The Moon's Silver Button: a free five-minute bedtime story about a girl who helps the Moon

Nora was almost asleep when she heard a tiny tink against her window. She sat up. There, on the windowsill, something was shining. It was a button. A small, round, silver button, glowing as softly as a night-light. Nora held it in her hand. It felt cool, like a pebble from a stream. "I wonder who this belongs to," she whispered. She looked out of the window. The sky was dark blue and full of stars, and in the middle of it hung the Moon. But the Moon looked a little worried. Her silver coat was flapping open in the breeze, and one button was missing. "Oh," said Nora. "It's yours." The Moon looked down and gave a small, hopeful smile. Then, very slowly, a ribbon of moonlight stretched down from the sky until it rested on Nora's windowsill, like a ladder made of light. Nora put on her slippers. She tucked the button into her pajama pocket. And she began to climb. Each step was soft and springy, like walking on a feather bed. Below her, the town grew smaller. The houses had their lights turned off. The streets were quiet. A cat on a fence looked up and blinked at her. Higher and higher she climbed, past a cloud that smelled like rain, past a sleepy bird tucked under her wing. At the top, the Moon was waiting. "Thank you for coming," said the Moon, in a voice like a lullaby. "That button keeps my coat closed on cold nights. Without it, I let in the wind, and I can't keep the world calm." Nora held up the button. The Moon bent down, and Nora gently pushed the button through the buttonhole. There. The Moon's coat closed snugly. Her light grew warm and steady, and all across the sky, the stars seemed to settle down, like children getting into bed. "How can I thank you?" asked the Moon. Nora thought about it. "Maybe," she said with a yawn, "you could shine through my window, just a little, while I sleep." The Moon laughed softly. "Every night," she promised. "Now, it's time to go home." The ribbon of moonlight glowed, and Nora climbed down, slowly, slowly, one soft step at a time. Past the sleepy bird. Past the rainy cloud. Past the cat on the fence, who was now asleep himself. She stepped back through her window and climbed into bed. The sheets were cool, and the pillow was soft. Through the window, a gentle silver light fell across her blanket, just as the Moon had promised. Nora looked up and whispered, "Goodnight, Moon." And high above, the Moon, with her coat buttoned up tight, whispered back, "Goodnight, Nora."

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The Moon's Silver Button

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