It was a warm spring evening. The rain had just stopped falling and there was that fresh smell in the air that comes after thunderstorms. In the garden of Ellie's house, four friends were doing something very fun: they were building paper boats to float them in a big basin full of water.

"My boat is the fastest!" shouted Larry, blowing hard on his little blue boat.

"Wait, mine is coming!" said Alex, hopping around the basin with his bright little eyes shining.

Violet, with her focused blue eyes, was folding another sheet of paper. "I'm making a really big one," she said with a determined voice.

Ellie observed everything calmly. She was tall and thin, and watched the little boats move on the water with a small smile. Every now and then she yawned, because it was evening and she always got tired early when the sun went to sleep.

Dad Andrew was sitting on the garden bench watching the children play. "Hey little sailors, are your boats ready for the sea?" he said laughing.

Mum Lisa smiled and gave a compliment: "What clever little hands you have, the boats are beautiful!"

At that moment, from far away, a strange sound was heard.

"CHUFF CHUFF!"

The four children looked up. They knew that sound!

From behind the garden hedge appeared a colorful little train, with wheels turning merrily and a plume of white smoke rising toward the sky.

"It's Toby the Magic Train!" shouted Alex, running toward him.

Toby the Magic Train stopped in front of the children and whistled happily. Then he said in a cheerful voice:

"Good evening friends, are you ready to depart? Under the stars I want to take you, where warm bread will make you dream!"

"Where are we going?" asked Violet, curious.

But Toby the Magic Train didn't answer. He opened his colorful little doors and waited.

"Can we go, Dad?" asked Ellie looking at Andrew with her sweet eyes.

Andrew nodded. "Go ahead, little one. Toby the Magic Train will bring you home safe and sound."

The four children climbed onto the train. Alex first, because he never stayed still. Then Larry, super fast. Violet climbed on with a determined step. And finally Ellie, who settled into a soft seat.

"CHUFF CHUFF!"

And Toby the Magic Train departed.

The little train flew over the houses, over the meadows, over the hills. The sky had become dark, but it was full of stars. So many stars that they gave light like little lanterns up there.

"Look at how many stars!" said Ellie, pointing at the sky.

And then came a smell. A wonderful smell. The smell of freshly baked bread. The smell of warm cookies. The smell of cakes and pies.

"What a good smell!" said Larry, sniffing hard with his nose.

Toby the Magic Train descended slowly and stopped in a wonderful place: the Village of the Bakers.

It was a village with many small houses. From every chimney came smoke that smelled of good things to eat. The streets were made of little golden bricks like bread. And everywhere there were colorful flowers that smelled sweetly.

But something was wrong.

The village was silent. Too silent.

The children got off the train and looked around. The bakers' shops were closed. The lights were off. No one was walking through the streets.

"Why is everything dark?" asked Alex, who was usually always cheerful but now seemed worried.

"I don't know," said Violet, squeezing Ellie's hand.

Suddenly, from a flower bush, came a blue light. A soft and gentle light that shone in the night.

The children took a step back.

"What is that?" whispered Larry.

The light came closer, and the children saw something beautiful: it was a transparent creature, floating in the air as if swimming. It had a bell-shaped cap and many thin threads hanging down, like very long hair. And it glowed! It glowed with a blue and purple light, like a magical little lamp.

"This is a jellyfish," explained Ellie, who was the calmest. "Jellyfish usually live in the sea, but this one is special. It's a glowing jellyfish!"

The jellyfish approached the children. It smelled like vanilla cookies. How strange! And when it spoke, its voice was sweet like a lullaby.

"Welcome, little visitors. My name is Starlight. I am the jellyfish who protects this village. But alas, I need your help!"

"Alas?" asked Alex, confused. "What does alas mean?"

Starlight smiled. "Alas is a word we use when we are sad about something bad that has happened. It's like saying 'what a pity' or 'I'm very sorry.' Understood?"

"Ah, I understand!" said Alex, nodding.

"What happened, Starlight?" asked Ellie in a gentle voice.

The glowing jellyfish sighed and her thin threads trembled.

"In our village there were two bakers. They were called Bruno and Berto. They had been friends since they were little children like you. They made bread together, cookies together, cakes together. But then..."

Starlight lowered her head and her light became dimmer.

"Then they had a fight."

"Why did they fight?" asked Violet with her attentive blue eyes.

"Bruno won a prize: the Cup for the Best Bread. But instead of being happy and sharing the joy with Berto, he said: this prize is only mine! I am the best! I don't need anyone!"

Starlight swayed sadly.

"Berto was very offended. He closed his shop and hid. Bruno, left alone, realized he had been wrong. But now he can't find Berto anymore to apologize. And without the two bakers working together, the village has no more bread. Everyone has gone away."

Ellie looked at her friends. "We have to help them!" she said.

"Yes!" said Alex, Violet and Larry together.

"But where did Berto hide?" Ellie asked Starlight.

"I don't know," said the jellyfish. "I only know that he hid in the most secret places of the village. You will have to look for him."

The children looked at each other. The village was big and dark. Only the stars gave light.

"I can light the way," said Starlight, shining brighter.

So the search began.

Alex ran toward the old mill. "Maybe he's here!" he shouted. He looked behind the flour sacks, under the table, inside the barrels. But nothing.

Larry, super fast, checked all the closed shops. He peeked through windows, knocked on doors. But nothing.

Violet searched in the village park, among the benches and trees. But nothing.

Ellie walked slowly, thinking. She was tired, as always in the evening, but she didn't want to give up.

"Where could he be?" she wondered.

And then she saw something. At the end of the street there was a fountain. And near the fountain, hidden behind a rose bush, there was a tiny little light.

"Come!" called Ellie, but in a low voice so as not to scare anyone.

Her friends reached her in silence.

Behind the rose bush, curled up like a hedgehog, was a little man with a baker's hat. He was crying.

"Are you Berto?" asked Ellie gently.

The little man raised his head. His eyes were red from crying.

"Yes, it's me. How did you find me?"

"We were looking for you," said Violet.

"Bruno wants to apologize to you," added Alex.

But Berto shook his head. "No. Bruno said he doesn't need me. He said he's the best on his own. So I'll stay here, alone too."

Ellie sat down next to Berto. Even though she was very tired, she knew she had to say something important.

"Berto, Bruno was wrong. He only thought of himself, and that's not nice. But now he's very sad. Without you, he can't do anything anymore. He understood that he needed you."

Berto looked at the little girl with shiny eyes. "Really?"

"Really," said Larry. "The village is empty without your bread."

"And also," added Violet in a strong voice, "if you stay here alone, you're also only thinking of yourself. Like Bruno. And that's not fair."

Berto remained silent. Violet's words had struck him.

At that moment, footsteps were heard. Another little man with a baker's hat came running. It was Bruno.

"Berto!" he shouted. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Bruno stopped in front of his friend. He had tears in his eyes.

"Forgive me," he said. "I was selfish. I only thought about the cup, only about myself. But without you, the bread isn't good. Without you, I'm not happy. You are my best friend."

Berto stood up slowly. He looked at Bruno for a long time.

Then he hugged him.

Starlight the glowing jellyfish began to shine very brightly, happy. Her blue light lit up the whole village.

And something magical happened: the shops lit up again! The doors opened! And many people returned to the streets, smiling.

"Hooray!" shouted the children.

Bruno and Berto ran to their shop and lit the oven. Soon, the smell of warm bread filled the air.

"This bread is for you," said Bruno, giving the children four warm star-shaped rolls. "Thank you for helping us make peace."

"Thank you especially to you, little one," said Berto looking at Ellie. "Your words made me understand that staying alone was useless."

Ellie smiled and yawned. She was really tired now. But it was a happy tiredness.

"CHUFF CHUFF!"

Toby the Magic Train had arrived to take them home.

The children said goodbye to Starlight, Bruno and Berto, and climbed onto the train.

Before departing, Toby the Magic Train said:

"Two friends divided by vanity, united again by kindness. Those who only think of themselves one day, find themselves sad with no way to stay!"

And then he departed, flying in the starry sky.

When they arrived home, Dad Andrew took Ellie in his arms. She leaned on his shoulder and closed her eyes, holding tight her star-shaped roll.

"Did you have a nice adventure?" asked Andrew.

"Yes, Dad," whispered Ellie. "I learned something important."

"What did you learn?"

"That you shouldn't only think of yourself. Because those who only think of themselves, in the end remain alone. And being alone is very sad."

Andrew gave her a kiss on the forehead. "You are a very wise little girl, my little one."

And Ellie fell asleep, dreaming of glowing stars and jellyfish that shine in the dark.

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**The moral of this story is:** We shouldn't be selfish. When we only think of ourselves and don't share the beautiful things with others, we risk losing friends and being left alone. It's much nicer to be generous and think of others too!

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