THE MILKY WAY MAIDEN (an Estonian folktale)

adapted by Amy Friedman and illustrated by Jillian Gilliland

Once upon a time the daughter of Uko, guardian of the winds, took care of all the birds of this world. It was beautiful Linda's task to guide the birds on their long migration in both spring and fall. Linda was lovely and tender, gentle and kind, and the birds not only depended upon her, they loved her.

So delightful was Linda that others also loved her, and many wished to marry her. One day out of the sky a chariot pulled by five white horses appeared, and Pole Star was there. He carried 10 exquisite gifts for Linda. When he stepped out of the chariot, he said to the maiden, "Marry me."

Linda laughed and shook her head. "Pole Star, day in and day out, season after season, year after year, you stay in one place. I cannot marry someone who doesn't move around."

Saddened by Linda's refusal, Pole Star pulled the reins, turned his horses, and rode away.

But right behind Pole Star came a glittering silver chariot pulled by 10 silver horses. This was Moon, carrying 20 magnificent gifts. "Linda, marry me," he said.

Again Linda said no. "Moon, day in and day out, season after season, year after year, you walk just one path. I cannot marry someone who doesn't move around."

Moon was saddened by her refusal, but just after he was gone, a shining gold chariot pulled by 20 golden horses appeared before Linda. Out stepped Sun, holding 30 spectacular gifts.

Sun beamed at Linda. "Marry me!"

Once more Linda shook her head. "Sun, day in and day out, season after season, year after year, you too walk a single path, and that I will not do."

Sun hung his head low and departed.

Once more Linda was alone, and the world was dark as midnight approached.

Then suddenly, from the north, there appeared a strange glow in the sky. Light flickered and flashed, and Linda saw a thousand silver horses pulling a gleaming diamond coach. She could not resist the sight, and so she moved toward it.

There stood Northern Lights, holding thousands of jewels -- gold and silver, pearls and sapphires and diamonds.

He held out his gifts toward the dazzled Linda and said, "Marry me."

This time Linda was the one who beamed. "Northern Lights, you travel wherever you wish, appearing everywhere, and when you do you flash and you gleam and you shimmer. You are magnificent. I will marry you."

Northern Lights told Linda he would travel home to the far north while his bride prepared for a grand wedding. And so he departed, and Linda, eyes sparkling, skin glowing, sang and danced the days away as she selected her bridal gown, her veil, the flowers for her wedding day.

Moon, Sun and Pole Star were envious and sad, but the birds were frantic. As the days passed and Linda stood in her wedding gown and veil awaiting her future husband, they saw her light and joy begin to fade. Months passed, and when spring migration came, Linda did not lead the birds. She simply stood still in her gown, waiting.

Many birds were lost that spring.

The seasons continued to pass, and Northern Lights did not return.

Linda was in despair. "Where has my beloved gone?" she cried to the sky. She began to sob, and though the birds surrounded her and fluttered their wings against her cheek to offer comfort, Linda remained sad-hearted.

The months passed, and again, with autumn migration, the birds were lost. At long last Uko, Linda's father, decided he must do something to help his grieving daughter. He called upon his winds -- north and south, east and west, and he called upon all the birds, too. "Carry my sweet daughter to the sky. If her beloved will not come to her, she must go to him."

The winds, and hundreds of thousands of birds, flew to Linda, and careful not to damage her delicate white gown and trailing veil, they lifted her and carried her up to the sky.

When Northern Lights saw his beloved in the sky, he remembered his love, and he quickly shot across the sky toward her. "Beautiful Linda," he called. "My love."

When Linda saw him, her sadness dropped away.

"Let us marry now, and you will travel to the north with me," Northern Lights said.

At first Linda lit up with pure joy, but then she looked around and saw the lost birds, and she remembered her duty to them. After all, they had come to her aid in her time of need. She could not abandon them. Then she remembered her duty to take care of herself as well, to be responsible in this world.

Her heart fluttered and turned. She looked at her beloved Northern Lights. "I cannot travel to the far north," she said, "but I will marry you here and now. You will visit me on occasion, but I shall stay here where I must."

Linda and Northern Lights married, and Linda was once more filled with light. Wearing her gown and veil and facing north -- toward her husband's home -- she lay down across the sky, making a path for the birds.

There she stays, turned toward her beautiful husband, waving to him as he flashes near her. And so they remain in the sky, heart to heart.

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