The day the sun fell out the sky

One bright summer’s day Aunty Ethel was walking her dog Jody by the beach near her home in Samton.

It was a beautiful day and Aunty Ethel was enjoying the warmth of the sun on the back of her neck as she noticed how wonderful the bright sun made all the colours look. The sea looked so green, the sky so blue, the sand so yellow and the poppies so red.

All of a sudden Aunty Ethel started to feel a little chilly and she realized the colours around her weren’t quite so bright.

She glanced up and noticed the sun wasn’t burning so brightly as usual. Its colour changed from yellow to orange to red and finally to a muddy brown. All of a sudden it started to drop. At first slowly, and then faster and faster.

Before she knew it something bounced onto the ground in front of her. It looked like a giant, muddy football. Aunty Ethel wondered what it could be, and then she realized - it was the sun.

Jody started sniffing curiously at the mysterious object until Aunty Ethel told him to leave it alone.

Aunty Ethel took a closer look and saw to her surprise it had a big face with two ears, two eyes, a nose and a mouth. The sun looked so sad Aunty Ethel could not help feeling sorry for it.

“Are you alright? Can I help?” she asked sympathetically.

The sun spoke with a big deep voice.

“I don’t feel very well”, he said. “I was alright this morning, but then my head started to hurt and I felt so tired I just couldn’t keep shining any more. I couldn’t even stay up in the sky.”

“Why don’t you come back to my house?” suggested Aunty Ethel. “It’s just down this path.”

The sun accepted her kind offer and slowly bounced along the path to Aunty Ethel’s front door. He just about managed to squeeze through the front door.

“Sit yourself down”, said Aunty Ethel. “Can I get you something to eat or drink?”

“No. Thank you.” replied the sun. “I just feel so tired. Is there somewhere I can rest awhile?”

Aunty Ethel led him upstairs to her spare room.

“You just lie there until you feel better,” she said. “Just give me a shout if you need anything.”

Aunty Ethel and Jody went downstairs and sat looking at each other worriedly. What would happen if the sun never shone again? Would the world be forever a cold, dark and dreary place?

A couple of hours later Aunty Ethel decided to check on the sun. She knocked at the door.

“Come in”, came the faint reply.

“How are you feeling?” asked Aunty Ethel.

The sun said he felt a little better, but Aunty Ethel could see he’d been crying.

“I love my job”, said the sun, “I go all around the world every day bringing light and warmth to people. And I know that I bring happiness too, because people always start smiling whenever I’m around. And it makes me so happy to see people enjoying themselves in my golden light. This is the first time I’ve ever let them down.”

Aunty Ethel gave him a hug.

“You’ll soon be right back in the sky where you belong.” she reassured him. “Would you something to eat or drink now?”

“I’d love a cup of tea and a biscuit,” said the sun.

Aunty Ethel made him a cup of strong tea and put some biscuits on a plate. The sun drank the tea and finished the biscuits. And as he did he Aunty Ethel listened with fascination as he told her about just a few of the many things he’d seen from the sky over the many years he’d been there.

“Do you mind if I go back to sleep now?” he asked. “I hope I shall be completely better in the morning.”

Aunty Ethel wished him goodnight and gently closed the door.

Next morning the sun awoke bright and early. He told Aunty Ethel he felt much better and thanked her for her kindness.

“It was nothing”, said Aunty Ethel. “It’s us down here who should thank you for everything you give to us.”

“My pleasure.” said the sun. “I was wondering... I’ve often seen people eating eggs and bacon for breakfast... They seem to enjoy it so much... I wonder if...”

The sun was too shy to ask, but Aunty Ethel guessed what he wanted.

“Would you like to try eggs and bacon?” she asked.

“I’d love to”, laughed the sun.

Aunty Ethel made a huge breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, tomatoes, mushrooms and fried bread.

The sun ate the lot, washed down with four mugs of tea.

“Thank you again”, said the sun, “and now I must be going.”

Outside it was a cold, grey morning. Jody and Aunty Ethel followed the sun into the garden.

“Goodbye”, they said together.

He was now so bright it hurt their eyes to look at him.

He bounced once, then twice, then the third time he rose higher and higher. Slowly at first, then faster and faster until he reached his usual place in the sky and once again lit up the day.

Just then Mr McDonald passed by.

“Funny old weather”, he said.

“Yes”, agreed Aunty Ethel, “but I think it’s going to be a nice day after all.”

And it was.

Next: Mr Jones' Passenger