The snow fell softly on Santa’s Secret City at the North Pole. The odd silhouette flitted from door to door in the darkness. Indoors, the whole place was a hive of activity.

 Butterfly boys Johnny and Darfo held their ears to the wooden door:

 Bang, bang! Clunk, clunk! Hammer, hammer!

 “This is where the girls’ gifts are made!” Johnny playfully punched Darfo in the tummy.

 “Ooouff!” Darfo exhaled.

 The temperature soared as the fiery phoenix and the electric blue fireflies squeezed in between them. They wanted to know what was going on too!

 It sounded something like “Hee, hee, hee!” and “Ha, ha, ha!”

 “I bet they’re sat there eating chocolate the whole time and drinking tea and making fun of us boys!” quipped Johnny the Macho Butterfly.

 The others looked at him, astonished, stepping away from the door.

 “My Martha is in there!” said Darfo, glaring at Johnny and tapping his forehead.

 “She wouldn’t do a thing like that!” Especially not with them being here at the North Pole with Father Christmas and all that.

 Johnny thought about it for a moment and then agreed:

 “You’re right!  It’s far too cold for that up here!”

 Darfo, the phoenix and the fireflies shook their heads in resignation. It was totally pointless trying to argue with him. But they were still curious to know what Martha and the girl elves were making. There was a heart-shaped decoration hanging from the door, and everyone knew that this was where the girls’ presents were made.

 “Why not take a look inside!” Johnny cried, pushing Darfo towards the door handle.

 “Who, me?” Darfo leapt backwards. “You must be joking…”

Read the Book

2,99 €

 Suddenly the door flew open and Martha stuck her head out.

 “HI boys! You alright?”

 “Martha!” Darfo smiled in delight, while two of the three fireflies tried to fly above Martha’s head and catch a sneaky glimpse inside. She brushed them away subconsciously without so much as looking at them.

 “Now you can tell that Johnny…”

 “Hey, Martha, come back inside, there’s work to be done!” called the girl elves, wanting to get on. With a charming smile and a wink, she turned to go back inside. Johnny swooned at her loveliness. PLOPPP, he fell to the floor! 

 “Is he talking rot again?” Martha asked Darfo.

 Darfo nodded furiously and looked at the girls in anticipation.

 “Well in that the case…” she said, calling to the girl elves: “Hey, do you think Darfo could have a quick look inside?”

 “Yes, but make it quick! And be sure to use our trick afterwards!” replied one of the older girl elves, who was getting annoyed at the boys.

 No sooner had she finished speaking as Darfo, the phoenix and the fireflies pushed their heads around the door. Mouths gaping wide, they could hardly believe what they saw.

 “Ooooooh!”

 “Aaaaaahhh!”

 So that’s what girls all around the world were getting for Christmas!

 “Woweeee!!!”

 Then Martha pushed in between them and shoved them out of the room.

 “Right, you’ve seen enough!  And don’t let me catch you…”

 “Hey, don’t forget our little trick!” the girl elves called, and Martha giggled.

 “Oh yes, silly me!”

 She swiftly grabbed all the fireflies in one hand and the phoenix in the other, before he had chance to change into ashes. Stunned, they looked to Darfo for help, but it was too late.

 Smacker, smacker, smacker, smacker!

 She gave each of her victims a big, sloppy kiss on the lips…

 Ooh la la! They all fainted in a big heap on the floor! Then she took Darfo’s face in both hands and pulled his lips to hers.

 Smackeroony!

 “That was the best kiss in the universe,” thought Darfo, all wobbly, weak at the knees and unable to get a word out. “Gurgle, gurgle!” was all he could manage, and thanks to the girls’ little trick, he now wouldn’t remember a thing about what he’d seen behind the door.

 Of course it was a matter of honour that the girls didn’t give anything away. Though it would’ve been nice to know what girls were getting for Christmas this year!

This is a reading sample. If you like the stories, it would be nice if you supported Christmas Butterflies with your purchase!