There once was a star named Astrid, who shone brightly in her corner of the night. Astrid was a happy star, glad to be in such a nice part of the sky, and joyous when the moon crossed her path, or a meteorite streaked by. Astrid especially enjoyed the summer. That was when she was at her peak, her most visible, and she shone happily at the upturned faces of earth.

One sultry summer night, a hawk flew higher than usual, and met Astrid. She was glad to meet him.

“Hello, there. My name is Astrid, what’s yours?”

The hawk nodded. “I am Halcyon. Say, I’ve never been up this far. May I perch on you?”

“But of course. Light here on my basket.”

Halcyon did so. “Thank you.” Looking up at Astrid’s body, he said, “I have never met one of your kind before, though I have seen you from a distance many times. What manner of creature are you?”

“I believe I am a star,” Astrid replied. “I shine brightly in the night as I float through the sky.”

“Ah. Then surely you are a star of a new kind. I greatly admire your silver skin.”

“Thank you.” Astrid’s laugh was a tinkly sound. “I must admit, I am a little envious of how you can move through the sky at will.”

Halcyon smiled. “It’s very kind of you to let me rest in your basket like this. Truly, you are as generous as you are beautiful.”

They hung together this way, talking quietly as the sun turned rose and disappeared in the distance. When the sun returned, Astrid and Halcyon were still talking. They spoke of the sky, of the moon above and the earth below. They spoke of winter’s harsh winds and the moist heat of summer. They spoke of love.

When Halcyon flew away, it was only to catch a fish. He returned with twigs and down. Astrid was glad he had made her basket his home. After spending all her years shining perfectly happily alone in the night, Astrid now couldn’t imagine life without a companion.

Years later, a team of scientists retrieved their weather balloon, and were very surprised to find a nest among their equipment, containing highly unusual feathers and the fragmented remains of a silver egg.

Copyright 2006 Amy Frushour Kelly. All rights reserved.

Reproduction by any means prohibited without prior written consent.