English Original
There was once a child who loved to wander and wonder. He had a sister, his constant companion. Together, they marveled at the beauty of the flowers, the height and blueness of the sky, the depth of the bright water, and the goodness of God who made the lovely world.
They often wondered if the flowers, water, and sky would be sorry if all the children on earth died. They believed they would, for buds are the children of flowers, playful streams are the children of water, and the tiny bright specks playing in the night sky must be the children of the stars. They would grieve for their playmates, the children of men.
One clear, shining star appeared before the others, near the church spire above the graves. They thought it larger and more beautiful. Every night, hand in hand at the window, they watched for it. Whoever saw it first would cry, "I see the star!" Often they cried out together. They grew so fond of it that before bed, they would bid it good-night, saying, "God bless the star!"
But while still very young, the sister grew weak and could no longer stand at the window. The child would look out sadly by himself, see the star, and turn to the pale face on the bed: "I see the star!" A smile would come, and a weak voice would say, "God bless my brother and the star!"
All too soon, the time came when the child looked out alone, with no face on the bed, and a new little grave among the others. He saw the star through his tears, its rays stretching long towards him.
These rays seemed to form a shining path from Earth to Heaven. That night, the child dreamed he saw a train of people led up that sparkling road by angels. The star opened, revealing a great world of light where more angels waited.
The waiting angels turned their beaming eyes upon the arrivals. Some stepped forward, embraced them tenderly, and walked with them down avenues of light. The child wept for joy in his sleep.
But many angels remained, including one he knew—his sister, her patient face now glorified and radiant. Her angel lingered near the star's entrance and asked the leader, "Is my brother come?"
The answer was "No." As she turned away, the child stretched out his arms and cried, "O, sister, I am here! Take me!" She turned her beaming eyes upon him, and it was night; the star shone into his room through his tears.
From then on, the child saw the star as his future home, feeling he belonged not just to Earth but to the star, because his sister's angel was there.
A baby brother was born but died in infancy. Again, the child dreamed of the open star, the angels, and the people. His sister's angel asked again, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Not that one, but another." Seeing his brother's angel in her arms, the child cried, "O, sister, I am here! Take me!" She turned and smiled, and the star shone.
He grew into a young man, busy with his studies, when an old servant came: "Thy mother is no more. I bring her blessing." That night, he saw the star and the company again. His sister's angel asked, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Thy mother!" A mighty cry of joy echoed through the star as mother and children reunited. The young man cried, "O, mother, sister, and brother, I am here! Take me!" They answered, "Not yet." The star shone.
He grew into a man with graying hair, sitting grief-stricken by the fire, tears on his face, when the star opened once more. His sister's angel asked, "Is my brother come?"
The leader said, "Nay, but his maiden daughter." The man saw his recently lost daughter, a celestial being with the other three. He said, "My daughter's head is on my sister's bosom, her arm around my mother's neck, and at her feet is the baby of old. I can bear the parting from her, God be praised!" The star shone.
Thus, the child became an old man, wrinkled, slow, and bent. One night, as he lay in bed with his children around, he cried out as long ago: "I see the star!"
They whispered, "He is dying."
He said, "I am. My age falls from me like a garment, and I move towards the star as a child. O, my Father, I thank Thee that it has so often opened to receive those dear ones who await me!"
And the star was shining, and it shines upon his grave.
中文翻译
从前有个孩子，喜欢漫步和遐想。他有个妹妹，是他忠实的伙伴。他们一同惊叹于花朵的美丽、天空的高远与蔚蓝、明亮河水的深邃，以及创造这可爱世界的上帝的仁慈。
他们常常想，如果世上所有的孩子都死了，花儿、水和天空会难过吗？他们相信会的，因为花蕾是花儿的孩子，嬉戏的溪流是水的孩子，夜空中玩着捉迷藏的微小光点一定是星星的孩子。它们会为失去玩伴——人类的孩子——而悲伤。
有一颗清澈闪亮的星星，总在其他星星之前出现，在墓地上方教堂尖顶附近。他们觉得它更大更美。每晚，他们手牵手站在窗前守候。谁先看到就会喊：“我看到星星了！”常常两人一起喊出来。他们如此喜爱它，睡前总要再看一眼，道声晚安，说：“上帝保佑这颗星！”
但妹妹还很年幼时，就日渐虚弱，不能再站在窗前了。孩子独自忧伤地望着窗外，看到星星，便转向床上苍白的面孔：“我看到星星了！”脸上会浮现微笑，一个微弱的声音会说：“上帝保佑我的哥哥和星星！”
太快了，那一刻还是来了：孩子独自眺望，床上已空，墓地里多了一座新的小坟茔。他泪眼朦胧中望着星星，星光化作长长的光柱伸向他。
这些光柱仿佛铺就了一条从人间通往天堂的闪亮之路。那夜，孩子梦见一队人被天使引领着走上那条璀璨的道路。星星打开了，展现出一个光明的伟大世界，更多天使在那里等候。
等候的天使们将明亮的目光投向抵达的人们。有些天使走出队列，温柔地拥抱他们，一同走向光的通道。孩子在睡梦中喜极而泣。
但许多天使留下了，其中包括他认识的一位——他的妹妹，曾经苍白的面容如今光彩荣耀。她的天使在星星入口徘徊，问领队者：“我的哥哥来了吗？”
回答是“没有。”当地转身欲走时，孩子伸出双臂哭喊：“哦，姐姐，我在这里！带我走！”她将明亮的目光转向他，夜正深沉；星星的光芒透过他的泪水照进房间。
从那时起，孩子将星星视为自己未来的归宿，觉得自己不仅属于地球，也属于那颗星，因为姐姐的天使已先去了那里。
一个小弟弟出生了，但尚在襁褓中就夭折了。孩子再次梦到打开的星星、天使和人们。姐姐的天使又问：“我的哥哥来了吗？”
领队者说：“不是那个，是另一个。”看到弟弟的天使在她怀中，孩子哭喊：“哦，姐姐，我在这里！带我走！”她转身微笑，星星闪耀着。
他长成青年，忙于学业时，一位老仆前来：“你的母亲不在了。我带来了她的祝福。”那夜，他又看到了星星和那群人。姐姐的天使问：“我的哥哥来了吗？”
领队者说：“你的母亲！”一声巨大的喜悦呼喊响彻星体，母亲与两个孩子团聚了。青年哭喊：“哦，母亲，姐姐，弟弟，我在这里！带我走！”他们回答：“还不是时候。”星星闪耀着。
他步入中年，头发渐灰，一次正悲伤地坐在炉边椅中，泪流满面时，星星再次打开。姐姐的天使问：“我的哥哥来了吗？”
领队者说：“不，是他的女儿。”这个曾是孩子的男人看到他刚刚失去的女儿，已成为那三人中的天国生灵。他说：“我女儿的头枕在我姐姐怀中，手臂环着我母亲的脖颈，她脚边是早年夭折的弟弟。我能承受与她的离别了，感谢上帝！”星星闪耀着。
就这样，孩子变成了老人，面容布满皱纹，步履迟缓无力，背也驼了。一夜，他躺在床上，儿女们围在身旁，他像很久以前那样喊道：“我看到星星了！”
他们低声说：“他快要死了。”
他说：“是的。我的年岁像衣服一样从我身上脱落，我像个孩子般走向那颗星。哦，天父，我感谢你，它如此频繁地打开，迎接那些等候我的亲人！”
星星闪耀着，光芒照在他的坟墓上。