The Stars in the Sky

Once upon a time in Scotland, there was a wee lass who loved the stars. Every night, she pressed her nose to the window and watched them twinkle. “I want the stars to play with,” she said, “and I am going to get them.”

So one night, when the moon was bright, she slipped out of the house. She walked over the fields and past the sleeping sheep, until she came to the millpond. The water was dark and still, and it was full of little lights. “Good evening, millpond,” she said. “I am looking for the stars in the sky, so I can play with them.” “They come and shine in my water every night,” said the millpond. “Reach in, and maybe you will catch one.”

So the lass knelt down and dipped her hands in the water, but she could not catch a single star. Every time she reached for one, it wiggled and slipped away. At last, she shook the drops off her fingers and walked on.

Soon she came to a meadow, where the fairy folk were dancing in a ring. They had silver wings and tiny bells on their shoes, and they tinkled as they danced. “Good evening, fairy folk,” said the lass. “I am looking for the stars in the sky, so I can play with them.” The fairies whispered together, and then the smallest one flew up to her ear. “Ask Four Feet to carry you to No Feet At All,” she said. “Then ask No Feet At All to carry you to the stairs without steps, and climb them up to the stars.”

So the lass found Four Feet, who was a big gentle horse grazing by the river. The horse let her climb on his back, and he carried her down to the edge of the sea. There, No Feet At All was waiting, and it was a great shiny fish. The fish let her ride on its back, and it swam far out across the dark water. At last, they came to a long, shimmering bridge of light that went right up into the sky. It was the stairs without steps.

The lass began to climb, up and up and up. The stars came closer and closer, and they were brighter than anything she had ever seen. She reached out her hand to touch one, and then she grew very, very sleepy.

The next thing she knew, she was tucked up in her own warm bed. Outside her window, the stars were twinkling, just as they always did. “Good night, stars,” she whispered with a smile. “I nearly reached you, and tomorrow night I will wave to you instead.”