졸린 작은 별

하늘 위, 구름 위, 심지어 가장 높은 산 위에도 '트윙클'이라는 작은 별이 살고 있었습니다. 이제 트윙클은 다른 스타들과는 달랐습니다. 대부분의 스타들은 밤새도록 밝게 빛나는 것을 좋아했지만, 트윙클은 늘 졸린 기분이었습니다.

매일 밤 하늘이 어두워지면 트윙클은 하품을 하기 시작했어요. 그가 깨어 있으려고 애쓰는 동안 그의 빛은 깜박거리고 깜박거렸습니다. 다른 별들은 밝고 꾸준하게 밝게 빛나지만 반짝반짝 빛나지는 않습니다. 그는 무슨 일을 하든 눈을 뜰 수가 없었습니다.

다른 스타들도 종종 그를 놀렸다. “트윙클, 넌 빛나야 해!” 그들은 말할 것입니다. “계속 잠들면 아이들은 어떻게 꿈나라로 갈 수 있을까요?”

트윙클은 조금 슬픈 기분이 들었다. 그는 누구도 실망시키고 싶지 않았지만 어쩔 수 없었습니다. 졸음이 항상 승리할 것이고, 그의 빛은 점점 어두워질 것입니다.

어느 날 밤, 유난히 큰 하품을 한 후 Twinkle은 이에 대해 뭔가를 하기로 결정했습니다. "알아요!" 그는 말했다. “달에게 가서 도움을 청하겠습니다. 달은 언제나 너무나 밝고 활짝 깨어있습니다. 어쩌면 그 사람이 나한테도 깨어 있는 방법을 알려줄 수도 있을 것 같아요!”

하늘에서 달이 은은하게 빛나고 있는 곳으로 트윙클이 떠올랐다. “죄송합니다, 문 씨.” 트윙클이 졸린 듯한 작은 목소리로 말했다. “항상 너무 피곤해서 깨어 있을 수 없는 것 같아요. 저를 도와주실 수 있나요?”

달은 트윙클을 내려다보며 미소를 지었다. “오, 트윙클.” 그는 친절하게 말했다. “졸려도 문제는 없어요. 사실, 그것이 바로 당신을 특별하게 만드는 것일 수도 있습니다.”

트윙클은 놀라 눈을 깜박였다. “하지만 졸리는 것이 어떻게 특별할 수 있나요? 빛을 발하고 아이들이 잠들 수 있도록 도와줘야 해요.”

달은 웃었다. “그리고 당신은 당신만의 특별한 방식으로 그렇게 합니다! 아시다시피, 반짝반짝, 당신의 부드럽고 졸린 빛은 아이들이 잠에 빠지는 데 도움이 됩니다. 스타들도 가끔 졸릴 때가 있다는 걸 알기에 그들은 당신을 올려다보며 아늑하고 안전한 느낌을 받습니다.”

트윙클은 이전에는 그런 식으로 생각한 적이 없었습니다. “그럼 내 졸린 빛이 실제로 아이들을 돕고 있다는 뜻인가요?”

“맞아요.” 달이 말했다. “당신은 마치 하늘에 떠 있는 잠자리 이야기 같아요. 여러분의 은은하고 깜박이는 빛은 아이들을 차분하게 만들고 꿈나라로 가는 길을 찾는 데 도움을 줍니다.”

트윙클은 속으로 따뜻하고 행복한 느낌을 받았습니다. 그는 자신이 다른 별들처럼 밝게 빛날 필요가 없다는 것을 깨달았습니다. 그의 졸린 깜박이는 빛은 아이들에게 꼭 필요한 것이었습니다.

그날 밤부터 Twinkle은 깨어있는 것에 대해 걱정하지 않았습니다. 그는 자신의 부드럽고 깜박이는 빛이 그 자체로 완벽하다는 것을 알고 졸음에 빠져들었습니다. 그리고 매일 밤 잠이 들 때마다 트윙클은 자신이 아이들의 숙면을 도와준 졸린 작은 별이라는 사실에 뿌듯함과 평화로움을 느꼈습니다.

그래서 매일 밤 아이들은 침대에 파묻혀 밤하늘을 올려다보며 트윙클의 은은하고 졸린 빛을 보았습니다. 그 덕분에 그들은 안전하고 사랑받는다는 느낌을 받았고, 곧 그들은 미소를 지으며 꿈나라로 떠났습니다.

끝.

 

The Sleepy Little Star

Up in the sky, far above the clouds and even above the tallest mountains, there lived a tiny star named Twinkle. Now, Twinkle wasn’t like the other stars. While most stars loved to shine brightly all night long, Twinkle was always feeling sleepy.

Every night, as soon as the sky got dark, Twinkle would start to yawn. His light would flicker and blink as he tried so hard to stay awake. The other stars would twinkle merrily, shining bright and steady, but not Twinkle. No matter what he did, he just couldn’t keep his eyes open.

The other stars often teased him. “Twinkle, you’re supposed to shine!” they would say. “How will the children find their way to dreamland if you keep falling asleep?”

Twinkle felt a little sad. He didn’t want to let anyone down, but he just couldn’t help it. The sleepiness would always win, and his light would grow dim.

One night, after a particularly big yawn, Twinkle decided to do something about it. “I know!” he said. “I’ll go ask the Moon for help. The Moon is always so bright and wide awake. Maybe he can tell me how to stay awake too!”

Twinkle floated over to where the Moon was shining softly in the sky. “Excuse me, Mr. Moon,” Twinkle said in a small, sleepy voice. “I’m always so tired, and I can’t seem to stay awake. Can you help me?”

The Moon looked down at Twinkle and smiled. “Oh, Twinkle,” he said kindly, “there’s nothing wrong with being sleepy. In fact, that might be exactly what makes you special.”

Twinkle blinked in surprise. “But how can being sleepy be special? I’m supposed to shine and help the children fall asleep.”

The Moon chuckled. “And you do, in your own special way! You see, Twinkle, your soft, sleepy light is what helps the children drift off to sleep. They look up at you and feel cozy and safe, knowing that even the stars get sleepy sometimes.”

Twinkle had never thought of it that way before. “So, you mean my sleepy light is actually helping the children?”

“That’s right,” said the Moon. “You’re like a bedtime story in the sky. Your gentle, flickering light makes the children feel calm and helps them find their way to dreamland.”

Twinkle felt warm and happy inside. He realized that he didn’t need to shine as brightly as the other stars. His sleepy, flickering light was just what the children needed.

From that night on, Twinkle didn’t worry about staying awake. He let himself get sleepy, knowing that his soft, flickering light was perfect just the way it was. And as he drifted off to sleep each night, Twinkle felt proud and peaceful, knowing he was the Sleepy Little Star who helped the children sleep soundly.

And so, every night, as the children snuggled into their beds and looked up at the night sky, they saw Twinkle’s gentle, sleepy light. It made them feel safe and loved, and soon they were off to dreamland with a smile.

The End.