Biscuit Counts the Stars
Behind the little house there was a hill. In the daytime, Biscuit the puppy ran up and down it, up and down, until his tongue flopped out and his tail spun like a propeller.
But now it was evening. The window of the house glowed yellow, and the grass on the hill had turned soft and cool.
"Just a little bit longer," Biscuit told himself, and he lay down in the grass. "Just a little bit."
He looked up. The sky was full of stars. Small ones, big ones, some that twinkled and some that simply glowed.
"I'm going to count them," Biscuit decided. "Every single one."
"One," he said, looking at the biggest star.
"Two," he said, looking at a little one beside it.
"Three…" But wait. Down in the grass, something was glowing too. Tiny golden dots, floating this way and that, slowly, slowly.
Fireflies. They danced around Biscuit like little lanterns.
"Do you count too?" Biscuit asked.
A firefly landed on the tip of his nose and glowed extra bright. Biscuit giggled, the way only puppies can.
"All right. Then you count. Four. Five. Six."
The breeze wandered by and ruffled his fur. It smelled of grass and night, and just a little of the apple pie cooling in the kitchen.
"Seven," Biscuit mumbled. "Eight."
His ears grew heavy. His paws grew heavy. Even his tail, which was hardly ever still, lay perfectly quiet in the grass.
"Nine…"
Biscuit closed his eyes, just for a moment, just to rest them.
The stars kept shining. The fireflies kept dancing, slowly, slowly. And the window of the house glowed warmly, as if to say: we're here, we're close by.
"Ten," Biscuit whispered, hardly making a sound.
Then he stopped counting. He breathed slow and easy, in and out, in and out, and dreamed of a hill full of stars, where he could run up and down for as long as he liked.
A little later, someone came out of the house, gently lifted the warm little puppy and carried him inside to his basket.
Biscuit didn't wake up. He only gave a happy sigh and went on sleeping.
Goodnight, Biscuit. Goodnight, all the stars.
More bedtime stories
- Misty Says Goodnight to the MoonA calm bedtime story about Misty the kitten, who sits in the window and says goodnight to the moon, the stars and the whole sleepy house.
- Little Rabbit's Leaf BlanketA cosy autumn story about a little rabbit who gathers soft leaves into a blanket and falls asleep beneath the big old tree.
- Rory Raccoon's Basket of TreasuresA bedtime story about Rory the raccoon, who tucks the day's little treasures into his basket and says thank you for the day before he falls asleep.
- Kiki and the Rain LullabyA calm bedtime story about Kiki the little monkey, who lies in her leaf hammock listening to the rain sing a lullaby in the rainforest.
- Pip the Hedgehog and the Moss BedA cosy bedtime story about Pip the little hedgehog, who builds a soft moss bed under a big red mushroom and falls asleep among the fireflies.
- Little Owl Hoo and the Sleepy TreeA gentle bedtime story about Hoo, a fluffy baby owl who listens to the old tree hum a lullaby and snuggles down in her soft round nest.
- Bramble the Bear Cub's Winter SleepA warm bedtime story about Bramble the bear cub, who curls up in a snug den as the first snow falls and dreams the long, soft winter away.
- Shelly the Turtle and the Moonlit SeaA soothing bedtime story about Shelly the little sea turtle, who listens to the slow waves on a moonlit beach and lets the sea sing her to sleep.
- Lily the Lamb and Finn the FoxA tender bedtime story about two best friends, Lily the lamb and Finn the fox, who count the stars in the meadow and fall asleep side by side.