In a tall castle on a hill lived a little princess named Olenka. She loved to look at her mother's crown—golden, with diamonds that sparkled like stars.
"When I grow up, I will have the brightest crown in all the kingdom!" Olenka dreamed.
One morning, the princess went out into the yard and saw a little girl by the gate. The girl was crying.
"Why are you sad?" asked Olenka.
"I lost my doll in the forest," sniffled the girl. "Now I have nothing to play with."
Olenka thought for a moment and gave her a doll—her very favorite one in a blue dress.
The girl smiled and ran home.
Suddenly, something sparkled above Olenka's head. She looked at the windowpane—a tiny, glowing star had appeared in her hair, as if by magic!
"Oh!" the princess gasped.
The next day, Olenka helped an old lady carry a basket of apples. At once, a second star twinkled above her head.
Over the week, the princess fed a homeless dog, fixed a broken swing for a boy, and shared sweets with her friends. Each time, a new star flickered to life above her.
After a month, her mother looked at Olenka and gasped.
"Darling, look in the mirror!"
Above the princess's head shone a crown of living stars—it glowed so softly that everyone who saw it smiled.
"What a true wonder!" her mother whispered. "Such a crown appears only for those who bring joy to others."
Olenka touched her magical crown. The stars fluttered warmly under her fingers.
That evening, the princess sat by the window and gazed at the starry sky. Her crown twinkled quietly in the dark, as if to say, "I am here, I am with you."
Olenka smiled and laid her head on the pillow. The stars in her crown shone even more gently, like a lullaby song.
And the princess fell fast asleep.