long he was wandering about on the ocean, and among the stars, and
over the dark mountain. But the moon loved to look on the
slumbering Child as he lay with his little head softly pillowed on
his right arm. She lingered a long time before his little window,
and went slowly away to lighten the dark chamber of some sick
person.

As the moon's soft light lay on the Child's eyelids, he fancied he
sat in a golden boat, on a great, great water; countless stars swam
glittering on the dark mirror. He stretched out his hand to catch
the nearest star, but it had vanished, and the water sprayed up
against him. Then he saw clearly that these were not the real
stars; he looked up to heaven, and wished he could fly thither.

But in the meantime the moon had wandered on her way; and now the
Child was led in his dream into the clouds, and he thought he was
sitting on a white sheep, and he saw many lambs grazing around him.
He tried to catch a little lamb to play with, but it was all mist
and vapour; and the Child was sorrowful, and wished himself down
again in his own meadow, where his own lamb was sporting gaily
about.

Meanwhile the moon was gone to sleep behind the mountains, and all
around was dark. Then the Child dreamt that he fell down into the
dark, gloomy caverns of the mountain, and at that he was so
frightened, that he suddenly awoke, just as morning opened her clear
eye over the nearest hill.