Chapter II

The Moon was so sorry for Queen Sunshine that she would not go home and tell her that Queen Darkness had taken the children.

She said to Queen Darkness, “Let me go with the children.”

Queen Darkness gladly carried their good servant, the Moon, to her dark castle to live with Queen Sunshine’s children.

She named them the Star-children. Queen Darkness always keeps the Star-children near her. The little ones are so close together that they look like a silver ribbon on her dress.

Ever since, their mother, Queen Sunshine, has been looking for her children.

Whenever she comes in her golden dress to the shore of the sea, the water is so bright that she cannot find them.

Queen Darkness does not let the Star-children go out when it is light, but once every night she leads them across the sky.

Their mother always follows after them. Sometimes she sees one of her children far away.

The kind old servant, the Moon, sometimes runs away and comes to Queen Sunshine to tell her about her children.

From the German of FRAULEIN MEISSNER (_Adapted_).

THE STARS.

Do you know what the little stars do at night?
They play on a deep blue hill.
Mother Moon watches to keep them in sight,
For they’re never, never still.

Do you know what the little stars do at dawn?
They sink in a sun-kissed sea,
And there they sleep till the day is gone,
As still as still can be.

MAY MOORE JACKSON.

RAPHAEL.

Long, long ago, across the sea, there lived a master artist.

He made, in clay, such beautiful bowls and vases, that people came from far and near to buy them.

Some young men lived with him. The master artist taught them how to make the same beautiful things.

One summer day, one of these young men was very sad. A little boy with golden hair ran up to him and said, “Dear Luca, why are you so unhappy?”

“Oh, Raphael!” said Luca. “The great duke wants us to paint him a bowl and a vase. The master says that the artist who makes the most beautiful one may live with him always. He will also have a gift from the duke.”

“When must the bowl and the vase be ready?” said Raphael.

“In three months,” answered Luca.

Raphael threw his arms around Luca’s neck.

“Let me try to paint them for you,” said the little boy with golden hair.

“You dear child!” cried Luca. “You are only seven years old. You cannot help me.”

Raphael was very sorry for his dear Luca.

“Oh, Luca, I love you so! Please let me try,” he said again.

Then Luca said, “You may try, Raphael. It can do no harm. I can never paint the vase and the bowl.”