Butterfly Drinking the Tears of a Turtle

(Photo: Amalavida.tv)

Butterfly's revenge was sweet. Oh, yes, so very, very sweet. Turtle had finally paid for his crimes in full. He wept at what was to become of him and the life he had built--as the empire he had forged with his own claws crumbled around him.

Butterfly savored the moment in the most literal way possible by drinking the tears of his most hated enemy. Years later, he would, while reminiscing of this perfect moment, claim that he could still taste them in his mouth.

Turtle remembered, too. He couldn't ever forget that time of supreme humiliation while down in the gahenna where Butterfly had left him. It was carved into his soul.

He had learned something from that horrible moment. It was something important. It was something that he would one day teach to Butterfly.

Never leave an enemy behind you.

Actually, there's no reason to think that this Julia Butterfly (Dryas iulia) and turtle in Ecuador know each other. The butterfly is engaging in lachryphagy, which is the insect practice of drinking tears from larger animals. The butterfly is doing this for nutritional purposes only--as far as we know.

-via Twisted Sifter