The Giggling Stars and the Sleepy Moon

High up in the night sky, there lived a little moon named Milo. Milo had the funniest problem in all the sky — every single night, when he tried to glow, he let out a great big HICCUP! *Hic!* His light would wobble and jiggle like a bowl of starry jelly. 'Oh dear,' Milo sighed, 'I hiccup every time I shine.'

Every night the stars far away would twinkle politely, but none of them came close. They thought Milo's hiccups might be contagious! Milo floated all alone, hiccupping quietly to himself. '*Hic!* I wish I had a friend,' he whispered to the soft, dark sky.

Then one night, a tiny star named Pip came zooming by — and tripped over a cloud! *Bonk!* Pip tumbled through the sky in a big, sparkly somersault. 'Whoopsie-daisy!' Pip giggled, spinning around three times before stopping right in front of Milo. Milo was so surprised he forgot to hiccup — for exactly four seconds.

'I'm Pip!' said the tiny star, straightening herself up with great dignity — and then immediately tripping over another cloud. Milo burst out laughing, and *hic!* — his laugh and his hiccup happened at the exact same time, making the most spectacular sound in the whole sky. 'You sound like a sneezing tuba!' Pip giggled. And just like that, they were friends.

Pip wanted to help Milo stop hiccupping, so she thought of every cure she knew. 'Hold your breath!' said Pip. Milo held his breath... and turned a funny shade of blue before letting out the BIGGEST hiccup yet, which sent three clouds spinning like tops. '*Hic!* I don't think that helped,' Milo admitted, and they both dissolved into giggles all over again.

'Maybe,' said Pip softly, floating close, 'your hiccups are actually beautiful.' Milo looked at her with big round eyes. 'Every time you hiccup, your light dances,' Pip said, 'and I think that's the most wonderful light in the whole sky.' Milo felt something warm and soft bloom right in the center of his glow — like a little sunrise lived inside him.

As the night grew later and later, Pip began to yawn the tiniest little yawn — so small it was barely bigger than a dewdrop. '*Hic!*' went Milo softly, and his gentle light rocked Pip like a lullaby. 'I think,' said Pip sleepily, 'that your hiccups are my favorite sound in the whole wide sky.' Milo smiled his roundest, warmest smile.

And so, every night after that, Pip curled up close to Milo, right in the softest part of his glow. And every night, Milo would *hic!* his light all the way across the sky, and all the children down below would look up and smile at the wobbling, jiggling, wonderful moon. Because now Milo knew the truth about hiccups — and about friendship, too. They're both unexpected, a little bit silly, and absolutely the best thing in the world. *Hic.*