During long cold nights people from a little fishing village were sitting by their fires making nets and warm clothes waiting for first flowers to break the crust of snow. Then men from the village were going to sea for summer to catch as much fish as possible to survive the following winter. During short summer months women were picking up berries and herbs impatiently waiting for their husbands' safe return.
Like the others, Stella and Ole were living quietly year after year in the same hut on the cliff by the sea. Their little hut was filled with smell of smoked fish and hopes that the next summers catch will allow them to survive over next winter.
That year spring flowers appeared quite early and the ice blocks started thawing fast.
"This is going to be a good summer for fishing." said Ole.
He took his nets and his little boat and like others went to sea. Short summer was coming to the end but Ole still was not back.
Strong northern winds brought first blocks of ice to the sea shore and a lot of other fishermen were already back. Every night Stella was standing on the cliff with a lamp to help Ole find the way back. Piercing cold froze the sea solid but Ole still was not back. Shivering with cold Stella did not listen to their neighbours and was waiting with her lamp at the top of the cliff. Nights became longer and longer and when the snow blizzards came she froze to death. But at the same time a new bright star appeared in the sky.
It was showing Ole the way back home.
We call it Stella Polaris...