1 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:14,840 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. Margaret and 2 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:19,120 Speaker 1: the Secret Soft Tree is written by Jamie Lee Mann 3 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: and served as inspiration for her wonderful Legend of Rhyme 4 00:00:24,160 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: series of books. We are so happy to be able 5 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: to share this with you. To learn more about the 6 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:34,960 Speaker 1: Legend of Rhyme series, please follow the link in our 7 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 1: show notes. Margaret is a girl who always does as 8 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: she is told. It's her birthday and she is turning eight, 9 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: and Margaret is very excited because this is the day 10 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: she gets to go to her friend Mary's house all 11 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: by herself. After breakfast, she starts on her way to Mary's, 12 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: but something magical happens along the way. Margaret and the 13 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:21,520 Speaker 1: Secret Soft Tree Part One. Margaret was a sweet girl 14 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 1: who always did what she was told. It had been 15 00:01:25,280 --> 00:01:28,080 Speaker 1: that way since she was two and a half, or 16 00:01:28,120 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: so her mother always said, and that to anyone who 17 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: knows anything about two year olds, is very rare. On 18 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: the evening before her eighth birthday, Margaret was too excited 19 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 1: to sleep because the next day she would finally be 20 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: allowed to go to her friend Mary's house all by herself, 21 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: and as everyone knows, that is a very important step 22 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: to becoming a grown up. It's especially important to a 23 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 1: little girl who needs a wheelchair to get around and 24 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: nobody thinks she can do anything by herself. When Margaret 25 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: woke up on her birthday, she wheeled herself to the kitchen. 26 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 1: Happy birthday, Margaret said her mother. Happy birthday, Sweetie, said 27 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: her dad. I'm eight. I'm hungry when I'm ate, said 28 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: Margaret as she gobbled up her French toast, which happened 29 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,040 Speaker 1: to be her favorite breakfast in the whole wide world. 30 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 1: She ate so fast that she got the hiccups, and 31 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: she gulped down her milk faster than she ever gulped 32 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: anything before. Margaret. Her mother said, you're eating like a 33 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 1: wild animal. Margaret wiped her mouth with her napkin and said, 34 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: but I have important things to do today. I'm going 35 00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:09,880 Speaker 1: to go through the woods to Mary's house all by myself. Remember, Remember, 36 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:14,639 Speaker 1: how could I forget? Her mother said, that's all you've 37 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:21,679 Speaker 1: been talking about for three weeks. Mary and Margaret had 38 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:26,240 Speaker 1: been best friends forever. They saw each other every day, 39 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 1: but Margaret was never allowed to visit all by herself 40 00:03:30,040 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: before until today. Margaret put her plate and cup on 41 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:41,760 Speaker 1: her lap and brought them to the sink. May I 42 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: please go to Mary's house now, as long as you're 43 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 1: dressed and your teeth are brushed. Be careful, dear, her 44 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: mother said. Her mother gave her a hug and kissed 45 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 1: her on her special birthmark, a small silver streak of 46 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 1: hair on the back of her head, as she had 47 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: every morning for the past eight years. Then she told 48 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: Margaret she loved her and to be home for lunch. 49 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 1: It was a beautiful sunny day, so Margaret didn't even 50 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 1: need a jacket. The sun felt warm on her face, 51 00:04:20,080 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: and there wasn't even enough of a breeze to move 52 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: her hair out of place. She went into the back 53 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: yard and followed the path her father had made for 54 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: her through the trees. There weren't many trees between Margaret 55 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: and Mary's houses, and Margaret had been through them before 56 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: many times with her parents and Mary, but things looked 57 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:52,440 Speaker 1: different when she was by herself. She started feeling a 58 00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:57,119 Speaker 1: little nervous that maybe she would get lost, but since 59 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 1: she could almost see Mary's house, Margaret kept on going. 60 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 1: The ground was squishy under her wheels, and now and 61 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:11,719 Speaker 1: then a twig would snap loudly beneath her. When she 62 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: was about the length of her school jim away from 63 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: Mary's house. A stick got caught in one of her wheels, 64 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: and Margaret's chair tipped over. She caught herself by leaning 65 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: into the tree, but the tree was not firm. The 66 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:38,080 Speaker 1: tree felt as much like nothing as air did. In shock, 67 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: she watched her hand disappear before her brain could register 68 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: what was happening. The trunk sucked her in and she disappeared. 69 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 1: Margaret opened her eyes and was dazzled by what she saw. 70 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: The sky was the same shade of purple as a 71 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:09,280 Speaker 1: lilac in June. Underneath her, the ground wasn't brown like 72 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:14,480 Speaker 1: dirt or green like grass. It was cotton, candy, pink, 73 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 1: and fluffy like feathers. The white trees sparkled like they 74 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:28,160 Speaker 1: were covered in silver glitter. Margaret was so odd by 75 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: her surroundings that it took her a few minutes to 76 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 1: realize that her wheelchair was on the ground beside her 77 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 1: and she was standing on her own two feet. She 78 00:06:42,080 --> 00:06:47,159 Speaker 1: hadn't used her own legs for walking before shaking. She 79 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:55,400 Speaker 1: took a slow, small step easy. She started taking bigger 80 00:06:55,440 --> 00:07:01,360 Speaker 1: steps easy. She took off her shoes to see if 81 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 1: the fluffy pink ground felt as soft as it looked. 82 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: Margaret let out a huge laugh that echoed throughout the strange, 83 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: silent place she was in. Then she heard something, a 84 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: faint tinkling sound like a tiny bell. The tinkling grew louder, 85 00:07:25,720 --> 00:07:29,400 Speaker 1: and Margaret saw a flash of blue light coming towards her. 86 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: Right there, in front of Margaret's face appeared a fairy. 87 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 1: She could have fit in a teacup, and she was 88 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 1: as pretty as a flower, with iridescent wings and glowing skin. 89 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 1: My name's Eloise, she said, blue eyes sparkling. What's yours. 90 00:07:56,480 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 1: Margaret was almost too shocked to answer Eloise because she 91 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: had never met a fairy before. But then she remembered 92 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: it wasn't polite to remain silent when asked a question. 93 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: Her parents had taught her that my name is Margaret. 94 00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: She said, you are very big. Surely you are not 95 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: a fairy? Are you a people girl? Asked Eloise, flitting 96 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: around Margaret's head. When Margaret nodded, Eloise opened her eyes 97 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: wide and said, I've never seen a people girl in 98 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: Gardinia before. I must go get the Queen Guardinia. Margaret squealed, 99 00:08:43,840 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: what is this place? But Eloise didn't answer. She simply 100 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: disappeared as quickly as she'd come, in a flash of 101 00:08:54,720 --> 00:09:02,440 Speaker 1: light and a puff of twinkly fairy dust. Within seconds, 102 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:07,640 Speaker 1: Eloise returned, and she had another fairy with her, a 103 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: lovely blue fairy with a beautiful silver wand it was 104 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: the Queen. Suddenly Margaret was able to hear noises, normal 105 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:23,400 Speaker 1: sort of noises, like wind and the rustling of leaves. 106 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:30,600 Speaker 1: Margaret said the queen, carefully studying the girl's face. My 107 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:35,520 Speaker 1: dear child, we've been waiting for you, said the queen fairy. 108 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: What do you mean, asked Margaret. Before the Queen could answer, 109 00:09:43,520 --> 00:09:49,360 Speaker 1: Margaret heard more noises. She looked around, and more fairies 110 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: than she could count started poking their faces out from 111 00:09:53,679 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 1: the candy colored toadstools that littered the ground. My darling, 112 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:05,840 Speaker 1: said the queen, stroking Margaret's head. Have you ever noticed 113 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: that in your dark hair there's a streak of silver, Yes, 114 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: said Margaret, touching the silver streak with her hand. Mom 115 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:20,680 Speaker 1: told me that was my birthmark, said Margaret. Oh, your 116 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:25,200 Speaker 1: mother is such a kind soul, said the queen. You 117 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:30,880 Speaker 1: know my mother, said a wide eyed Margaret. Why yes, 118 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:36,760 Speaker 1: dear oh, I suppose you don't know the story. When 119 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: your mother was a very little girl, she once saved 120 00:10:40,520 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: a fairy from a trap in the woods that had 121 00:10:43,280 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 1: been set by a naughty human child. The fairy she 122 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 1: saved blew some fairy dust in her face to make 123 00:10:51,080 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 1: her forget what she saw. That fairy was me. According 124 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:01,760 Speaker 1: to fairy legend, a kind human would one day save 125 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: us from a fierce beast, and she would go on 126 00:11:05,360 --> 00:11:08,600 Speaker 1: one day to have a special little baby who would 127 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:12,800 Speaker 1: be the chosen one, a gilded girl who would arrive 128 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:17,360 Speaker 1: in Gardenia on her eighth birthday to watch over the fairies. 129 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: That silver streak in your hair, Margaret, is the mark 130 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 1: of the human fairy princess. Margaret couldn't believe what was 131 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: happening her. A fairy princess, would she get a crown. 132 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,679 Speaker 1: You may come and go back and forth to and 133 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: from Guardinia, however often you wish, but until you decide 134 00:11:48,280 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 1: to stay here forever. Each time you come back, another 135 00:11:53,000 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: tree will grow in front of the secret tree to 136 00:11:56,200 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: protect us from someone else coming into our world. The 137 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: more you come here, the higher the chance of someone 138 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:09,199 Speaker 1: seeing you disappear into the tree. You see explained the Queen, 139 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,920 Speaker 1: So more trees will grow to hide the secret tree, 140 00:12:14,440 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: making it difficult for humans to see us and enter 141 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: our world. When you're here, she said, you'll be able 142 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 1: to live like us. You can fly, and you will 143 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:32,560 Speaker 1: have special fairy magic. You can help the garden fairies 144 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:36,400 Speaker 1: shape the daffodil trumpets, and you can help the animal 145 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:43,319 Speaker 1: fairies teach the baby birds to fly. She looked down 146 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: at her feet. My legs work here? Are they fixed now? 147 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 1: When you are here, you will have full use of 148 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,600 Speaker 1: your legs. But I'm afraid that when you return to 149 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: your human life, you will not, said the Queen. Margaret frowned. 150 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,760 Speaker 1: Then she asked another question, even though she was sure 151 00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,959 Speaker 1: she already knew the answer. Can I bring my friends 152 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 1: and my parents here with me? Oh? No, dear, said 153 00:13:16,360 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: the Queen. Nobody can know that you are one of us. 154 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: Not ever, many humans don't believe in fairies, and we 155 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 1: want to keep it that way. This was an impossible decision. 156 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:37,240 Speaker 1: Did she leave her friends and mother forever and stay 157 00:13:37,240 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 1: in this perfect world, or did she go back to 158 00:13:40,559 --> 00:13:44,680 Speaker 1: her normal life, where the ground was firm, not fluffy, 159 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: and she could never run like she could hear There's 160 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: something else you should know. Time works differently here. You 161 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,800 Speaker 1: can stay here for a full day before one hour 162 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:04,080 Speaker 1: passes in your work, explained the Queen. But remember, when 163 00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,520 Speaker 1: you go back home, a tree will appear in front 164 00:14:07,520 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: of the secret soft tree you fell into. Now take this, 165 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:20,080 Speaker 1: the Queen handed Margaret her intricately carved silver wand. This 166 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: belongs to you. This wand has been given to every 167 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: fairy princess for the past five hundred years. It is 168 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 1: now yours, and you will have it until you have 169 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: a successor. In Margaret's hand, the wand seemed tiny. It 170 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 1: looked like a doll accessory. What do I do with it? 171 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: She was too embarrassed to ask what a successor was. 172 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,080 Speaker 1: Eloise is going to be your guide. She will be 173 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 1: with you the entire time you're with us in Guardinia. 174 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 1: She will answer all of your q questions. Now I 175 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:09,120 Speaker 1: must go, Happy birthday, Margaret. And with that, the Queen 176 00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 1: disappeared in a flash of light and a puff of 177 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: fairy dust. And that is the end of this part. 178 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: Good night, sleep tight.