Night Time Story: The Moon’s Lost Crown
On Monday, the moon was only half as bright as usual. By Tuesday, it was dimmer still. On Wednesday, the stars seemed to whisper worriedly to each other.
By Thursday, the moon was barely visible—just a faint shadow in the night sky.
Mira noticed before anyone else. She loved watching the night sky from her bedroom window and knew something was terribly wrong.
On Friday night, a shooting star streaked across the dark sky and landed with a soft glow at the bottom of Mira’s garden. When she crept outside to investigate, she found a tiny Star Messenger no bigger than her hand.
“The Moon has lost her crown,” the Star Messenger announced in a voice like wind chimes. “Without it, her light fades. Soon, the tides will fail, dreams will vanish, and night creatures will lose their way.”
“Can’t another star help?” Mira asked.
“Only a human child can touch the crown without being burned. The Moon Queen asks for your help.”
The Star Messenger explained that the North Wind had stolen the crown and hidden it in his ice palace. If the crown wasn’t returned by the next full moon—just three days away—the moon’s light would go out forever.
Despite her fear, Mira nodded. “I’ll help.”
The Star Messenger gave her a silver whistle. “Blow this at midnight. A moonbeam bridge will appear, but only until sunrise.”
That night at midnight, Mira blew the whistle. A shimmering path of light stretched from her window up into the sky. With her heart pounding, she stepped onto it and began to climb.
The moonbeam bridge led her to the North Wind’s palace of ice and snow. Hiding behind frozen columns, she watched the North Wind sleep, the moon’s crown clutched in his frosty fingers. The crown glowed faintly, like moonlight trapped in crystal.
Carefully, Mira crept forward. As her warm fingers touched the crown, the North Wind stirred.
“Who dares enter my palace?” he roared, his breath creating a blizzard.
Mira stood her ground. “The moon needs her crown. Without it, the world falls out of balance.”
The North Wind laughed. “I’m tired of the moon outshining me in the night sky. With her crown, I’ll be the brightest thing in the darkness!”
“But you’re the North Wind,” Mira said. “You’re not supposed to shine—you’re supposed to blow and bring winter and carry seeds to new places. Everything has its purpose.”
The North Wind paused, considering. “No one has ever told me my purpose was important before.”
“Every purpose matters,” Mira said, remembering her mother’s words. “Even mine—and right now, my purpose is to return the crown.”
Something softened in the North Wind’s icy eyes. He looked at the crown in his hand, then slowly held it out to Mira.
“Perhaps you’re right, child. Take it.”
With the crown safe in her hands, Mira raced back to the moonbeam bridge just as it began to fade with the approaching dawn.
That night, Mira stood in her garden and held the crown up to the faint moon. “I believe this belongs to you,” she whispered.
A moonbeam stronger than the others reached down and lifted the crown from her hands. As it rose into the sky, the crown grew larger until it settled on the moon, which immediately blazed with renewed light.
That night, the moon shone brighter than ever before, and if you looked closely, you might have seen the shape of a smiling face looking down at a little girl who waved back from her garden.
From then on, whenever the North Wind blew past Mira’s window, it would gently ruffle her curtains in greeting. And on especially clear nights, the stars seemed to twinkle just for her—a thank you from the night sky for the brave child who had restored balance to the heavens.
By Luna Silverbeam
