The Girl and the Star Whale

The Girl and the Star Whale - Author : Ebru Mina TOMURCUK

Mira loved the night sky more than anything. Every evening she climbed onto the roof in her yellow raincoat and counted stars until her eyes grew sleepy. Her curly black hair bounced in two puffs as she leaned back. "Where do stars go when they fall?" she whispered to the moon. Nobody answered, so she kept on counting. 1

One night a soft blue light drifted over the rooftops. Mira sat up straight, her round amber eyes wide. Something enormous swam through the sky, slow as a cloud and gentle as a sigh. Its fins trailed sparkles like water. "A whale!" she gasped. "A whale swimming in the stars!" She grabbed her little satchel and held her breath. 2

The star whale dipped low, and its moonlit eyes smiled down at her. Deep indigo skin shimmered with glowing spots, and constellations sparkled along its back. "Hello, small friend," it rumbled, soft as distant thunder. "I am swimming through the celestial ocean, but tonight my ocean has lost its shine. Will you help me?" Mira nodded before she could even think. 3

The whale lowered a long, translucent fin, and Mira climbed aboard. Up they rose, past chimneys and clouds and the sleepy moon herself. The sky felt cool and salty, like the sea. "Why is the ocean dark?" Mira asked. "Because stars keep falling out," the whale said. "They tumble loose and drift away. Without them, the sky forgets how to sparkle." 4

Far below, something tiny glowed. It was no bigger than Mira's palm, a round golden light with wings like spun glass. It zipped up and circled her head, leaving a sparkling trail. "I'm Lumi!" it chimed. "I fell too! I can spot lost stars — my light turns brighter near them!" Mira laughed with delight. "Then let's find every single one," she said. 5

They glided into a wide, dim stretch of sky. It felt empty, like a room with the lamps turned off. Lumi darted ahead, glowing, then stopped above a small star caught in a wisp of cloud. "There!" it sang. Mira scooped the star into her satchel. It was warm, like a fresh-baked cookie, and it hummed a tiny tune. 6

"Why do stars shine?" Mira asked as they swam on. The whale's silver belly glimmered. "Stars are little suns," it said. "They glow because they are hot and busy, making light deep inside." Mira tucked that fact away like a treasure. "And why is the sky dark if stars are bright?" she asked. "Because the sky is very, very big," the whale said, "and light must travel far." 7

They gathered more stars among the constellations. One hid behind a sleepy planet. One rested on the whale's own back, tangled in its starry pattern. Lumi glowed brighter with each find, zipping happily. "Three more!" it chirped. "Four more!" Mira counted them in her satchel, which now glowed like a little lantern. "How many stars are there altogether?" she asked. "More than all the sand on every beach," said the whale, "and every one has a name." 8

A cold breeze ruffled Mira's dress. She pulled her raincoat close. "Are we nearly done?" she asked. The whale's kind eyes softened. "Not yet, little friend. The heart of the ocean is still dark." Mira peeked into her satchel at the glowing stars. "Then we keep going," she said bravely. "Lumi, lead the way!" Lumi spun twice and zoomed ahead, sparkling all the while. 9

They reached a great hollow of sky where no light lived at all. The whale slowed, and its glow grew faint. "This is where the first star fell," it murmured. "Ever since, the ocean has been leaking light." Mira looked at the dark, empty space and felt small. Then she felt Lumi warm against her shoulder. "We have lots of stars," Lumi whispered. "Let's give them back." 10

Mira opened her satchel and lifted out a star. It flared bright in her hands. "Where should it go?" she asked. The whale pointed with its fin. "Find the hollow in the sky that fits it." Mira held the star up, and it drifted from her fingers like a bubble, settling into a dark notch. It blazed. "It fits!" she cried. "It's like a puzzle!" 11

One by one they placed the stars, and the whale sang a low, humming song. Lumi flew in looping circles, sprinkling light. Stars clicked into place, and the dark hollow filled with gentle glow. "Teamwork!" Lumi cheered. Mira laughed. "And questions!" she added. "Every question helped me find the right spot." The whale's star-spotted back brightened as constellation patterns shimmered to life again. 12

The whole sky began to shine. The missing celestial ocean rolled back like a tide of light, sparkling from edge to edge. "You fixed it!" Lumi sang, glowing brighter than ever. The whale's moonlit eyes crinkled with joy. "You asked, you learned, and you helped," it said. "Wonder is a kind of courage, Mira. Never lose it." 13

The whale swam her home through the glittering sea of stars. "Will I see you again?" Mira asked, hugging her empty satchel. "Whenever you look up and wonder," the whale said softly. It dipped low over her rooftop, and Lumi left a tiny sparkle on her windowsill. "Goodbye, question-asker!" Lumi chimed. "Keep learning!" Then they swam away into the sparkling dark.