The Stars in the Sky (Myth)

The Gods had a secret challenge for the entire world. They hung balls of light as high as they could in the sky, held up by tiny strings. These stars, as the Gods called them, would bring good fortune to the owner and their family. So a challenge was sent out to all the inhabitants of the Earth.1

Humans tried and tried to pluck the stars from the sky. Children reached on their tiptoes, large men climbed mountains; wives threw clothing line to try and lasso them down, but to no avail. No one could seem to reach them.2

One day, a tiny girl's father lay dying in bed. The girl looked her father in the eye and pointed to the stars. "Daddy," she said, "When you go to the stars, could you bring one back for mommy and me?" she asked.3

The father couldn't refuse his daughter, and agreed. Two days later, the man passed on. 4

When the father got to heaven, he said to the Gods, "Please, let me try to get a star for my family." This man, who even after death was so determined to complete this quest, impressed the Gods. They obliged, and the man set off to climb the highest of all high mountains. 5

When he got to the top, he reached out his hand, frozen by the mountain's cruel weather, and tried to reach the stars. He couldn't reach. He stood on his tiptoes, straining with all his might to reach the balls of light that the Earth admired so. He still couldn't reach. 6

So he jumped. He jumped as long as possible and rested only in the day. Once the stars came out again, he continued to try. As time went on, the tiny strings that held the stars up became frayed and worn by the constant shaking and rattling brought on by the man. 7

Finally, a star fell way off into the distance and hurtled toward earth. Everyone in the world watched as the first star fell from the heavens. They traced it with their fingers, and the children ran off in the direction the star seemed to fall.8

The man, however, was so caught up in getting the one star that he didn't notice the one that fell. Or any of the others that fell. So the man continues to jump to this day, reaching for the star for his daughter and family while showering the Earth with good fortune.9