One starry night, Don Quixote sat in his garden. His eyes were big and bright as he looked up at the sky. "Oh! The stars are so pretty!" he said with a smile. He saw a star shoot across the sky. "I must catch the stars!" he said. "I will put them in jars and give light to all!" Don Quixote ran inside his house. He had an idea, but he needed some things first.
Don Quixote went to the kitchen. He looked up at the tall shelves. There were many jars, big and small. "The stars need homes!" he said. He reached up and took three glass jars. They were clean and clear. He held them up to the light. "Perfect!" he said. "But how will I catch the stars?" Don Quixote put the jars in his bag. He knew he needed more things for his quest.
Don Quixote ran to the old garden shed. It was a bit dark inside, but he was not scared. "A net! I need a net to catch the stars!" he said with joy. He looked around the shed. There were many tools. He saw rakes and spades. He saw old pots and bits of rope. Then, in a dusty corner, he found it! A small butterfly net with a long handle. "This is just right!" he said. He waved it in the air. "Stars are like sky butterflies. This will work!" Now Don Quixote had his jars and his net. But he needed to get closer to the stars.
Don Quixote looked at the big hill behind his house. It rose up high against the dark sky. "The stars look closer up there!" he said with joy. He held his net tight and started to climb. Up, up, up he went. His feet found good spots on the grassy hill. The jars clinked softly in his bag as he walked. When he got to the top, Don Quixote felt tall and brave. The wind played with his hair. The stars seemed so close now! He could see the whole town below. All the lights looked like tiny stars on the ground. But the real stars up above were much prettier. Just then, a bright light streaked across the sky! A shooting star! Don Quixote held up his net, ready to catch it. But which way should he go? He saw two paths on the hill top. The left path went to a grove of tall trees. Maybe he could climb one to get even closer to the stars! The right path led to an open field. Nothing would block his view of the sky there!
Don Quixote ran down the right path to the open field. His feet moved fast on the soft grass. "Here I can see all the stars!" he said with joy. The field was wide and flat. No trees blocked his view of the night sky. He set his jars down in a row. Each jar was ready to hold a star. The glass sparkled in the starlight. Don Quixote held his net high. He stood very still and waited. The wind was soft and cool. Then it happened! Another shooting star flew across the sky! "Now!" he called out. He jumped and swung his net, but the star was too fast. "I must try something else," he said. He saw a small hill of rocks he could climb. That would get him a bit higher. But then he heard a soft sound. It was coming from behind a big rock. Maybe it was someone who could help him catch stars!
Don Quixote tiptoed to the big rock. He held his net close and peeked around the edge. There, sitting on a small blanket, was a girl about his age. She had a telescope and a book of star maps. "Hello!" Don Quixote said with a friendly wave. "I am trying to catch stars in my jars!" The girl smiled. "I'm Luna. I'm studying the stars," she said. She pointed to her telescope. "Would you like to look?" Don Quixote had never seen a telescope before. It was shiny and long, pointing up at the sky. "The stars look much bigger through here," Luna said. "And I know when the shooting stars will come!" Don Quixote's eyes got wide. This could help his quest! But he wasn't sure what to do next.
Don Quixote smiled at Luna. "Let's work together!" he said. "You can spot the stars, and I can catch them!" Luna laughed softly. "Stars are too far away to catch," she said kindly. "But we can catch their light in a different way!" She showed Don Quixote how to use her telescope. Through it, the stars looked like bright jewels. Some were blue, some were red, and some were gold. Luna took one of Don Quixote's jars and held it up. "Watch this!" she said. She pulled out a small light and some silver paper. She put them in the jar and sprinkled in some glitter. The jar glowed just like a star! It was beautiful! Don Quixote's eyes lit up with wonder. Together, they filled all three jars with tiny lights and glitter. Each one sparkled and shone in the dark. "Now we have caught starlight!" Luna said. Don Quixote held up his jars of light. They were even prettier than he had imagined. And he had made a new friend too! That night, Don Quixote and Luna sat in the field, watching real stars dance across the sky while their jar-stars twinkled beside them. It was the perfect end to his quest.
