The Boy and the Star Turtle

The Boy and the Star Turtle - Author : Ebru Mina TOMURCUK

On a warm summer evening, a boy named Leo sat on his back porch, looking up at the sky. He had warm brown skin, short curly black hair, and a sky-blue t-shirt with a yellow star print. His round face was dotted with light freckles, and he smiled a small, gap-toothed smile. "I wonder how many stars are up there," he said to himself, his large dark brown eyes sparkling with curiosity. 1

Just then, something moved in the tall grass near the porch. Leo leaned closer and saw a turtle, about the size of a large washbasin, with a deep teal-green shell. Tiny golden stars glowed on the shell, and a soft silver light trailed from them. The turtle had wrinkled sage-green skin and kind amber eyes. "Hello," said Leo softly. "Your shell is full of stars!" 2

"Indeed it is," said the turtle in a slow, warm voice. "I am the Star Turtle, and I have carried these stars for many, many years. Each one is a little piece of the night sky." Leo's eyes grew wide. "Do you know all about the stars?" he asked. The turtle smiled. "I know some things, and I love to share them," it said. 3

Leo and the Star Turtle sat together under the darkening sky. The turtle pointed a short, sturdy leg at the sky. "Every star has a story," it said. "And the stars form patterns called constellations." Leo looked up, trying to see the shapes. "How do you find them?" he asked. "You have to look closely and ask questions," said the turtle. "That's how we learn." 4

Suddenly, the turtle's amber eyes grew wide. "Oh no," it said softly. "Something is wrong." Leo looked up at the sky. "What is it?" he asked. "One of the constellations is missing," said the turtle. "The Little Lantern, a group of stars that looks like a glowing lantern, is not in its usual place." Leo frowned. "Where could it have gone?" 5

"I don't know," said the turtle, "but we must find it. The sky is not complete without all its stars." Leo jumped up. "Let's search for it!" he said. He grabbed his small canvas satchel and put it over his shoulder. "I'll bring a snack and a flashlight." The turtle nodded. "Your curiosity will guide us," it said. "Let's go." 6

Leo and the Star Turtle set off down the path. The turtle moved slowly, but its shell glowed brightly, lighting the way. Leo asked, "Why do stars shine?" The turtle replied, "They are like little suns, far away. They make their own light." Leo thought about that. "So they're always shining, even when we can't see them?" "Exactly," said the turtle. "And so are you, when you learn something new." 7

They walked past a pond where frogs croaked. Leo asked, "Why are there stars on your shell?" The turtle smiled. "Long ago, the sky was lonely, so a few stars came down to rest on my shell. They have stayed ever since, and they help me find my way in the dark." Leo touched a tiny star gently. It felt warm and tingly. "That's amazing," he whispered. 8

The turtle stopped and looked up. "We should check the highest hill," it said. "From there, we can see the whole sky." Leo nodded and followed. As they climbed, Leo asked, "How do you know so much?" The turtle chuckled. "By asking questions, just like you. Every question is a step on a journey of learning." Leo smiled. "I have lots of questions!" "Good," said the turtle. 9

At the top of the hill, they looked up. The sky was full of stars, but the Little Lantern was still missing. Leo sighed. "Maybe we'll never find it," he said. The turtle shook its head. "Don't give up. Sometimes the answer is right in front of us, if we look from a different angle." Leo thought for a moment. "What if it fell down?" he asked. "Then we'll find it on the ground!" 10

They searched the hilltop, looking behind rocks and under bushes. The turtle's shell cast a soft glow on the grass. Leo spotted something sparkling near a hollow log. "Look!" he cried. There, nestled in the grass, were tiny glowing lights in the shape of a lantern. It was the missing constellation, shining softly. "It did fall!" said Leo. "But why?" 11

The turtle examined the little stars. "Sometimes stars fall when they want to see the world up close," it said. "But they can't stay here forever. They belong in the sky." Leo asked, "How do we put it back?" The turtle smiled. "We can't, but we can help it find its way. We just need to show it the sky and let it rise." Leo nodded. "We can do that!" 12

Leo and the Star Turtle stood together and looked up at the sky. The tiny stars of the Little Lantern began to twinkle more brightly. "Thank you for finding me," they seemed to say. "You asked questions and never gave up." Slowly, the constellation lifted off the ground and floated up, up, up, until it settled back into its place in the sky. The sky was complete again. 13

Leo watched with wide eyes. "We did it!" he cheered. The Star Turtle nodded. "You did it, Leo. Your curiosity and your questions led us right to it." Leo felt proud. "I learned so much tonight," he said. "About stars, and shells, and not giving up." The turtle smiled.