The Dog's Tale: Sirius

Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, gazed down from the heavens at the earth below.

'Why do they call me the Dog Star?'

'My light is brighter than all others.  When they see me in Egypt, it is time for the Nile to flood. In the south, I mark the onset of Winter."

"Without me, you would never shine so brightly."

Mrs. Sirius was now throwing in her two cents.

'Without you, my dear, I would revolve worthlessly around the Universe."

"Hey Dawg you're just a play on light! My light is far brighter than yours!"

"Can it Canopus! I'm tired of your whining. They should call YOU the Dog Star!"

"If I had a lovely companion Star, people would recognize Canopus as the brightest star in the night!"

"I'm Sirius.  Don't even go there Canopus."

Sirius remembered that Mrs. S once had a fling with Canopus. But Sirius had swept her away. Theirs had been literally a whirlwind romance!

"Dogs are loyal creatures. They are man's best friend." Mrs. S comforted.

"I'm not even a star, but I shine brightest in the morning! They named me after a goddess!"

"She always gets everything backwards." muttered Sirius.  "Beautiful but toxic." chimed in Canopus.

"She rotates the opposite way, but that is a little harsh."

"Thank you! Pluto"

"Anything for you dear sister." Pluto lovingly replied to the beautiful Venus.

"Besides its not so bad being named after a dog."

Sirius and the other Stars began to snicker.

"What's this a bit of cosmic dust, a little speck, speaks to me now?"

"Canopus, you're a bully!" The Sun now had gotten involved.

"Every particle, every star, planet, moon and dust cloud in the universe has its purpose."

"What of the Dark Matter?  It shines no light at all." Asked Sirius.

"The Dark Matter is frozen light, without it, our neighborhood would be flung apart."  Replied the Sun.

"Some of us shine with reflected glory but we still give light."

"Yes dear moon.  You are my best friend and without you I would not only be alone, but life as I know it would cease."

Mother Earth had spoken.

"Forgive me, but clearly my light is wasted here."  Canopus' face darkened.

"Only the scientists appreciate him now. There are no tales or myths, the sailors don't need him."

The lesser lights and the greater lights thought about Canopus' problem.

"Back in the day, the sailors in the Southern Hemisphere used me for navigation, and the Egyptians and Indians wrote about me!" Bellowed Canopus!

"At least I'm not a Dwarf!"

Mrs. S started to cry.

"I'm warning you Canopus!" Sirius' light was reddening. Pluto was also looking embarrassed.

"Why all this bickering? Together we light up the sky! Why does it matter if some of us are Red Giants or White Dwarfs, and others are middle aged Yellow Suns? Why can't we all just get along?"

"Don't forget that not all planets have moons and some of us rotate the other way!"

"Yes, we know."

"And some of us are less bright but we still shine."

Mother Earth began to cry. "Oh dear what would I be without my brothers and sisters, my companion moon or the Sun. My night would be void and dark without all the stars that fill up my universe.  Please dear family don't fight with one another. I am nothing without you and I love each one of you dearly."

The stars and the planets all went back to their jobs, revolving around one another, and the moon continued his job of protecting the earth and all was at peace again in the universe.

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