Der Lindwurm und der Schmetterling oder Der seltsame Tausch

During 17 years of artistic collaboration (1978-1995), Michael Ende and Wilfried Hiller have repeatedly used the literary genre of animal fables to present complex topics in a form which is readily comprehensible for children. This is exemplified by the four musical fables involving the protagonists Lindwurm and Schmetterling (wingless dragon and butterfly), Tranquilla Trampeltreu (the steadfast tortoise), the rhinoceros Norbert Nackendick (Norbert Fat - nog gin) and the elephant Filemon Faltenreich. The lindworm does not want to be ‘lind’, i.e. gentle, the butterfly does not want to ‘flap’ – it appears here that their names do not really correspond to their semantic meanings. The tortoise Tranquilla Trampeltreu is so slow that she misses the wedding of King Leo the 28th, but perseverance proverbially leads to success and she arrives in good time for the wedding of Leo 29th. Norbert Nackendick tyrannises all other animals in the savannah, but ultimately comes unstuck due to his infinite overestimation of himself. Finally, Filemon Faltenreich is so wrapped up in himself that he does not notice that the mass of flies at his feet have challenged him to a football world cup and emerged the triumphant winners.