He couldn't sleep. A bullfrog sang in a low gak-gak, gak-gak. Then many frogs joined in, gak-gak gali-gak-gak. Then, all at the same time they stopped. After a while, the bullfrog started anew on his solo, and the chorus came in again.

Suddenly Rico heard a different kind of singing. A happy sighing in the wind, sa-ay amay-saay-ay!

He shuffled to his window. He stucked his head out. The rain gave his cheek a cold kiss.

Tiny people stood around the pond. They fluttered their hands to the sky and then to the water.

Their voices rose and fell with their hands.

The words they sang were strange. But Rico understood. They were singing to the Creator. For He had made the sky, the water, and the land. He had made everything that lived.

There was more rippling in the water. The fish had come up. Their mouths were on the surface of the pond. They were singing too, oosh ooosh. Si ososh.

The wind passed through the trees and the sampaguitas. They wafted their soft songs and scents into the night. The frogs kept their low, drum-like chant.

And all their voices… the tiny people, the flower, the fish, the frogs… were like one great choir.

Then the fireflies came. One firefly alighted on each wee person's head.

Are these little people like me, Rico wondered. Then he found the answer in his head. He realized they must be the spirits of nature.

The tiny ones circled the pond. They danced in a ring.

He wanted to join them. He tucked the bottle with the firefly into his pajama pocket. He climbed out of the window. Down to the soft earth he slid.

Now the nature spirits sat around the pond. He sat behind them. They turned to him.

Welcome! They said, Welcome. Sing! Sing, for life and joy, sam-ay sa-ay-yay!

But he had to do something first. He took the bottle out of his pocket. He tore off the paper and string that covered the mouth of the bottle. The firefly flew out. It hovered above his head.

He sat in the circle. He felt he belonged there. And he sang with the tiny creatures, sam-ay-ay-di-ay, a song that seemed without an end.

It was drizzling again. The rain was the answer to the song. The rain was the blessing from the sky.

He could sit there forever. But suddenly, the singing stopped.

Dawn comes, go back to bed, the nature spirits said. Farewell.

They disappeared. Gone were the fireflies. The frogs were silent.

Now Rico shivered in his wet pajamas.

He climbed up the side of the house, and hoisted himself into his room.

He changed into a dry tee-shirt and pajama pants and slept.

In the morning, Mama asked, "Did you let the firefly go?"

"Yes Ma," Rico said.

"Well, did the little people show themselves to you" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"You saw them too?"

"Yes. Once. When I was old as you. When I caught a dragonfly," she said.