The Butterfly Lion facts for kids
The Butterfly Lion is a heartwarming children's book written by Michael Morpurgo. It was first released in the United Kingdom by Collins in 1996. This special book won the Smarties book prize in the same year. Later, in 2014, the story was turned into a stage play by Daniel Buckroyd from the Mercury Theatre, Colchester. This play traveled around the UK, bringing the story to life for many people.
Contents
The Story of the Butterfly Lion
This section tells you all about the exciting plot of The Butterfly Lion. It's a story about friendship, courage, and a very special lion.
Michael's Adventure Begins
The story starts with a young boy named Michael. He is unhappy at his boarding school and decides to run away. While exploring, he finds a large, cozy cottage. Inside, he meets a kind old lady. She invites him in and begins to tell him an amazing story.
Bertie and the White Lion Cub
The old lady's story is about a boy named Bertie. Bertie grew up in sunny South Africa. One day, he found a tiny, orphaned white lion cub. Bertie loved the cub very much and raised it. They became the best of friends. However, Bertie eventually had to leave South Africa. He was sent to a boarding school in Wiltshire, England. This meant saying goodbye to his beloved lion, which was sent to a circus.
New Friends and Old Memories
Bertie felt very lonely at his new school. So, he decided to escape. During his escape, he met a girl named Millie. They quickly became close friends. Bertie told Millie all about his life in South Africa. He shared stories about his special white lion cub. They spent their time flying kites and dreaming together.
War and Reunion
Even after they left school, Bertie and Millie kept in touch. They wrote letters to each other often. Then, a big war broke out. Bertie wrote to Millie, telling her he had joined the army. Later, Bertie was fighting in France during the First World War. He showed great bravery and saved two men's lives. For his courage, he was given a very important award called the Victoria Cross.
Millie had become a nurse, hoping to find Bertie. She read about his heroic acts in a newspaper. Soon after, Bertie and Millie were reunited! They also discovered that the circus where Bertie's lion lived had closed. But the good news was that the circus owner, Monsieur Merlot, lived nearby with the lion.
A Happy Life and a Lasting Memory
Bertie and Millie got married. They brought the white lion back to England with them. They lived happily together for many years. When the lion eventually passed away, Bertie and Millie wanted to remember him forever. They carved a huge lion shape into the chalk hillside as a memorial. Not long after, Bertie also passed away.
Michael's Discovery
After hearing this incredible story, Michael returned to his school. He found a special plaque there. It honored Bertie's brave actions during the war. Michael also learned from a teacher that Millie had died only a few months after Bertie. Michael went back to the cottage, but it was empty. Then, he heard Millie's voice. She asked him to look after the chalk lion on the hill. It was a beautiful way to end the story.
