It took a long time for the Moon to reach the Sun and the nearer she got to the giant ball of fire, the hotter she grew, until she dared not go any closer.
The Sun was taking a nap.
"Excuse me," said the Moon timidly.
The Sun didn't answer.
The Moon coughed and spoke a little more loudly.
"Hello, is anyone at home?"
Still the Sun didn't stir.
"Yes little moon, what can I do for you?" boomed the Sun.
"I'm sorry to bother you mister Sun... sir... I mean, your worship," the Moon spluttered and stammered, "I've decided to leave the Earth and I was wondering if you could recommend any nice planets to live with."
"YOU'VE LEFT THE EARTH!" roared the Sun, in a voice that made the Moon's dead volcanoes rattle.
"I didn't mean to upset you, your majesty," grovelled the Moon, "It's just that I've been going around the Earth for so long that I began to get a little bit bored."
The Sun scowled. "These days it seems that everyone is wanting something other than what they have got. What would happen if I decided just to get up and leave? It would be absolute chaos…" and on he went until the Moon was so terrified that all her loose rocks began to tremble.
When the Sun finally stopped to take a breath and saw the Moon cowering in fear, he softened a little. "Well, I suppose you could go that way," he suggested, pointing behind him toward the Crab Nebula, "Or you could go that way," pointing towards Proxima Centauri.
"Look little Moon, let me try and explain," said the Sun. "This is a Solar System, a place where everything revolves around a star, in this case - me. But this is just one Solar System among the millions that make up our Galaxy and..." the Sun paused for effect, "there are billions upon billions of Galaxies in the Universe."
"Well, try and imagine this," said the Sun, "There are more Solar Systems in the Universe than say, grains of sand on all the Earth’s beaches."
The Moon suddenly felt very small, but was determined not to be put off. "I don't mind travelling," she declared defiantly, "Why, I’ll go to the ends of the Universe to find a new home if I have to."
The Sun let out a deep chuckle.
"That’s a very long way, little moon," and he laughed again. "The Universe is a vast place. Some of the stars are so far away that the light you can see now has taken hundreds of thousands of years to get here, in fact such a long time, that if you ever were to reach them, they might not even be there anymore."
"That does sound like a bit of a worry," frowned the Moon. "After all, I wouldn't want to make such a long journey for nothing."
"And just think, if you did ever manage to reach the end of the Universe, then that would be it," added the Sun cryptically.
"That would be what?" asked the Moon.
"The end of the Universe, of course."
The Moon was more than a little confused.
"Is there an end to the Universe?" he enquired cautiously, as she was feeling a lot less brave and even a little daunted about the journey that lay ahead.
"Of course not," said the Sun. "The Universe is said to be almost infinite,” he added somewhat casually.
"Infinite?" quizzed the Moon, who had never heard the word before.
"Yes, infinite," retorted the Sun, "It means it goes on for ever and ever."
"Surely it must end somewhere?" she asked.
"How can it?" replied the Sun. "If it were to end with, let's say a wall, then what would be behind the wall?" he declared, triumphantly.
"I see," pondered the Moon, who was actually none the wiser. "That certainly gives one a lot to think about."
She wasn't sure but she thought the Sun might be smiling.
The Sun decided to take pity on the Moon, who he could see was beginning to wilt with the intense heat, and from out of his fiery interior he produced a map, which he thrust in the Moon's direction. "Here, take this, it's a map of this Solar System, that should get you started.”
And with a long yawn the Sun closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
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