Beware, my daughter, of the robber fly.  I have killed a mating pair on the stoop of our cottage.  They have somewhat the look of a dragonfly - they appear both innocent and sinister, it is not easy to know which nature is true.  They have large eyes and a body that is streamline and graceful.  Their wings are the wings of wasp.  They are faster than a lightening flash.  The first time I felt one hit my face and fall to the ground, I looked at it and took pity on it because of its dragonfly look, although I knew without a doubt that it was not a dragonfly.  I would not kill it because I did not know that it did harm.  And even though it hit me in the face and left a welt, I picked up its body and threw it flying into the wind.  I would have done what needed to be done, if I had known what it would do next.

You know how the hummingbirds flock to the hibiscus?  The fiery blooms draw in butterflies, bees and humming birds with their musky, sweet scent.  I watched as a robber fly flung itself at one of our hummingbirds.  Just as it had thrown itself at my face, it flew with terrible intensity into the hummingbird, as the hummingbird struggled and as I yelled and ran to intervene the robber fly kept attacking over and over until the hummingbird lay motionless on the ground.

I scooped up the little iridescent body, it lay motionless and inanimate in the palm of my hand.  I created a bed of hibiscus leaves for it at the foot of the Mary and wrapped it in a bloom.  I will bury it once the night has set in, and the full moon shines clarity down onto the darkened Earth.

Once I had done what could be done for our sweet, hapless hummingbird,  I looked around the house for any trace of the robber fly and found two, not one, on our front stoop.  First one and the other flew at my face, catching up and pulling my hair.  I flew with great speed to protect myself, gathered up a scrap of wood the tinkerer had left behind and I swiftly and without remorse protected our hummingbirds, our butterflies and bees from any future harm.  And when I was done, I scooped up the robber flies' bodies and have sketched their form below so that you can absorb this picture and know them should you see in any in your travels.  This way, you will be less ignorant than your mum.



The most dangerous things in life, will deceive you first with their sweetness or allure and then they will sting and kill when you believe yourself to be safe.  Be less wary the wasp, as it wears its nature on its sleeve.  Be wary the robber fly and waste no time in debating its true nature.  For now you know the truth.  Let my mistake be your lesson ~

But if you should need to learn this lesson for yourself?  I will always love you, no matter what mistakes you make.  It is my wish and hope, though, that your mistakes will be your own and that they will not be mine.

Safe travels, my love, I hope they lead you home soon!