The Owlfly's Wisdom (or Lack Thereof) The fairy sighed, putting her hands on her hips. “Ollie, maybe try being nicer. You might even enjoy yourself for once.” Ollie rolled his eyes so hard they nearly spun out of his head. “Listen, sparkle-wings, if I wanted to enjoy myself, I’d take a nap somewhere quiet—maybe under a rock where the squirrels can’t find me.” But Glimmer just shook her head, clearly unfazed. “You’ll see, Ollie. Someday, you’ll embrace your purpose.” She gave him a final, twinkling smile and fluttered off, leaving him grumbling to himself. “Embrace my purpose, she says. My purpose is to keep this forest from descending into absolute chaos, and that’s a full-time job as it is,” he muttered, puffing himself up in annoyance. A Heart of (Reluctant) Gold Despite his crass exterior and foul-mouthed rants, Ollie did care, just a little, for his odd little patch of forest. Sure, he’d insult the squirrels, curse at the butterflies, and ignore the fairies, but if a predator dared threaten his quirky woodland neighbors, he’d be the first to swoop down with his mighty wings (and even mightier insults) to chase them off. As he settled down for a nap, grumbling about the usual nonsense, he muttered, “Bloody enchanted forest… can’t even get a moment’s peace.” But just before he closed his eyes, he heard a soft chitter from above. Looking up, he saw that pesky squirrel again, holding a tiny pile of acorns next to his branch. “Oh, for… You again?” Ollie groaned. The squirrel pushed the acorns closer, a tentative peace offering. Ollie huffed but grabbed one with a flick of his claw. “Fine, fine. But don’t think this makes us friends, you fuzzy little nut-hoarder.” As he nibbled on the acorn, he sighed. “Maybe this forest isn’t so bad after all.” With that, the enchanted, grumpy, and ever-foul-mouthed Owlfly drifted off to sleep, his butterfly wings fluttering softly in the breeze, his heart reluctantly full.     Bring "The Enchanted Owlfly" into Your Home Add a touch of whimsy, charm, and a bit of crass humor to your space with products featuring "The Enchanted Owlfly." Perfect for those who appreciate nature with a side of sass, these items are designed to bring a smile to your face (or a snarky grin, like Ollie’s). Tapestry - Transform any room with the vibrant colors and whimsical design of the Enchanted Owlfly, a piece that’s sure to spark conversation. Throw Pillow - Cozy up with Ollie! This throw pillow will add a fun, magical touch to your couch or reading nook. Puzzle - Dive into the details of this enchanting artwork with a puzzle that's as fun as Ollie is foul-mouthed. Perfect for a quiet, cozy night in! Tote Bag - Take the Owlfly with you wherever you go! This stylish tote is perfect for carrying your essentials (and maybe a few snacks for the squirrels). Explore the full collection on our shop to bring a little bit of the enchanted forest into your life.

by Bill Tiepelman

The Guardian of Blossoms and Butterflies

Once upon a time in a meadow far from anywhere you’d find on a map, there lived an unusual creature who was known simply as “The Guardian.” She had the body of a snow leopard cub, but her ears had sprouted a pair of colorful butterfly wings—brilliant, fluttering things that added a whole new layer of flair to her already adorable appearance. A Peculiar Job with Peculiar Responsibilities Now, you might wonder how a leopard cub with butterfly wings on her head wound up as the "Guardian of Blossoms and Butterflies." Well, the truth is, it wasn’t exactly a job she applied for. In fact, she didn’t even know she had a job. One day, she was just out there in the meadow, lounging amongst the wildflowers, when a particularly opinionated bumblebee declared her “the perfect candidate for the role.” “A Guardian must be fierce but also look like they’ve been dipped in a rainbow!” he buzzed importantly. “You, my dear, are perfect.” Our young leopard cub had no idea what any of this meant. She wasn’t even sure what a “guardian” was, but she liked how it sounded. So, she puffed out her chest, wiggled her antennae, and accepted her new role with a modest but slightly smug smile. The Duties of the Meadow’s Guardian As The Guardian, her responsibilities were quirky at best and utterly baffling at worst. For instance, she was tasked with "protecting the harmony of the meadow." But in practice, this mostly meant scaring off creatures that disturbed the peace. “Shoo, you rowdy rabbits! Less thumping, more hopping!” she’d say, waving her butterfly ears at a group of cottontails who had taken to slam-dancing on the flowerbeds. The rabbits were generally unimpressed by her authority, though, and often bounced away while giggling about her “pretty butterfly hat.” But The Guardian also had her moments of triumph. There was the time she convinced a whole swarm of caterpillars to "cross the meadow in an orderly fashion," arranging them into a caterpillar conga line that stretched from one end of the meadow to the other. It was a sight to behold—and quite an improvement over the usual stampede of wriggling chaos. The Butterfly Misunderstanding Things took a turn for the bizarre when she met a butterfly named Myrtle who mistook her for a distant cousin. Myrtle was an overly chatty butterfly with a penchant for melodrama and an impressive lack of personal boundaries. “Oh, darling, I simply must introduce you to the family!” Myrtle exclaimed, looping around The Guardian’s ears in dizzying circles. “We have so much in common! The colors, the wings, the flair!” Before The Guardian could protest, Myrtle had organized a full butterfly family reunion around her head. At one point, no fewer than twenty butterflies had gathered around her ears, chatting about wing maintenance, petal gossip, and “the latest trends in pollination.” The Guardian didn’t understand a word of it, but she nodded politely as the butterflies fussed over her “exquisite antenna styling.” Enter the Grumpy Toad and a Quirky Friendship Just as she was beginning to think the butterfly brigade would never leave, a squat, elderly toad named Reginald hopped up to her. “Oy! Guardian! Could you kindly inform this swarm of flying color-splashes that some of us are trying to enjoy a peaceful nap?” he croaked irritably. Reginald was notorious in the meadow for his grumpiness and the suspicious way he regarded anything even remotely cheerful. But The Guardian found his sour attitude oddly endearing, and they quickly became unlikely friends. “I’ll handle the butterflies, Reginald,” she said in her most official Guardian voice. She cleared her throat and turned to Myrtle’s clan, who were mid-discussion about pollen prices. “All right, everyone, thank you for visiting! Please find your nearest flower and take a seat—quietly!” To her amazement, the butterflies actually complied, fluttering to various nearby flowers and folding their wings respectfully. Reginald grunted his approval and settled down beside her. The Night Watch and the Mysterious Glow One moonlit evening, Reginald, The Guardian, and her butterfly entourage noticed a mysterious glow rising from the far end of the meadow. “Probably just a firefly dance-off,” Reginald muttered dismissively. But The Guardian’s curiosity got the better of her, and she tiptoed closer, her wings and ears trembling with anticipation. As she approached, she discovered an enormous gathering of fireflies spelling out messages in their glow. Messages like “Be Kind” and “Eat More Wild Berries” floated above the flowers, pulsing gently in the night air. “It’s a wisdom ritual,” whispered Myrtle, who had followed close behind. “Once a year, the fireflies share their secrets with us.” The Guardian watched in awe, feeling a sense of peace wash over her. Her meadow wasn’t just a patch of grass with wildflowers and rambunctious rabbits—it was a place of magic, community, and even wisdom. Ending with a Laugh The next morning, The Guardian sat beside Reginald, recounting the fireflies’ messages. Reginald rolled his eyes but listened politely. “Eat more wild berries? What are we, herbivores?” he grumbled, giving her a sidelong glance. “I swear, Guardian, this meadow is getting weirder every year.” But The Guardian just smiled, watching a butterfly land on Reginald’s head as he sighed in resignation. As the sun rose over the meadow, The Guardian felt grateful for her odd life, her quirky friends, and her very strange but beloved job. She was, after all, the one and only Guardian of Blossoms and Butterflies—and she was exactly where she belonged.    Bring the Guardian's Magic Home If you fell in love with the whimsical world of "The Guardian of Blossoms and Butterflies," why not bring a piece of it into your own space? Explore our exclusive collection inspired by this magical character and the meadow she calls home. Each item captures the charm and enchantment of the Guardian and makes a perfect gift for fans of fantasy, art, and nature. Tapestry: Transform any wall into a mystical landscape with this vibrant tapestry featuring the Guardian in all her butterfly-eared glory. Throw Pillow: Add a touch of whimsy to your living space with this plush throw pillow, a delightful accent for any couch or bed. Puzzle: Immerse yourself in the Guardian's world piece by piece with a beautiful puzzle that reveals her story as you go. Tote Bag: Carry the magic of the meadow with you on all your adventures with this charming tote bag, perfect for art lovers on the go. Let these enchanting items remind you of the Guardian’s world and her quirky friends, and bring a dash of magic into your everyday life. Shop the full collection here.