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Lulu was in bed, her long braid on the pillow, the yellow ribbon still in it. Through the open window, the night was singing with crickets.
Suddenly Lulu saw a tiny green light twinkle behind the glass… then twinkle again… then go out.
Then she heard a very soft sound.
Lulu sat up in bed and whispered, “Who’s there?”
She hopped out of bed, tiptoed to the window, and opened it very, very slowly.
On the windowsill stood a little firefly with see-through wings, two thin feelers, and a tail that should have been glowing… but it was completely dark.
“Good evening,” said the firefly in a shaky voice. “My name is Nunu. I’ve lost my light!”
“How did you lose it?” asked Lulu.
“I don’t know,” said Nunu. “I was playing, then my tail went dim, and then it went out. And tonight is the lantern festival, when all the fireflies dance together in the sky. I can’t dance in the dark!”
Lulu wiped a tiny tear from Nunu’s cheek. “Don’t be sad,” she said. “We’ll find your light together.”
Lulu took her little flashlight and went down to the garden in her pink slippers. She pressed the button.
She looked under the mint leaves: no light. She peeked inside a tulip: only a sleeping bee. She looked in the watering can: only one shiny drop.
Then the flashlight shone on a slow, slow snail. The snail looked up in amazement. “Goodness! The moon has come down into the garden!”
Lulu laughed. “I’m not the moon, I’m Lulu. Have you seen a little lost light?”
The snail thought for a very, very long time. Then it said, “No… but Huhu the owl sees everything at night.”
High up in the walnut tree sat a big gray owl with eyes as round as saucers.
“Good evening, little ones,” said the owl. “Why are you two awake at this hour?”
Lulu told her the whole story. The owl tilted her head to the right, then to the left, and said, “A firefly’s light never really gets lost, Nunu. It hides inside you when you are sad or scared.”
“Then how do I get it out?” asked Nunu.
The owl opened her eyes wide. “Light loves laughter,” she said. “Laugh with all your heart, and it will come back.”
“I’m going to make you laugh, Nunu!” said Lulu.
She puffed out her cheeks like a balloon, stuck out her tongue and wiggled her ears. Nunu smiled a little, and his tail gave one tiny flicker… then went out.
Lulu picked up a feather and tickled all six of his feet. Nunu giggled, and his tail flickered twice… then went out.
She told him a joke about a frog who wore socks. “That’s funny…” said Nunu, “a little bit.”
“I need something bigger!” thought Lulu. And she began hopping up and down like a kangaroo, her braid bouncing right along with her.
On the third hop, Lulu’s pink slipper flew off her foot, spun through the air, and landed… right on top of Huhu the owl’s head!
The owl sat perfectly still, the slipper on her head like a little pink hat, and said, very seriously, “Hoo?”
Nunu couldn’t help himself. He burst out laughing, and laughed and laughed until he was turning somersaults in the air.
And suddenly… his tail lit up with a bright green-and-golden glow, brighter than ever before.
Lulu clapped her hands. “Your light is back, Nunu!” The owl laughed too. “Didn’t I tell you? Light loves laughter.”
Out from the trees came lots of fireflies, hundreds of tiny lights, swirling over the garden. The lantern festival had begun!
Nunu flew up to join them, glowing with joy, and danced circles and stars and shining lines across the sky.
Lulu sat down on the grass, and the owl gave back her pink slipper with a gentle bow.
Before Lulu went back to bed, Nunu flew to her window and drew a tiny heart of light in the air.
Lulu fell asleep smiling. And that night, every laugh in the garden made a brand-new light.