The Horse and The Butterfly a Moral Story

The Horse & The Butterfly

Once upon a time there lived a sad and lonely Horse. It was a long time ago that his owner had died, and now no one visited our horse anymore. He so desperately wanted company, to join the other horses he could hear in the distance. Alas his field was fenced and there was no escape. He would spend his days wandering sadly around his field eating only the tastiest bits of grass. Until one day everything would change for him.

On that amazing, life tranforming day everything started out as normal.

It all began while he was sampling a particularly tasty patch of grass. At that moment a Butterfly came fluttering along and landed on a dandelion next to our Horse.

“Hello beautiful Horse” said the Butterfly

Surprised and delighted that the Butterfly could talk the Horse instantly began telling the Butterfly all his worries

“You see” said the Horse “no one comes to visit anymore and I’m desperately lonely and trapped in this field”

“Oh I see” said the Butterfly “that’s terrible you feel this way”

The Wise Butterfly

Now as if luck would have it, this little Butterfly was a wise and gentle soul and understood instantly our Horse’s worry and pain. Some may even say it was a coincidence that the Butterfly landed on that exact dandelion next to our Horse.

“It’s sad Horse but you have lost your way”

“How do you mean little Butterfly” asked the Horse

“You are magnificent, strong and independent, but have forgotten who you are”

“I know I’m a Horse little Butterfly, I haven’t forgotten”

But with that said the Butterfly fluttered off to another flower on the other side of the field. Our Horse started to follow and began thinking out loud.

“What did the Butterfly mean I’ve forgotten who I am? I am a Horse, I don’t get it.”

Soon he was where the little Butterfly had landed again and asked

“Little Butterfly I’m confused, can you explain further”

“Of course” kindly replied the Butterfly “you have been stuck for a long time within this field, lonely and desperate for company. Slowly over time this has become your normal. Then gradually your have taken this normal to become who you are!”

“That sounds deep little Butterfly” said the Horse “How do you mean”

“We all place prisons within our own minds. These prisons stop us from achieving our life’s goals and dreams. Your life alone in this field has now become a type of prison in your mind. You have forgotten your a Horse.”

And with this the little Butterfly fluttered off to another flower.

“Oh I’m still confused” thought the Horse as he wandered over to where the Butterfly had once again settled “what prison in my mind?”

Soon our Horse was once again where the Butterfly had landed and asked her to explain some more

“I would like to tell you a little story to help explain” said the little Butterfly

“Oh I like Stories” replied the Horse

“Then I shall begin.

The Little Story

The common house flea has the ability to jump 200 times it’s own height. Now if you place a glass cup over that same flea, something interesting happens. When the flea now jumps he keeps hitting his head on the bottom of the glass cup. After a few jumps the flea realises what’s happening and will adjust his jumping height accordingly. The flea now jumps to just under the roof of the cup. When you remove the glass our poor flea is now conditioned into jumping at this new height. He has learnt from experience that if he jumps any higher he will hit his head and it hurts. He has created his very own glass ceiling or a kind of prison in his own mind.

This is the prison of our own minds, we all create them and yours Horse is this field. You have forgotten your a Horse and what horse’s do.”

But with this last comment the Butterfly flew out of sight and our Horse was left alone in his field once again.

For a moment our Horse felt sad he was left alone again. Gradually though, as he satarted thinking about what the little Butterfly had said he suddenly realised he was a Horse.

“I am a Horse” he suddenly exclaimed “and horses run and jump and play. I had forgotten who I was, I really had made my own prison in my mind. This field with its fence around me had become my prison, but I’m a Horse and Horse’s run and jump and play”

And with this our Horse ran as fast as his legs could take him straight at the fence. In one great jump he cleared it and landed on the other side. He never even glanced back, he just kept running and running to the sounds of the other horses in the distance.

Our Horse was now free.

Author: Dhamma Tāpasā

Moral of the Story:

At some point, we all create quiet prisons within our own minds. Places we believe we cannot leave, simply because we’ve forgotten what we’re capable of. Even in comfort we can feel confined, and even among others we can feel alone — until something helps us see ourselves more clearly.

Much of what we struggle with in life is not caused by circumstances themselves, but by how those circumstances are experienced through thought. When understanding deepens, the mind naturally settles and clarity returns and often without effort.

This quiet shift in perspective sits at the heart of everything shared here. Not fixing what is broken, but rediscovering what has always been present beneath the noise.

If something in this story resonated, you’re very welcome to stay a little longer.

This site is a calm place for gentle reflections on mental well-being, and you’re warmly invited to step into The Quiet Space. A place to pause, reflect, and stay connected.

More stories, if you feel drawn

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Positive Mind Training

My life has been shaped by trauma, deep inquiry, and years spent living simply in nature. Through deep insight gained into how the mind truly creates our experience, I developed the PACT-RICA Framework. Because when understanding deepens, the mind naturally settles and clarity will return.