Ginger had always wondered where dreams came from. Did they wait somewhere until you fell asleep? Did they hide behind the moon? Did the stars send them down one at a time?

And where did dreams go when morning came?

Most people probably didn't wonder about things like that. But Ginger did.

One night, she climbed into bed and pulled the covers beneath her chin. Moonlight slipped through her window and made a long silver patch across the floor.

Ginger watched it for a while. Then she closed her eyes.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Her eyes opened. Ginger listened. Nothing. She pulled the covers a little higher.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

This time she sat up. "Who's there?"

At the foot of her bed was a tiny golden light. It wasn't a lamp. It wasn't a star. And it certainly wasn't a firefly, because fireflies didn't usually appear inside Ginger's bedroom and hover as though they were waiting for someone.

The little light bobbed once. Then it floated toward the door.

Ginger stared at it. "You want me to follow you, don't you?"

The light bobbed again. Ginger slipped out of bed.

The moment her bare feet touched the floor, the moonlight began to move.

It stretched from her bedroom window to the doorway, becoming a narrow silver path. The golden light floated along it.

Ginger followed. But when she stepped through her bedroom door, she wasn't in the hallway. She was outside. At least, Ginger thought she was outside.

Above her was a deep blue sky filled with enormous stars. Some twinkled. Some shimmered. One seemed to wink directly at her.

The silver path curled away into the distance.

Beside it stood a crooked wooden sign. Ginger leaned closer.

DREAM TRAIL

"The Dream Trail," she whispered.

The golden light danced ahead. "Wait for me!" Ginger hurried after it.

The trail wound between tall trees with silvery trunks. Their leaves whispered even though there wasn't any wind.

Ginger had just begun wondering where the path might lead when something floated past her nose.

She stopped. A tiny glowing ball drifted through the air. Inside it was something that looked like a little blue boat sailing beneath a crescent moon.

Another glowing ball rested beside the trail. Ginger picked it up carefully. Inside this one, a girl was flying a bright red kite among the clouds.

"Oh!"

Another floated down from a tree. Then another. And another.

Soon tiny glowing dreams were scattered everywhere. Ginger looked at the golden light. "Are they supposed to be here?"

The light shook from side to side. "I didn't think so."

Ginger picked up the nearest dream. It was warm and light in her hand.

"But where do they belong?" The golden light floated farther down the trail.

Ginger looked at all the little dreams. "I can't leave them here."

She tucked one into the pocket of her pajamas. Then another. And another.

Soon both pockets were bulging with soft golden light.

Ginger giggled. "I have a pocketful of dreams."

She followed the golden light deeper along the trail.

Before long, they came to a little wooden bridge. Beneath it flowed a stream that looked as though it had been made from moonlight. On the other side stood a small tree. Unlike the tall silver trees around it, this one was almost bare. Only a few golden leaves clung to its branches.

The golden light stopped beside it.

Then one of the dreams in Ginger's pocket began to wiggle.

"Oh!"

It popped free. The tiny glowing dream floated upward and settled on a branch. The moment it touched the tree—

Ping!

A golden leaf appeared. Another dream wriggled from Ginger's pocket.

Ping!

Another leaf. Then another.

Ping!

Soon dreams were floating from both of Ginger's pockets. One by one they settled among the branches.

Ping.

Ping.

Ping.

With each dream, another golden leaf appeared until the little tree shimmered beneath the stars.

Ginger stood beneath it, smiling. "So that's where you belong."

The golden light circled her happily. Then Ginger noticed something.

Far beyond the little tree, the Dream Trail continued. It curved around a hill and disappeared into the distance.

For just a moment, Ginger thought she saw something moving far away. Perhaps it was a little train. Or a cloud. Or maybe even a dragon.

Ginger took a step toward it. But the golden light suddenly blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The silver trail beneath Ginger's feet began to fade.

"Oh no. Not yet!"

The trees disappeared. The golden leaves became tiny sparks. The stars grew dim. And suddenly, Ginger opened her eyes.

Morning sunlight filled her bedroom.She sat up. Her room looked exactly as it always did.

Her shoes were beside the bed. Her clothes were on the chair. And there certainly wasn't a silver trail running across the floor.

Ginger sighed. "It was only a dream."

Then she remembered her pockets. She reached into one.

Empty.

She tried the other. Something touched her fingertips. Ginger slowly pulled out her hand. Resting in the center of her palm was a tiny golden leaf.

Ginger stared at it. Then she smiled.

Maybe dreams didn't disappear when morning came. Maybe some dreams left a little something behind.

And somewhere beyond her bedroom, Ginger knew there was a silver path winding beneath the stars. There were places she hadn't seen. Things she didn't understand. And adventures waiting somewhere beyond the bend.

That night, Ginger climbed into bed a little earlier than usual. She placed the tiny golden leaf on her bedside table. Then she pulled the covers beneath her chin and waited.

For a long time, there was only silence. Ginger's eyes began to close. And then, very softly, from somewhere near the foot of her bed…

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Ginger smiled.

The Dream Trail was calling.