The Moon

High in the velvet sky, the Moon smiled down on the forest. He loved shining bright and full in his starry sleeping cap.

He cast a soft, silvery glow over the sleeping forest, making the night feel safe and warm for his animal friends.

But soon, a shadow crept across his silver face, and the Moon shrunk to a tidy half-circle. He wondered if he was fading away.

Even as a half-moon, he did his best to light the paths, tilting his starry cap to guide a family of deer.

As the nights passed, he became a slender silver crescent, curved like a bright smile in the dark.

Although he was small, he shone with all his might. The little owls chirped, glad for his gentle crescent light.

He knew he was growing smaller, but he kept his starry cap on straight and proudly watched over his forest friends.

At last, the night came when the Moon became completely dark, hiding his face in the deep velvet sky.

Though invisible, he still felt his solid, cratered self beneath his cozy cap. He listened happily to his friends whispering from below.

With a happy sigh, the Moon began to grow, shining bright and full once again over the joyful forest.

He realized that whether he was a tiny sliver or a big, glowing circle, he was always the very same Moon.

Safe and loved, the Moon shone happily under the twinkling stars, always the same friend to the quiet forest below.