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“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.