The girls were very intelligent and curious. In fact, they were constantly asking their father questions, and he always answered with great patience. But one day, their father found himself unable to answer the complex questions of his daughters, and he decided to send them for a time to the wisest man in the area, an elderly master who lived high atop a great mountain.

The girls asked the sage countless questions, and he seemed to have an answer for everything. “Why don’t the stars fall? Why does the sea come and go? Why can’t we see the moon during the day?”

And he, with a kind smile, calmly answered each question. The girls were astonished… he couldn’t possibly know everything! So much so that one of the sisters, eager to stump the old man, suggested to her sister:

– Why don’t we come up with a question the sage cannot answer?

– And what could that be? – asked her sister.

– Wait, I have an idea…

The girl left the room, and five minutes later returned with something wrapped in a cloth.

– What do you have there? – her sister asked curiously.

Then the girl slightly lifted the cloth, revealing a beautiful blue butterfly.

– Oh! How lovely! – exclaimed her sister. – But… what question will we ask the sage?

– You’ll see. We’ll go to him, and I’ll hold the butterfly in my hand. We’ll ask: “What do you think I have in my hand: a living butterfly or a dead one?” If he says it’s alive, I’ll squeeze my hand without him noticing, and when he opens it, the butterfly will be dead… and he won’t have guessed correctly. If he says it’s dead, I’ll let it fly free, and the sage still won’t have guessed…

– You’re so clever, little sister! – her sister said excitedly.

So the sisters ran to see the old sage.

Upon arrival, the girl asked the question they had agreed upon: – I have a question for you, great sage…

What do you think I have in my hand: a living butterfly or a dead one?

The old man looked her in the eyes and replied very calmly:

– It all depends on you. It is in your hands.