The Tale of the Wandering Star and the Little Cloud ~ Short Stories

 

In the sky, where the stars shone brightly and clouds floats lazily, lived a little cloud named Puffy. Puffy was not like any other cloud. While most clouds were floating across the sky, Puffy dreamed of adventure. He wants to explore beyond the sky and meet the stars he admired every night.

It was evening and the colour of the sky had turned into deep purple colour with the first stars twinkling here and there. Puffy called out one evening, "Oh, stars! How do you shine so brightly and so long? Don't you ever want to wander?"

The stars were chuckling; the starlight twinkled with laughter in the sky. But one star was smaller and called out to Puffy, "I wish I could wander, Puffy. I've always wanted to see the world below, but I'm bound to this spot in the sky."

Puffy's heart swelled with sympathy. "What if we find a way to help you wander?" he asked.

The little star, whose name was Glimmer, twinkled with excitement. "But how? I can't leave my place in the heavens."

Puffy thought for a moment. "I'll carry you! If you can hop onto my fluffy back, I'll take you wherever you wish."

The other stars gasped. "A star leaving the sky? It's unheard of!" they murmured. But Glimmer's light brightened with hope. "I'll try!"

Glimmer landed on Puffy's back with a gentle leap. Everyone waited, expecting the star's glow to fade. Together, they drifted away to an extraordinary journey.

 Their Adventure Begins

Puffy and Glimmer traveled over mountains, valleys, and oceans. Glimmer marveled at sparkling rivers and the golden sands of the desert. Puffy, in turn, was delighted by stories of the star that explained constellations and galaxies way past the sky.

As they journeyed, they realized that something was amiss. Glimmer's light began to grow dimmer. "What's wrong?" Puffy asked, worried.

"I suppose I require the sky's energy to shine," Glimmer admitted. "Without it, my light will fade completely."

Puffy halted in his tracks. "Then we must take you straight to the sky!"

But Glimmer's glow was soft beneath his shaking. "Wait. I have seen so much beauty on this journey. I wouldn't trade this for anything. But I do not want to fade completely. Let's find a way for me to shine again."

 Finding the Balance

Puffy and Glimmer went to see the ancient Old Oak Tree, which had been standing in the same place for thousands of years. "Balance is key," said the Old Oak. "You can't hold onto everything but you can carry the memory of what you've experienced. Maybe you need to share your light with others, Glimmer, rather than holding all the glimmer to yourself."

Inspired, Glimmer and Puffy floated to a busy village below. There they found people working diligently under the faint rays of lanterns. "They need a little light," he said.

With a soft burst, Glimmer spread tiny sparks of his glow. These danced to the earth, creating a trail of twinkling lights that warmed and rejoiced the village. The people looked up, amazed by the glowing sky.

As Glimmer gave away his light, a miracle occurred. His shine stopped dimming. Instead, it wavered softly, powered by the smiles he was lighting up in people's faces.

 A Return with Purpose

Finally, Puffy took Glimmer back to the sky. Stars were waiting for their return, amazed and astonished. Glimmer was smaller in size now, but brighter than ever. He had made it more powerful as a spirit through his journey and became a glowing light of hope for the world below him.

Puffy also became a wiser one who understood that though dreams are worth catching, sometimes helping others shine can make your glow even brighter.

From that day onwards, Puffy and Glimmer became legends in the sky and inspired all the stars and clouds to dreamt, share, and wander with purpose.

 Moral of the Story:

 True brightness comes not from holding onto your light but from sharing it with others. When you help others shine, your own light grows even brighter.

Questions and Answers on *The Story of the Traveling Star and the Small Cloud*

Comprehension Questions

1. Question: Who are the main characters in the story? 

 Answer: The main characters are Puffy, the small cloud, and Glimmer, the tiny bright star. 

2. Question: What did Puffy dream about? 

 Answer: Puffy dreamed of going on an adventure beyond the horizon.

3. Question: Why did Glimmer want to leave the sky?

 Answer: Glimmer wanted to see the world down below and wander because he was curious about life after the stars.

4. Question: How did Puffy and Glimmer help the people in the village?

 Answer: Glimmer lit up the village with magical sparks in the form of his light, making their lives brighter.

5. Question: What did the Old Oak Tree advise?

Answer: The Old Oak Tree said balance is the key, not to hold on to all of his light, but to let some go so it could bring delight to the others.

 

# Critical Thinking Questions

6. Question: Why did Glimmer's light begin to fade on the way?

Answer: Glimmer's light started to dim because he had to have energy coming from the sky to keep his shine going.

7. Question: How did sharing his light help Glimmer regain his strength?

 Answer: Sharing his light made others happy so Glimmer had a new purpose in life and a kind of strength in shining.

8. Question: What does Puffy's decision to help Glimmer tell us about his character?

Answer: Through Puffy's actions, one could associate that Puffy is selfless, kind, and willing to take a risk to get someone what they want in life. 

9. Question: What have the stars learned from Glimmer and Puffy?

 Answer: They probably learned that the act of helping one another and that traveling through new experiences and encounters bring growth in personal and domestic lives. 

# Moral Reflection Questions

10. Question: What does the story teach you about sharing and giving? 

  Answer: The story teaches that sharing what you have can not only help others but also make your own life more fulfilling. 

11. Question: In what ways can Puffy and Glimmer's journey inspire you in your life?

Answer: We are inspired to chase our dreams with ourselves, help others in the process, and live in balance between desires for ourselves and giving back to others through their journey.

12. Question: If you were in Glimmer's place, would you choose to leave the sky? Why or why not?

Answer: Answers will vary. A child might say, "Yes, because I would want to see the world," or "No, because I wouldn't want my light to fade."

These questions really invite comprehension, reflection, and personal connection with a story!