⏱ ~5 min reading
Once upon a time, when the Universe was still very young and all the planets were just learning to revolve around the Sun, they didn't have any rings. All the planets were simple, round, like apples. And that didn't bother anyone.
Then one day, Saturn was quietly flying past an old, very old star and suddenly noticed something strange behind it. An old silver chest, forgotten, dusted with cosmic dust, slowly spinning in the void.
"Wow," Saturn was surprised. "What kind of treasure is this?"
He swam up, carefully brushed the dust off the lid, opened it. And there were hoops. Nine of them. All silver-silver, thin as cobwebs, light as feathers. They tinkled softly, touching each other: "dz-n-n", "dz-n-n".
Saturn squinted. His breath caught in his throat.
"How beautiful," he whispered. "I'll take them.".
He put the first hoop on his round side. The hoop fit perfectly—as if it had been made for him. Saturn put on the second. The third. All nine. And it shone so brightly that far away on Earth people suddenly started pointing and saying, «Look how many hoops Saturn has! How beautiful he is!»
Saturn was over the moon with happiness. He slowly spun his hoops, and they jingled like little bells.
And then Jupiter flew by. Big, mighty, with swirling clouds. The largest planet of all. He saw Saturn's rings - and froze.
“Where did you get this from?” Jupiter asked.
"I found it," Saturn replied proudly. "In an old chest. Mine now.".
Jupiter walked around him. He looked from one side. From the other. And something pricked in his stomach—hot, unpleasant, sour. It was envy.
"Give me at least one," Jupiter asked. "You have nine. Share them.".
"No," Saturn hugged the hoops closer to him. "I found them—mine.".
— Well, at least half a hoop.
— He said no.
Jupiter grumbled. He was very, very big—many times bigger than Saturn. He was powerful, he had four big moons that revolved around him like obedient children. He was the main planet! And he had no rings. And that seemed unfair to him.
Jupiter flew aside, sat down behind a small asteroid rock, and even cried a little. His tears were hot and red, like drops of maple sap.
"Why does he have it and I don't?" he grumbled. "I'm bigger. I deserve it.".
He sat like that for a long time. Then suddenly old Moon flew up to him - quiet, wise, with a gentle face.
“What are you sad about, Jupiter?” he asked.
"I want rings," Jupiter sighed. "Saturn has nine. And I have none.".
The moon smiled.
"Why do you want exactly what he has?"
— Well… because it’s beautiful.
"Beautiful," nodded the Moon. "But that's his beauty. Saturn's. And your beauty is different. You're not Saturn. You're Jupiter. Think about it: what do you have that no one else has?"
Jupiter thought. He sat for a long time. He looked at his curls of clouds. At the storm that was swirling above him. And suddenly he noticed: here, on his right side, a big, big storm had been raging for many, many years. Reddish, warm, round, like a heart.
"I have a spot," said Jupiter. "A big red spot.".
"You see," nodded the Moon. "And no one else has one like that. Saturn has hoops. And you have a heart.".
Jupiter looked at his spot in a new way. It was soft, warm, special. And suddenly he realized: it was his. Only his. He had put all his strength, all his warmth, all of himself into it. It was not some strange find. It was himself.
Jupiter spread the clouds and returned to his little spot with love. He began to cherish it carefully. Every breath, every gust of wind within him he directed precisely there - and the spot glowed warmer and warmer, more affectionately. From red it became even redder, from round - even rounder. And now far, far away on Earth people looked into telescopes and said:
"Wow, Jupiter has a heart on its side. The kindest heart in the universe.".
When Saturn saw this, something tightened in his chest. He suddenly realized that his rings were beautiful. Very beautiful. But they were found. And Jupiter's heart was his own, nurtured. And this was a completely different beauty.
Saturn slowly flew up to Jupiter and said quietly:
"Jupiter, forgive me for not sharing with you. Here, take one hoop. Eight will be enough for me.".
Jupiter looked at the silver ring in Saturn's hands. He thought. He smiled with his red spot - and shook his head.
"Thanks, friend. No need. I already have mine. Keep them for yourself—they suit you. And I have mine.".
Saturn wrapped his arms around him like a hand. They both laughed softly. And from then on they became the best neighbors in the universe.
And people on Earth, looking at the sky, have learned the most important thing. That being special doesn't mean having a lot. And it doesn't mean having what someone else has. It means being yourself. Taking care of your warm heart — even if it's a little red, a little misshapen, a little different from everyone else's. Because it's your stain that is your true beauty.
And if you ever want what someone else has, remember Jupiter. He wanted it too. And then he stopped. And he found his own. And it turned out to be the best in the entire Universe.
✨ Being special doesn't mean having a lot, it means being yourself ✨