A Pumpkin with a Different Dream
In Farmer Green’s pumpkin patch, dozens of plump pumpkins grew side by side. Some dreamed of becoming pies, others wished to be carved into jack-o’-lanterns for Halloween. But one small pumpkin had a very different dream.
“I don’t want to sit on a porch or be made into soup,” he whispered one night. “I want to shine in the sky, bright and beautiful… Why can’t I be a star!”
The bigger pumpkins chuckled. “Silly pumpkin,” one snorted. “Pumpkins belong in fields, not in the heavens.” “Just accept your place,” said another.
But the little pumpkin held onto his wish.
The Wish Upon the Stars
As autumn nights grew colder, the sky glittered above the patch. The little pumpkin gazed at the stars, his heart glowing with hope. One night, a gentle voice floated down. “Why do you stare so longingly at us?” asked a twinkling star. “I want to join you,” the pumpkin admitted. “I want to shine up there and light the night.” The star twinkled kindly. “Dreams have power, little one. Keep wishing.”
Days passed. The harvest festival approached, and Farmer Green came to gather the pumpkins. “Nice and round,” he said, lifting a big one. “Perfect for pie,” he said, choosing another.
But when he reached the little pumpkin, he paused. “Hmm. Too small. Too lopsided.” So he left it behind. The pumpkin’s heart sank. He was left alone in the field as the others were carried away. That night, with no one around, the pumpkin sighed to the stars. “I’ll never shine. I’ll just wither here all alone.”
The Witch’s Gift
Suddenly, the air shimmered. A gentle witch, with a cloak sparkling like midnight, appeared beside him. “Why so sad, little pumpkin?” she asked. He told her his dream.
The witch’s eyes twinkled. “A pumpkin who wishes to be a star? How unusual… and how wonderful.” She lifted her wand, touched the pumpkin gently, and whispered, “Shine, little one.”
The pumpkin felt warmth swell inside him. His skin glowed softly, brighter, brighter, until beams of golden light streamed from his round body. He rose from the ground, floating higher and higher. “Goodbye, field,” he whispered. “Goodbye, pumpkins.”
Up, up he drifted, past the treetops, past the clouds, until he nestled into the dark sky. There he shone—round and glowing, just like he had always dreamed.
Children walking home from the festival that night looked up in wonder. “Look!” one cried. “A new star!” “No,” said another, “it looks more like… a pumpkin star!” And so it was. A golden-orange light twinkling proudly among the constellations.
The Legend Lives On
The little pumpkin never forgot the patch, but he no longer felt small or forgotten. He was part of something bigger, lighting the nights of children everywhere. Whenever autumn returned, his glow burned brighter, as if reminding pumpkins everywhere –
“You can be more than what others expect. Your dreams can carry you higher than you ever imagined.”
And down below, in Farmer Green’s field, a new generation of pumpkins grew—some whispering to each other about the legend of the pumpkin who had become a star.
The End.
Want to inspire your little one’s imagination? Check out tips from PBS Parents — then browse our Seasonal Bedtime Favorites for cozy autumn magic.
