"One day, a Boy saw a beautiful bird. He wanted the bird to be his pet and so he chased it. It was an endless chase - a futile effort of running after something he knew he could never have. People are sometimes like that. They chase after things they know they could never have. It's vanity. Nevertheless, he continued. He kept running until unknowingly, he drifted deep into the forest, lost and alone. Sometimes, there are things that are just too hard to let go. For the Boy, the bird was everything.
"By and by, their distance became so great that the Boy lost sight of his bird. It was so hard to give up. He came that far just to have that little pet. He wanted to run, but his legs grew tired of all that running, and his heart grew too heavy for him to go on. He fell, and his thirst and exhaustion told him it was impossible to rise again.
"The night came and darkness filled the forest. It was very cold and there was nothing to comfort the Boy. He tried to stand and carry on his journey in pain, but it was too cold, and too dark. It was a hopeless journey to nowhere. The Boy wanted to end it all but there was no way he could end it, and there was nothing for him to do but to go on.
"Then on his way, there was something he met, and it gave a new meaning to his sorrows. On a large leaf, he saw a Moth. She wasn't a very lovely moth, but she was interesting, and there was something wonderful about her that the Boy cannot comprehend, and he wanted to make the Moth his pet. The Boy crept among the bushes and slowly made his way to the Moth, and fortunately, the Moth didn't seem to discover his presence because she didn't fly away. This made the Boy happy. The Moth wasn't like his bird. She didn't fly away.
"The Moth was very surprised when the Boy appeared among the bushes. The Boy caught the Moth in his hands and he held her happily.
"The Boy asked the Moth: 'What are you doing here in this time of the night my little Moth?'
"The Moth was very scared, but still, she didn't fly away. She replied: 'The Spider deceived me.' And she burst into desperate sobs. She added: 'The Spider lured me into his web. Then he trapped me, and tried to kill me.' Then she added very softly: 'I was very lucky to escape him.'
"The Boy felt sad for the Moth: 'He was such a nasty Spider to deceive a wonderful Moth like you. In our place, many people are like that. I don't know why they love hurting others.' And the Moth smiled, and was comforted by the Boy's presence. She wanted to be with him, and unknowingly, the Boy also wanted to be with her for she also lightened the Boy's heart, and both of them healed each other's pain.
"They kept on talking and time flew so fast, until the Sun's rays came, and they were saved from the darkness and cold. The Sun was coming and I know I had to go. But I didn't leave. The Sun wasn't there yet - only his rays. Then when the rays shone upon them, the Boy saw that the Moth's wings were still entangled with the Spider's web, and if it would not be removed she would not be able to fly and her wings would be broken. So the Boy patiently disentangled her wings, and she felt good.
"Then suddenly, the Boy's hands swelled and it was very painful. The Boy had learned from school that some moths protect themselves through a special kind of powder in their wings which either poison or hurt their predators. He knew it caused the pain, but still he continued. She loved the Moth, and he wanted her wings to be free.
"The Moth saw the Boy's pain, and she realized it was because of her powder. She never thought it could hurt the Boy. But yes, it did. She wanted to relieve him from his pains but she couldn't. She couldn't control the powder. There are some things we could never change even if we try very hard. Sometimes, there are things we don't want in ourselves that we want to remove, but we could never take away.
"The Moth cried bitterly, for it was all that she could do. She was sorry for the Boy, but there was nothing she could do. They never wanted to stay apart though they hurt so much.
"I wanted to know what happened to the Boy and his Moth but the Sun came and so I had to go. I wish I'd see them again."
There was silence after the Moon stopped talking. The fairy didn't say anything. The fairy's silence bothered the Moon so she asked the fairy: "Is there anything wrong?"
The Little Fairy replied: "I want to chase something I know I could never have - maybe - i don't know. I want to try. Maybe I could have it. I want to believe I could have it. It is vanity, I know. Don't be upset my Moon. I think I'm also lost. I don't know where I am going. The Boy ran after the bird although it was impossible for him to catch it. It was vanity indeed - but luckier was he than me." Then the fairy paused for a moment. She added: "He was lucky he had something to run after and to run for. I'm not like him."
"What do you mean Little Fairy? What is it that you want to chase?"
The fairy didn't answer the Moon's question. She had fallen asleep.
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