Toby and the Sleepy Lighthouse

On a foggy morning, Toby found the little lighthouse asleep.

It stood at the end of the harbor wall. Its lamp was dark. Its red door was shut. From inside came a huge snore.

“Rrrr-ooom!” went the lighthouse.

Out in the gray water, boats could not see the safe way home.

Toby lived on a blue boat with his grandmother. He rang the lighthouse bell.

“Ding-ding!”

He knocked on the red door.

“Knock-knock!”

The lighthouse only snored louder.

Then Toby saw three silver birds circling the roof. Each held a bright drop of morning light in its beak.

“The lamp needs sunshine,” said Toby.

He climbed the short stone steps to the red door. Grandmother came beside him, holding a small yellow mirror from their boat.

Together, they tipped the mirror toward the pale sky. A thin sunbeam slid through the fog, bounced off the mirror, and slipped through the round lighthouse window.

Inside, the lamp gave one tiny blink.

Toby turned the mirror a little.

Blink! Blink!

The silver birds swooped down. Plip! Plip! Plip! They dropped their shining bits of light onto the lamp.

At once, it glowed warm and gold.

The lighthouse woke with a surprised hiccup.

“Oh! Is it morning already?”

Its lamp began to turn—over the gray water, over the harbor wall, and toward the waiting boats. One by one, the boats followed the golden light home.

When the last boat was tied safely to the dock, Toby waved at the lighthouse.

“Thank you for waking me,” it called.

Toby tucked the little yellow mirror under his coat. “Next time,” he said, “let’s try breakfast first.”

High above, the lighthouse sent out a cheerful beam, as if it agreed.