Rosella woke up feeling excited. It was her birthday, and her grandfather, who she loved dearly, was coming to stay. He told her all about the stars and gave her lots of interesting maps and charts. As soon as she heard him arrive, Rosella rushed downstairs. ‘Grandpa!’ she cried with delight. ‘I have a surprise for you,’ he said as he held out his arms. And he gave her a long, rectangular box. Rosella thanked him warmly and carefully unwrapped it. Inside was a shiny telescope, with a small birthday card.

That night, Rosella stood by her bedroom window, looking through her telescope. Suddenly, she saw a tiny ladder far out in the sky. It grew longer and longer, until finally it came to rest on her windowsill. Rosella put her foot on the first rung. Her little dog Muffin barked, but up she went.

Higher and higher Rosella climbed. Above her, the stars grew bigger and brighter and more beautiful. Drown by the magic of the night sky, she went up and up.

Rosella wanted to reach the star where the ladder began. It seemed so far away. The air around her was growing lighter, but she could feel her body growing heavier. She started to feel scared. What if she fell? What if the ladder broke?

Suddenly, the ladder began to bend and sway. It bent and bent. Rosella found herself falling. Down, down, down she fell. She felt her eyelids getting heavier and heavier and by the time she reached the ground she was in a deep sleep.

Rosella was awakened by a warm, soft lick on her cheek. She opened her eyes. Her little dog Muffin was watching her anxiously. Am I asleep or am I awake? Rosella wondered. She wasn’t sure. Rosella stretched and looked around her. She had landed in a beautiful glade surrounded by a circle of trees. Around her grew wild flowers of every kind. The sweet smell of bluebells and primroses filled the air.

Rosella lay back in the soft grass and gazed up into the moonlight. It shone softly on the trees, grass and flowers.

Muffin sat very still. She thought she could smell a rabbit, but she wasn’t quite sure.

Where can I be? Rosella wondered. Then she remembered the ladder. She looked up, but it was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, she noticed something shimmering far above her in the moonlight.

Down from the starry heavens flew the most wonderful creature she had ever seen.

It was a spirit. The spirit was tall and graceful. Around its delicate body, fronds of gossamer rippled and swirled.

Muffin’s soft brown eyes grew very big, but still she did not move.

The spirit danced for Rosella. It swooped and dived, flashing through the air like a streak of light. Rosella clapped her hands with delight.

‘Oh!’ exclaimed the spirit. ‘Can you see me? How wonderful! Most people can’t. How did you came to be here, anyway?’

‘I was trying to climb a ladder to the stars,’ Rosella explained, ‘but it broke and I fell.’

‘Never mind!’ said the spirit. ‘I’ll take you to my planet. It’s very special.

Hold on to my hand. You need not be afraid: you will be quite safe with me.’

‘Thank you,’ said Rosella politely. She held the spirit’s hand, but she was still a little apprehensive. Muffin made a small, whining noise.

‘Please wait!’ cried Rosella. ‘I cannot leave my little dog behind. May she come too?’

‘Of course she may!’ said the spirit. ‘Only be sure to hold on to her paw very tightly in case she should fall. And try not to feel afraid – feeling afraid is what makes human beings heavy. That’s why you fell of the ladder just now.’

The three of them flew into the sky together and shot up to the stars. Muffin sped quite happily through the air, with her little butterfly ears streaming out behind her. Within the time it takes to fall asleep, they passed through a million galaxies. Then, just as Rosella was getting used to space travel, she saw a gleaming white planet in the distance.

The planet grew larger and larger. She could just pick out twinkling lights here and there.

‘Hold on tight!’ cried the spirit. ‘We’re going down!’

They gently landed on a small, winding path and caught their breath.

Muffin wasn’t too sure about this place, and her legs felt a bit wobbly!

Rosella stroke her little dog and looked around. The planet seemed to glow from within, like a huge luminous orb. Along the path grew strange trees with silvery leaves that twinkled in the breeze.

‘Come with me,’ whispered the spirit. As they wended their way through the twinkling trees, an old man came towards them. He was dressed in a long, white robe.

‘Welcome, Rosella!’ the old man said. His voice was soft and his eyes shone.

Rosella started. ‘How do you know my name?’

The man smiled and took both her hands.

Muffin pricked up her ears and put her head on one side.

‘You have not travelled as far as you may suppose,’ the old man said. ‘You have come from the stars and will return to the stars. When you go home, remember this. Whenever you feel sad or lonely, whenever you are in pain or trouble, remember that you are a child of the stars. Whatever happens to you, you will always be loved! You will always be safe.’

Rosella felt the old man’s love pour through her hands. She looked into his eyes and she smiled.

Muffin felt all warm inside.

Then as quickly as he had appeared, the old man vanished into the trees.

‘You have to go back now,’ said the spirit. ‘Don’t be afraid. I will guide you safely home.’

Rosella nodded.

Muffin had nodded to, looking slightly relieved.

So the spirit held tightly to Rosella and Rosella held tightly to Muffin. Together they flew back through the stars.

Past a million galaxies they sped once more, flying like the wind, down, down, down back to earth and in through Rosella’s bedroom window.

The next morning, Rosella awoke in her bed. She went to look out of her window. She could not see the stars now, but she knew they were there. And because she knew, she felt happy and safe.

Muffin was still dozing in her little basket by the bed.

‘Are you hungry, Muffin?’ Rosella asked. ‘Because I am starving!’

They crept downstairs, and together began to eat an enormous breakfast. They didn’t hear Rosella’s grandfather come softy into the room.

‘Did you have a good night?’ he asked.

‘Wonderful!’ answered Rosella.

A gentle smile crossed his face. ‘I’m so glad,’ he said.

Muffin looked up and smiled too, and wagged her little tail.

 

 

Rosalynne Greenway

A Ladder to the Stars

Bath: Barefoot Books, 1997

Nearby, there was a flower exhibition. Natural flowers, I must say. Nor would it make any sense, if it was an exhibition of plastic flowers. Or of cloth flowers. Or of paper flowers. Or of flowers on paintings.
When they are in a garden, flowers are always in exhibition.
“Behold our colours,” say the roses.
“Appreciate the vigour of our stem and the elegance of our corolla,” say the arum lilies, which are called “glasses of milk” by the Brazilians. I wonder why!
“Ravish with the delicate painting of our petals,” say the pansies.
The garden flowers are really vain. In the exhibition, displayed in jars or in vases, delight whoever passed by them.
At the entrance, but outside the flower festival, a poppy drew my attention.
“They won’t let me in,” she complained. “They say that the exhibition is only for cultivated flowers. I think that’s very unfair.”
I was of the same opinion. So, to make justice and to pay homage to the country flowers, who are as humble as beautiful, I took the poppy and put it on my lapel. Then, I went to see the exhibition as if I was carrying on my chest a medal able to make the envy of generals.
A scandal arose among the flowers of the contest.
“Why does this simpleton from the countryside have to be here exhibiting herself?” they asked one another.
But the visitors of the exhibition looked at us – at the poppy and at me – and smiled.
My poppy, with a red face, felt the queen of the party. Never had she drawn so many glares, so much attention, so much kindness. It was too much emotion for such a fragile poppy. Before I got to the end of the exhibition, the petals of my poppy had flown away. Where to? It doesn’t matter.
That had been the most glorious moment of her short life.

A. Torrado