Lidia had one dream.  One thing she wanted to do.  The doctors told her she had one month to live, so she set out right away.  "How can I touch the moon?" she asked her mother.

"I don't know." the woman answered.  "But I heard that the old crone of the woods knows."

Lidia put on her long red felt cloak and her small black boots and her bag on her back.  She kissed her mother goodbye, and her mother gave her a small sewing kit.  "It's all I have, and I give it to you, my daughter."  Lidia set off. The woods were dark, and she was afraid, but she needed to find the old crone.  She passed nests of squirrels and packs of wolves, and one small bird, who sang to her through the cold nights.  On the third day, she reached the small, wooden hut of the old crone.

"Please, do you know how I can touch the moon?" she asked.

The old crone of the woods narrowed her eyes.  "Do you know how I can keep the cold out of my hut?"

Lidia nodded.  She took her red felt cloak off and pulled her sewing kit from her bag.  She worked for three days and three nights at unstiching the coat and making good thick curtain for the window and the door.  They were only holes, and let the wind in.  Afterwards, she left the hut and cut wood for three days and three nights, so that the old crone would have enough for winters to come.

"Thank you, my child." the old crone said.  "I don't know how you can touch the moon, but my sister does.  She lives in the swamp three days walk away.  Since I have robbed you of your beautiful red cloak, please, take this one."  The old crone of the woods handed her a green cloak, covered in leafs and flowers.

Lidia thanked her, and set off towards the swamp.  The swamp was dangerous, and she was afraid, but she needed to find the old crone.  She passed nest of crocodiles, and packs of bats, and one small turtle who swam to her and nipped at her toes gently as she walked along.  On the third day, she reached the small, weedy hut of the old crone.

"Please, do you know how I can touch the moon?" she asked.

The old crone of the swamp looked at her sideways.  "Do you know how I can keep the frogs out of my hut?"

Lidia nodded.  She took off her small boots and her sewing kit from her bag. She worked for three days and three nights at unstiching the soft leather of the boots and making a strip at the bottom of the door so that the frogs couldn't come in.  Afterwards, she left the hut and cut wood for three days and three nights, so that the old crone would never have to fear cold wet nights.

"Thank you, my child." the old crone said.  "I don't know how you can touch the moon, but my sister does.  She lives on the mountain three days walk away.  Since I have robbed you of your small black boots, please, take these ones."  The old crone of the swamp gave her boots woven of swamp grass and tree roots.

Lidia thanked her, and set off towards the mountain.  The mountain was dangerous, and she was afraid, but she needed to find the old crone.  She passed nests of groundhogs, and packs of bellygoats, and one small hawk who kept her sleep free of mice.  On the third day, she reached the small, slanted hut of the old crone.

"Please, do you know how I can touch the moon?" she asked.

The old crone of the mountain looked at her coldly.  "Do you know how I can keep the nightmares out of my hut?"

Lidia nodded.  She took off her sewing kit.  She worked for the next three days at bending the needles and twirling what was left of the string into a good luck charm that would keep out the nightmares and demons. Afterwards, she left the hut and cut wood for three days and three nights, so that the old crone would never have to fear the treacherous mountain paths.

"Thank you, my child."  The old crone of the mountain stared at her for a long time.  "I know how you can touch the moon." she finally said.

"How?"

"Climb, child, climb."

And so Lidia did.  She climbed and fought and fell and kept going for three days and nights, till she reached the top of the mountain, above the clouds and the world.  It was dark, but she wasn't afraid.  It was cold, but her cloak and boots protected her.

She reached out, and softly, touched the moon.