1 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:14,600 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. A short 2 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:18,640 Speaker 1: message for grown ups, I would like to invite you 3 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: to subscribe to sleep Tight Premium with extra bedtime stories, 4 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: mindfulness activities, and sound and music for sleep. Sleep Tight 5 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:32,199 Speaker 1: Premium helps make your sleep tight routine easier and the 6 00:00:32,280 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 1: kids will love the shout outs and birthday messages. Visit 7 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,640 Speaker 1: sleep Typepremium dot com to start your free trial. Thank you. 8 00:00:46,120 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: It is a rainy day in today's story and the 9 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:56,800 Speaker 1: birds are enjoying it. They can't wait to look for worms. 10 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: Silver Tip and his little boy are also out, and 11 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: the little boy helps the birds to stay safe a 12 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: rainy day on the lawn. When the sun rose that 13 00:01:20,040 --> 00:01:24,640 Speaker 1: morning late in April, he tried and tried to look 14 00:01:24,680 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: at the big House and see what was happening. All 15 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: he could see was a thick gray cloud veil stretched 16 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 1: between him and the earth, and shine as hard as 17 00:01:39,880 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: he might, not a single sunbeam went through that veil. 18 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: When the blackbirds awakened, they found a drizzling rain falling 19 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: and hurried on their waterproofs to get ready for a 20 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 1: wet time. Blackbirds are always handsome, yet they never look 21 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: better than when it rains. They coat their feathers with 22 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 1: oil from the pockets under their tails, as indeed all 23 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:24,080 Speaker 1: birds do. And then they fly to the high branches 24 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: of some tall and swaying trees and talk and talk, 25 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: and talk and talk. They do not get into little 26 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 1: groups and face each other, but scatter themselves around and 27 00:02:44,200 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 1: face the wind. This is most sensible. Or if one 28 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,000 Speaker 1: of them were to turn his back to the wind, 29 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,399 Speaker 1: it would rumble up his feathers and give the rain 30 00:02:56,520 --> 00:03:03,119 Speaker 1: drop a chance to get down to his skin. When 31 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,400 Speaker 1: they speak, or at least when they have anything really 32 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 1: important to say, they ruffle their own feathers and stand 33 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 1: on tiptoe. But they ruffle them carefully and face the 34 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: wind all the time. When the robins opened their round eyes, 35 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 1: they chirped cheerfully to each other and put on their waterproofs. 36 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: Good weather for us, they said. It will make fine 37 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 1: mud for plastering our new nests, and it will bring 38 00:03:39,880 --> 00:03:49,680 Speaker 1: out the worms. The English sparrows, goldfinches and other seed 39 00:03:49,720 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 1: eaters were not made happy by the rain. With them, 40 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: it was only something to be borne patiently and without complaining. 41 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: The hummingbirds found fewer fresh blossoms open on cloudy days, 42 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: and so had to fly farther and work harder for 43 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: their food. The peeweees and other flycatchers boiled their feathers 44 00:04:18,880 --> 00:04:27,120 Speaker 1: and kept steadily at work. The birds had not awakened 45 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: so early as usual because it was darker. They had 46 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 1: hardly gotten a good start on their breakfast before a 47 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 1: sleepy little face appeared at the window of the big house, 48 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: and a sleepy little voice called out, Oh mother, it 49 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 1: is raining. I didn't want it to rain. Foolish, foolish, foolish, 50 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: chirped the robins on the lawn. Boys would know better 51 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 1: than to say such things if they were birds. Boys 52 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,160 Speaker 1: are a bother anyway, said an English sparrow as he 53 00:05:05,320 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 1: spattered in the edge of a puddle. I wish they 54 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:14,599 Speaker 1: had never been hatched, harie, said a blackbird above his head. 55 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:17,840 Speaker 1: I suppose they may be of some use in the world. 56 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: I notice that the gentleman and the lady seem to 57 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: think a great deal of this one, and they are 58 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: a very good sort of people. I'd like them better 59 00:05:29,440 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: if they didn't keep a cat, said his brother. Their 60 00:05:33,360 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: cat is the greatest climber I ever saw. He almost 61 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,559 Speaker 1: made it to the top of this maple tree after 62 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,240 Speaker 1: me yesterday, and I have seen him go clear to 63 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 1: the eaves of the big house on the woodbine. That 64 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: is because the sparrows live there, said mister Wren. He 65 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:57,719 Speaker 1: went to see their children. Silvertip says that he is 66 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: very fond of children. They are so much more tender 67 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:05,799 Speaker 1: than their parents. Mister Wren could laugh about this, because 68 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:10,359 Speaker 1: his own children were always safely housed. Besides, you know, 69 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: he had reason to dislike sparrows. I would not stay here, 70 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 1: said a sparrow who had just come up, if the 71 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: people here were not the right sword. They have mountain 72 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 1: ash trees and sweetbriar bushes where birds find good feeding. 73 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: And in the winter that boy throws out bread crumbs 74 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:38,599 Speaker 1: and wheat for us, said the oldest blackbird. There is 75 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:42,160 Speaker 1: no need to talk so much about it. You can 76 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: always tell what sort of people live in a place 77 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: by seeing if they have a bird house. If they 78 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,719 Speaker 1: have and it is a sensible one where a bird 79 00:06:52,760 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: could live comfortably, they are all right that the birds 80 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: worked more and talked less. For the oldest blackbird, while 81 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 1: he was often grumpy and sometimes angry, was really a 82 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 1: very sensible bird, and what he had said was true. 83 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,920 Speaker 1: The robins went here and there over the lawn in quick, 84 00:07:21,280 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: short runs, pausing once in a while with their heads 85 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:30,720 Speaker 1: bent forward, and then pulling up choice worms to eat. 86 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: Some of their mouthfuls were half as long as they 87 00:07:36,120 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: but that was not rude in robins. What they insist 88 00:07:40,840 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: on in bringing up their children is that mouthfuls should 89 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,000 Speaker 1: not be too broad, and that they should not stop 90 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: swallowing until all the worm is out of sight. The 91 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: blackbirds hunted in a more dignified way. They never after food, 92 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 1: or indeed after anything else. If walking is not fast enough, 93 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 1: the blackbird mothers say, then fly, but do not run. 94 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: They walked in parties over the lawn and waggled their 95 00:08:18,600 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: heads at each step when they found grubs. They did 96 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: not appear greedy, yet never a grub escape. There are 97 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: two ways of hurrying, they often said. One is the 98 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: jerky way, and the other is our way of being 99 00:08:37,480 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 1: sure and steady. Of course, our way is the best. 100 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,200 Speaker 1: You will see that we do just as much and 101 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: make less of us. Silvertip came to the edge of 102 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: the porch and looked around. He was licking his lips, 103 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: and every every bird on the lawn was happy to 104 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: see that for it meant that he had just finished 105 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: his breakfast. His eyes gleamed and his tail waved stiffly 106 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: as he saw the fat robin so near. He even 107 00:09:19,520 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: crouched down and took four short steps, quivering his body 108 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: and trying his muscles. Then he remembered how wet the 109 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 1: grass was, and turned back with a long sigh. After all, 110 00:09:39,880 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 1: his stomach was full, and he could afford to wait 111 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:49,400 Speaker 1: until the grass was dry. The robins would be there then, 112 00:09:50,160 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 1: and if they kept on eating worms at this rate, 113 00:09:53,480 --> 00:09:57,720 Speaker 1: they would be growing plump and juicy all the time. 114 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: He began to lick himself all over, as every truly 115 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:10,439 Speaker 1: tidy cat does after eating. By the time he had 116 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 1: finished the tip of his tail, he was sleepy, so 117 00:10:15,160 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 1: he went into the kitchen and dozed by the fire. 118 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,720 Speaker 1: The front door opened with a bay, and the little 119 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: boy stood there, shouting and waving a piece of red 120 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: paper with a string tied to it. See my kite, 121 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: he cried. Wee five birds who had been feeding near 122 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: flew off in wild alarm. Now why did he do that? 123 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:53,160 Speaker 1: Asked one, after they had settled down elsewhere. Nobody answered none, 124 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:57,240 Speaker 1: But little boys understood these things, and even they do 125 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 1: not always tell. The lady came to the door behind 126 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:08,080 Speaker 1: him and helped him start away. He proudly carried a 127 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:14,719 Speaker 1: small new umbrella, and the precious kite fluttered out behind him. 128 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: When he was outside the gate, he peeped through it 129 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: and called back, goodbye, mother. I'm going to school to 130 00:11:21,880 --> 00:11:28,840 Speaker 1: learn everything. I'll be a good boy. Goodbye. Then he 131 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:31,960 Speaker 1: ran down the walk with the umbrella held back over 132 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: his shoulder and the rain falling squarely in his face. 133 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:40,200 Speaker 1: All that the birds could see of the little boy 134 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:46,400 Speaker 1: then was his fat legs bobbing along below the umbrella. Oh, 135 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 1: there set all the birds together. There Silvertip is asleep, 136 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 1: and the little boy has gone to school. Now we 137 00:11:55,320 --> 00:12:04,840 Speaker 1: can take comfort. When the morning was nearly passed, and 138 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: the birds felt so safe that they had grown almost careless, 139 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 1: Silvertip woke up and felt hungry. He walked slowly out 140 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 1: of the kitchen door and looked at the grass. The 141 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:24,720 Speaker 1: sun was now shining and it was no longer sparkling 142 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: with tiny drops. He crept down the steps and around 143 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: to a place under a big spruce tree, the lower 144 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:39,360 Speaker 1: branches of which lay along the ground. A fat robin 145 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: was hunting nearby. Silvertip watched her hungrily, and if you 146 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: were a cat, you might have done exactly the same thing, 147 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 1: though you must not blame Silvertip. He was creeping, creeping, 148 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: creeping nearer, and never looking away from her. When the 149 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:09,160 Speaker 1: little boy came tramping across the grass. He had come 150 00:13:09,200 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: in by the gate of the driveway and was walking 151 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: straight towards Silvertip, who neither saw nor heard him. Then 152 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:23,079 Speaker 1: the little boy saw what was happening and dropped his 153 00:13:23,120 --> 00:13:26,800 Speaker 1: bright paper chain on the grass beside him. Go away, 154 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:31,720 Speaker 1: he cried, waving his umbrella. Go away. Don't you try 155 00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 1: to catch any birds round here. My father doesn't low it. 156 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: Go away, go away else I tell my mother that 157 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: you are a bad cat. Silvertip fled under the porch, 158 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 1: The robin flew up onto the snowball bush, and all 159 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 1: around the birds sang the praises of the good little 160 00:13:54,720 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: boy with the umbrella. But the little boy didn't know this. 161 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:05,200 Speaker 1: He stood by the porch and dangled his pretty paper 162 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: chain until Silvertip forgave him and came out to play. 163 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:15,000 Speaker 1: Then they ran together into the house, and the birds 164 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:22,000 Speaker 1: heard him shouting, mother, mother, where are you? I want 165 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 1: to give Silvertip some cream. He is so very hungry 166 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: that he almost gobbled up a robin. Only I wouldn't 167 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 1: let him do that. Let's get him some cream, and 168 00:14:41,120 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 1: that's the end of our story. Good Night, sleep tight.