1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. We have 2 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: introduced a number of ways you can support sleep Tight 3 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 1: Stories and help us to continue to bring some calm 4 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: and a little joy at sleep time. You can find 5 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:35,680 Speaker 1: out all about these in our show notes. I'd like 6 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 1: to give a shout out to Kansa, Clementine and Milo, 7 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: Tom and Olivia, Rainy, Grace and Willow Rose, Carrie and 8 00:00:47,000 --> 00:01:00,760 Speaker 1: Abby Caton, emberlely Field and Dottie and Luna. The colder 9 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 1: weather has arrived here in Prince Edward Island and it 10 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:10,559 Speaker 1: feels nice. People are out choosing their trees for Christmas 11 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:17,000 Speaker 1: and the air is crisp and clear. Pine trees are 12 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: always on my mind at this time of the year, 13 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,839 Speaker 1: so I wanted to share a story with you about 14 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: a pine tree that helped in its own way. How 15 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: the pine tree did some good. It was a long, 16 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: narrow valley where the pine tree stood, and perhaps if 17 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: you want to look for it, you might find it 18 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: there today. For pine trees live a long time, and 19 00:01:57,600 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: this one was not very old. The valley was quite barren. 20 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: Nothing grew there but a few scrubby brushes, And to 21 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:17,240 Speaker 1: tell you the truth, it was about as desolate a place, 22 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: as you can well imagine. Far up over it hung 23 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,680 Speaker 1: the great snowy caps of the rocky mountains, where the 24 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 1: clouds played hide and seek all day and chased each 25 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:40,520 Speaker 1: other merrily across the snow. There was a little stream too, 26 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 1: that gathered itself up among the snows and came running 27 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: down the side of the mountain. But for all that, 28 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 1: the valley was very dreary. Once in a while there 29 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:03,519 Speaker 1: went a large grain a rabbit hopping among the sage bushes. 30 00:03:05,240 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: But look as far as you could you would find 31 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: no more inhabitants. Poor solitary little valley, with not even 32 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:23,040 Speaker 1: a cottonwood down by the stream, and hardly enough grass 33 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 1: to furnish three oxen with a meal, Poor barren little valley, 34 00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 1: lying always for half the day in the shadow of 35 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: those tall cliffs, burning under the summer sun, heaped high 36 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: with the winter snows, lying there year after year without 37 00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: a friend. Yes, it had two friends, though they could 38 00:03:55,840 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: do it, but little good. For there were two pine trees. 39 00:04:03,520 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: The one nearest the mountain, Hanging quite out of reach 40 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,279 Speaker 1: in a cleft of the rock, was an old, gnarled 41 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: tree which had stood there for a hundred years. The 42 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: other was younger, with bright green foliage summer and winter. 43 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,039 Speaker 1: It curled up the ends of its branches, as if 44 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 1: it would like to have you understand that it was 45 00:04:33,279 --> 00:04:38,839 Speaker 1: a very fine arty fellow, even if it wasn't as 46 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: old as its father. Up there in the cleft of 47 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: the rock. Now, the young pine tree grew very lonesome 48 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 1: at times, and was glad to talk with any persons 49 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,880 Speaker 1: who came along, and there were few, I can tell. 50 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: Occasionally it would look lovingly up to the father pine 51 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,640 Speaker 1: and wonder if it could make him hear what it said. 52 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: It would rustle its branches and shout by the hour, 53 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: But the father pine heard him only once, and then 54 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: the words were so mixed with falling snow that it 55 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 1: was really impossible to say what they meant. So the 56 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: pine tree was very lonesome, and no wonder. I wish 57 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: I knew of what good I am. He said to 58 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:45,680 Speaker 1: the gray rabbit one day, I wish I knew, I 59 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: wish I knew, And he rustled his branches until they 60 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: all seemed to say, wish I knew, wish I knew, O, 61 00:05:58,080 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: Shah said the rabbit. I wouldn't concern myself much about that. 62 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: Some day you'll find out. But do tell me, persisted 63 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 1: the pine tree. Of what good you think I am? Well, 64 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: answered the rabbit, sitting up on her hind paws and 65 00:06:20,000 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 1: washing her face with her front ones in order that 66 00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:29,360 Speaker 1: company shouldn't see her unless she looked trim and tidy. Well, 67 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: said the rabbit. I can't exactly say myself what it is. 68 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:38,720 Speaker 1: If you don't help one, you help another. And that's 69 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:44,640 Speaker 1: right enough, isn't it. As for me, I take care 70 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: of my family. I hop around among the sage bushes 71 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 1: and get their breakfast and dinner and supper. I have 72 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: plenty to do, I assure you, And you must really 73 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: excuse me now, for I have to be off. I 74 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: wish I was a hare, muttered the pine tree to himself. 75 00:07:09,279 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 1: I think I could do some good then, for I 76 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 1: should have a family to support. But I know I 77 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: can't now. Then he called across to the little stream 78 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: and asked the same question of him, and the stream 79 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: rippled along and danced in the sunshine and answered him, 80 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: I go on errands for the big mountain all day. 81 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: I carried one of your cones not long ago to 82 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: a point of land twenty miles off and there now 83 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,320 Speaker 1: is a pine tree that looks just like you. But 84 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,120 Speaker 1: I must run along. I am so busy. I can't 85 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: tell you of what good you are. You must wait 86 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:05,119 Speaker 1: and see. And the little stream danced on. I wish 87 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: I were a stream up the pine tree, anything, but 88 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 1: being tied down to this spot for years. That is unfair. 89 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: The rabbit can run around, and so can the stream, 90 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 1: but I must stand still forever. By and by the 91 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: summer passed into autumn, and the autumn into winter, and 92 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: the snowflakes began to fall, Hallo said, the first one, 93 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: all in a flutter as she dropped on the pine tree, 94 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: but he shook her off, and she fell still farther 95 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,800 Speaker 1: down on the ground. The pine tree was getting very 96 00:08:52,920 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: churlish and cross lately. However, the snow didn't stop or 97 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: all that, and very soon there was a white robe 98 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:09,160 Speaker 1: over all the narrow valley. The pine tree had no 99 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: one to talk with. Now the stream had covered himself 100 00:09:15,080 --> 00:09:17,760 Speaker 1: in with ice and snow and wasn't to be seen. 101 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:24,079 Speaker 1: The hare had to hop around very industriously to get 102 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:27,800 Speaker 1: enough for her children to eat. And the sage brushes 103 00:09:27,840 --> 00:09:31,559 Speaker 1: were always low minded fellows and couldn't begin to keep 104 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:37,600 Speaker 1: up a ten minute conversation. At last, there came a 105 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:42,559 Speaker 1: solitary figure across the valley, making its way straight or 106 00:09:42,640 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 1: the pine tree. It was a lame mule which had 107 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:57,480 Speaker 1: been left behind from some wagon train. He came slowly 108 00:09:57,600 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: on till he reached the tree. Now, the pine in 109 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,760 Speaker 1: shaking off the snow, had shaken down some cones as well, 110 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: and they lay on the snow. These the mule picked 111 00:10:11,920 --> 00:10:16,480 Speaker 1: up and began to eat. Oh ho, said the tree. 112 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: I never knew those things were fit to eat before, 113 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: didn't you, replied the mule. Why I have lived on 114 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:30,000 Speaker 1: these things, as you call them, ever since I left 115 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: the wagons. I am going back on the Oregon Trail, 116 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,720 Speaker 1: and I shan't see you again except my thanks for breakfast. 117 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:44,840 Speaker 1: Good bye, And he moved off to the other end 118 00:10:44,920 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: of the valley and disappeared among the rocks. Well, exclaimed 119 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: the pine tree. That's something at all events, And he 120 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:02,000 Speaker 1: shook down a number of cones on the snow. He 121 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: was really happier than he had ever been before, and 122 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 1: with good reason too. After a while there appeared three people. 123 00:11:16,880 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: They were a family, a father, a mother, and a 124 00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 1: little child. They too went straight to the tree. We'll 125 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 1: stay here, said the father, looking across at the snow 126 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: covered bed of the stream and up at the pine tree. 127 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:41,560 Speaker 1: He and his wife and the child had on simple 128 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:46,120 Speaker 1: clothes and possessed nothing more of any account except a 129 00:11:46,160 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: bow and arrow and a stick with a net on 130 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: the end. They had no lodge poles, and not even 131 00:11:54,760 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: a dog. They were very miserable and hungry. The man 132 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: threw down his things not far from the tree. Then 133 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,880 Speaker 1: he began to clear away the snow in a circle, 134 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:14,880 Speaker 1: and to pull up the sage bushes. These he and 135 00:12:14,960 --> 00:12:19,079 Speaker 1: the woman built into a round, low hot, and then 136 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: they lighted a fire within it. While it was beginning 137 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:27,800 Speaker 1: to burn, the man went to the stream and broke 138 00:12:27,840 --> 00:12:33,439 Speaker 1: a hole in the ice. Tying a string to his arrow, 139 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: he shot a fish which came up to breathe, and 140 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:43,320 Speaker 1: after putting it on the coals, they ate it. They 141 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: never noticed the pine tree, though he scattered down at 142 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: least a dozen more cones. At last night came on, 143 00:12:54,720 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: cold and cheerless. The wind blew through the valleys and 144 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: howled at the pine tree, for they were old enemies. 145 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: Oh it was a bitter night, But finally the morning broke. 146 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: More snow had fallen and heaped up against the hut, 147 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 1: so that you could hardly tell that it was there. 148 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: The stream had frozen tighter than before, and the man 149 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: could not break a hole in the ice again. The 150 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,880 Speaker 1: sage bushes were all hid by the drifts, and they 151 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:44,200 Speaker 1: could find none to burn. Then they turned to the 152 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:49,320 Speaker 1: pine tree. How glad he was to help them. They 153 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: gathered up the cones and roasted the seeds on the fire. 154 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,760 Speaker 1: They cut branches from the tree and burned them, and 155 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 1: so kept up the warmth. Pine tree began to find 156 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: himself useful, and he told the hair so one morning 157 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 1: when she came along, but she saw the hut and 158 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: did not stop to reply. Day after day passed by, 159 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 1: some bleak, some warm, and the winter moved slowly along. 160 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,520 Speaker 1: The people only went from their hut to the pine tree. 161 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 1: Now he gave them fire and food, and the snow 162 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: was their drink. He was smaller than before, for many 163 00:14:44,480 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: branches were gone, but he was happier than ever. One 164 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,680 Speaker 1: day the sun came out more warmly, and it seemed 165 00:14:57,720 --> 00:15:01,960 Speaker 1: as if spring were near. The man broke a hole 166 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: in the ice and got more fish. The child gathered 167 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:10,440 Speaker 1: sage bushes from under the fast melting snow, and made 168 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: a hotter fire to cook the food, and they did feast, 169 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 1: and then they went away. The pine tree had found 170 00:15:24,960 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 1: out his mission. He had helped to save three lives. 171 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 1: In the summer. There came along a band of explorers, 172 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,640 Speaker 1: and one, the botanist of the party, stopped beside our 173 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:48,600 Speaker 1: pine tree. This said he, in his big words, is 174 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: the Pinus monophylus, otherwise known as the bread pine. He 175 00:15:55,680 --> 00:15:59,280 Speaker 1: looked at the deserted hut and passed his hand over 176 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: his forehead. How strange it is, he said, this pine 177 00:16:05,400 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 1: tree must have kept a whole family from cold and 178 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:15,160 Speaker 1: starvation last winter. There are very few of us who 179 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: have done as much good as that. And when he 180 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:24,280 Speaker 1: went away, he waved his hand to the tree and 181 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:30,040 Speaker 1: was thankful that it grew there, and the bread pine 182 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:34,280 Speaker 1: waved his branches in return, and said to himself, as 183 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: he gazed after the departing band, I will never complain again, 184 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 1: for I have found out what a pleasant thing it 185 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:49,640 Speaker 1: is to do good, and I know now that everyone 186 00:16:49,720 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 1: in his lifetime can do a little of it. And 187 00:17:01,760 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: that's the end of this episode. Good Night, sleep tight.