Summary

The short story “Butterflies” by Patricia Grace begins with the grandmother helping her granddaughter get ready for school. She plaits her granddaughter’s hair and gives her lunch. The grandmother then instructs the granddaughter to listen to the teacher and come straight home afterwards. 

The grandfather accompanies the granddaughter along the footpath. He mentions to a neighbor that their granddaughter lives with them now and goes to school. The neighbor answers that the granddaughter looks fine. The grandfather adds that she is also clever since she writes every day. The grandfather then gives the granddaughter the same advice as the grandmother gave her.

When the granddaughter returns from school, the grandparents are wo...