Once upon a time, in a magical realm not far from our own, there lived a tiny star named Sparkle. Each night, when the world would silence itself and children drifted off into dreams, Sparkle would wake up in the vast, starry sky.
Yet, as she looked around, she felt rather small. The Moon, whom everyone adored for her gentle light, hovered close by, and over there were the Great Bears, always boasting of their size and strength. Not far away resided the little planets, each one glimmering beautifully. “How could I ever shine as bright as them?” thought Sparkle, gazing down sorrowfully at the quiet Earth below.
One dear little child, however, was looking up just at that moment. With large, wondering eyes, she searched through her little window frame. It was a game she played every night. Each time she found a new star, happiness sparkled in her heart, and she felt a dream touch her spirit.
“I see you, small one, near the Great Bear,” said the little girl, smiling. “How joyful it is to have a new star to-night!” And, as if to please the child, Sparkle twinkled softly.
“Yes, I twinkled,” said little Sparkle to herself. “Yet, they cannot see what a tiny little twinkle it is. Ah, if I were only bigger, or even the same size as the Earth, then I would shine brightly enough for everyone to see me. Surely then, I would be of some use.”
And so, saying this, she sat looking downward, very sorrowful indeed.
But a kind moonbeam passing by spoke to her: “What a soft, lovely light that little child sends you!”
“Oh, yes. I see that light,” said Sparkle. “But I must be as big as the Earth, so that my light may reach her. Otherwise, how can I hope to shine brightly enough to reach anyone living below?”
“You don’t need to shine down,” said the moonbeam gently. “But can’t you see how near to the child you can come? Feel how her love draws you down, how her dreamy words fill your little heart. Quite close to you lives someone who needs your breath of light and love.”
Just then Sparkle saw a tiny bird, a baby bird, that had just learned to fly, peering out from its nest in the child’s garden close to the window. The poor little thing had ventured too far into the night; his mother had long before flown back to the nest. And here was the little one, fluttering his wings in helplessness.
But as Sparkle looked, suddenly the child moved her finger to the window, and a soft light seemed to pour out all around. The little bird blinked and, as if guided by some unseen hand, flew straight toward the glimmering light of the child’s gentle eyes. Closer and closer he came, looking up into her face until he felt no fear but allowed himself to be taken safely in.
“Sweet little child, only to see you would satisfy my hearts full dream,” thought Sparkle as she twinkled.
And she twinkled again, this time sending a faint light down to the child below her, who was just drifting off to sleep with a smile upon her pretty face.
“Even I can help,” thought little Sparkle. “Soon the sun will rise and then they will not see me. But perhaps to-morrow night the child will look again towards my spot. I will shimmer for her.”
And from that time on every night, Sparkle filled her place in the starry sky. Whenever a nightingale sang its gentle song, or a wishing star was much needed, or a new child was searching for her little friend above, or waited in fear of the fearful dark—then Sparkle twinkled a soft light down.
Always her simple words of comfort were, “O look up in the darkness, dear one, and do not fear. Even the very smallest star has its own little place and its own light to give to some one far below.”
And in this lesson lay the moral: That even the smallest light can pierce through the darkest of nights, guiding and giving hope to those who need it most.