The Caterpillars

Yesterday, as I waited at the bus stop, I saw a bunch of caterpillars, black-skinned with streaks of yellow colour, about half a finger in length, clinging to the leaves of a shrub. Their shiny skin made me feel it with the back of my fingers. When touched, they would instantly curl inwards in self defense. I stood there fixed with admiration for these slender, attractive, magnificent works of nature.

It took me a while to realise what they were up to. The green, leafy shrub they had taken shelter on was being slowly eaten away. Leaves hung on the shrubs, some on the ground, half eaten or completely devoured by the caterpillars.

In an instant act of justice, I pulled down some of them, only to realise that I had deprived some creatures of their food while saving certain others from destruction. Is justice too human to be true for all?