by
Phyllis A. Hazelet
Illustrations by Jim Rowe
There once was a little lighthouse. He was a very happy lighthouse because he had a very important job. He guided all of the boats and ships safely in and out of the harbor. He took great pride in his work, and he always had a smile on his face. As the boats passed by they would toot their horns to thank the little lighthouse for his big and beautiful bright light that guided them home every night.
One day as the little lighthouse was watching all the boats go by, he noticed something very odd looking across the harbor on a peninsula. It looked like men were working and they were building something very tall. They were there night and day, every day, working very hard. The little lighthouse could not figure out what they were building.
As the days went by, the little lighthouse got very concerned. He could see very far off in the distance a tall and green object with a bright light shining from it. "Could that be a lighthouse?" he thought to himself. "That would be impossible. I have shone my big and beautiful light on this harbor for years and years and have done a very good job."
The little lighthouse was really quite upset and didn't know what to think.
He continued to shine his bright and beautiful light on the harbor, but he no longer had a smile on his face. The little lighthouse was very, very sad.
One day, as dawn was breaking, the little lighthouse heard a strange noise. It sounded like a chain saw. All of a sudden he felt a big jolt. He looked down to see what was happening. Then he heard a loud voice yell, "Over here, Charley! This is where we have to start chopping."
The little lighthouse couldn't believe what he was hearing! "No!" he cried. "Stop chopping away at my base!" The men looked up at him and yelled, "We've got our orders. We have to knock you down. You've been replaced by a bigger and better lighthouse across the harbor!"
"Oh no," the little lighthouse thought. "How could that be? I have guided the boats in and out of the harbor for years without any incidents. Why would they want to replace me?" All of a sudden, the chopping stopped. He couldn't even hear the noise of the saw! Then the little lighthouse watched as a important-looking man got out of his car. He walked over to the workers with some papers in his hands. He talked with them for a few minutes and then he left. The little lighthouse watched as the workers began packing up all their tools. As they were leaving, one of the workers yelled up, "This must be your lucky day, little lighthouse! The Mayor has decided that the harbor needs two lighthouses to guide the boats. The big lighthouse will guide the boats from the ocean to the beginning of the harbor, and you can continue to guide them through the harbor and safely to their homes." The little lighthouse was so excited he could hardly believe what he was hearing. "Oh thank you, sir! This really must be my lucky day!"
The next evening as the sun started to set, the little lighthouse turned his bright and beautiful light on the harbor. In the distance he could see the big lighthouse shining his light out in the ocean. His light went from right to left, back and forth. The little lighthouse's light went from left to right, back and forth. He felt so happy and content. He knew that he was still needed, and now he had someone that he could share his light with. Once again the little lighthouse had a big smile on his face and he was very, very happy!
Back to Issue #3 Table of Contents
Copyright 1997 Parents and Children Together Online. Not to be reprinted, published or archived in any format (including CD-ROM) without the express permission of the publisher.