twelve o'clock
It was the Northern Lights -- the Aurora Borealis . The parents of this Elephant had long sought it but had never reached it ; they had hoped that it would be the staircase up which their son , the Elephant , now asleep , would mount the sky to dwell among the stars . Still he slept , though the light grew clearer and the rays became more distinctly marked . It was now twelve o'clock and deep night . What was that descending the slope of the Auroral Light ? Who could tell ? Who saw it ?