The Secret Agent of Starry Fields

Lily was not an ordinary eight-year-old. She was a spy. Or at least, she played one every summer evening in her grandmother's farmyard. Her faithful partner was Barnaby, a golden retriever with one ear that flopped when he got excited.

"Shh, Barnaby," Lily whispered, pressing her finger to her lips. "We have a mission."

Barnaby wagged his tail so hard his whole body wiggled. He knew something wonderful was coming.

Lily pulled out her secret agent tool—her grandmother's old iphone, which she'd decorated with glitter stickers. Tonight, it was her "magic communicator" to the stars.

In the field beyond the fence, the old bull Ferdinand stood like a gentle mountain. Most children were afraid of bulls, but Lily knew Ferdinand's secret. Every night at exactly midnight, he lowered his massive head and spoke with the moon.

"Ready, partner?" Lily asked Barnaby.

The dog barked once—a signal!

They crept to the fence just as the clock tower chimed twelve times. Ferdinand turned his great horned head toward them. His eyes shone like moonlight.

"Ah, Little Spy," the bull rumbled softly. "You've come for the story."

Lily nodded breathlessly. This was the best part of summer.

"Long ago," Ferdinand began, "the sky was empty. No stars, no moon. Then a brave little bull—that's me—climbed the highest mountain and scattered golden dust across the darkness. That's where stars come from."

Lily's iphone camera flashed—she was taking pictures of the starry sky for her "spy mission report." But really, she was capturing magic.

"My job isn't done," Ferdinand continued. "Each night, I push the moon across the sky with my horns. Someday, Little Spy, you'll help me."

Barnaby rested his head on Lily's foot, his warm fur like a blanket.

"Can I start tomorrow?" Lily asked, her heart full of wonder.

Ferdinand smiled—a bullish smile, crinkly and kind. "Every night at midnight. Bring your glittery magic box. The stars love attention."

As Lily and Barnaby tiptoed back to bed, she knew the best secret of all: magic wasn't just in fairy tales. It was right here, in the moonlit field, where a bull pushed the moon and a dog and a girl kept watch over the stars.