"But I won't forget now _ever_."
From where they stood, the great blue fields rose into a hill. And on
the top of the hill was a beautiful star, the largest of all.
"And what is that?" the little boy asked his new friend.
"The star that shone over the cradle in Bethlehem."
He begged her to let him go nearer, but she shook her head.
"Not tonight. Someday you'll see it very clearly."
He was disappointed at that.
"When can I?" he asked.
"I do not know--but someday you and all in the world will see it, when
the Earth people are kind to each other--not once in a while, but
every day--_all the while_--"
"Anyway," said Marmaduke, "I don't think that star is any prettier
than Mother's. It's _bigger_ but not _prettier_."
"No, dear," she said, "not any more beautiful--it's all the same
light. But the Sun is putting on his gold shoes. Look--over there,"
she added, "you can see the reflection."
And sure enough, as Marmaduke looked over to the East, the edge of the
sky was turning to gold.
"You'll have to say goodbye now," the Star Lady told him, not sadly
but gently, "to all the stars and to me. But before you go, listen,
and you'll hear them all singing together. They always do, in the
morning before the Sun comes. There, can you hear it?"
He listened, oh, so hard, but all he could hear was music like sleigh
bells that were very far away.
"I hear something," he told her, "but it isn't clear. It sounds so
far, far off."
"Someday you'll hear that clearly, too," she said, then turned.
"Goodbye, my dear, I'll look out for your stars again, all the little
ones you make each day. Don't forget."
And as he felt himself sinking, he saw the Star Lady waving at him
from above, and he was sure she was singing again:
"Light, light
By day or night;
Stars in the skies,
Stars in the eyes."
Again he opened his. There was the Blue Fairy Light winking at
him--and his mother's hand was on his forehead. How good it felt! And
how cool her voice sounded!
"Was it a nice dream, dear?" she asked him. He didn't answer that
question. Instead he said shyly,
"Mother--"
"Yes, dear?"
"Your eyes are like--"
"Like what, my dear little boy?"
"Like stars," he finished drowsily, then fell asleep, her hand still
on his forehead.