1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. A short 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: message for grown ups. Please consider supporting sleep Tight Stories 3 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: and our mission to bring calming entertainment to children at 4 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 1: sleep time. In return, you will continue to receive ad 5 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: free stories, extra and exclusive content, shout outs, and more. 6 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:45,320 Speaker 1: Please visit us at patreon dot com slash sleep Tight Stories. 7 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 1: A link can also be found in our show notes. 8 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 1: Thank you. I would like to say hello to a 9 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 1: few friends today. Hello to Alicia, Mave and Wallace, and 10 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:11,640 Speaker 1: Campbell and Teacon. This episode is a story about some 11 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:16,080 Speaker 1: young raccoons who are invited to a party at their friends. 12 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: Their mother reminds them of the things they should and 13 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:24,000 Speaker 1: shouldn't do at the party, and then sends them off 14 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: to their friend's house. While they are there, the mother 15 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: goes by and sees that the children have not listened 16 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: to her. How can she help them to learn? The 17 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: young raccoons go to a party. It was not very 18 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:57,440 Speaker 1: many nights after big Brother had tumbled from the maple 19 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: tree when he and the other children were invited to 20 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: a raccoon party down by the pond. The water was low, 21 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: and in the small pools by the shore there were 22 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: many freshwater clams and small fishes such as raccoons like. 23 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: Best of all, a family of six young raccoons who 24 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: lived very near the pond had found them just before 25 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: sunrise when they had to climb off to bed. They 26 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,839 Speaker 1: knew there was much more food there than they could 27 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: eat alone, so their mother had let them invite their 28 00:02:40,480 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: four friends who lived in the hollow of the oak tree. 29 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: The party was to begin the next evening at moonrise, 30 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:56,240 Speaker 1: and the four children who lived in the oak tree 31 00:02:56,680 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: got their invitation just as they were going to see 32 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: leap for the day. They were very excited, for they 33 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: had never been to a party. I wish we could 34 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:16,080 Speaker 1: go now, said big brother. Yes, lots of fun it 35 00:03:16,120 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: would be, now, answered little brother. The sun is almost 36 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,040 Speaker 1: up and there are no clouds in the sky. We 37 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: couldn't see a thing unless we shaded our eyes with 38 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:29,919 Speaker 1: our fore paws, and if we had to use our 39 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: fore paws in that way, we couldn't eat. You do 40 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: eat at parties, don't you, asked little sister, who had 41 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:46,760 Speaker 1: not quite understood what was said. Of course, shouted her brothers, 42 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: that is what parties are for. I thought maybe you 43 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 1: talked some, said big sister. I suppose you do have 44 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 1: to some, said big brother. But I know you eat. 45 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: I've heard people tell about parties lots of times, and 46 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: they always begin by telling what they ate, and that's 47 00:04:10,280 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: what makes it a party. Oh I wish it were 48 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,600 Speaker 1: nighttime and time to go, sighed little brother. I don't, 49 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:23,159 Speaker 1: said little sister. I wouldn't have any fun if I 50 00:04:23,200 --> 00:04:26,239 Speaker 1: were to go now. I'd rather wait until my stomach 51 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:35,840 Speaker 1: is empty. There, said their mother. You children have talked 52 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: long enough. Now curl down and go to sleep. The 53 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: birds are already singing their morning songs, and the owls 54 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:48,520 Speaker 1: and bats were dreaming long ago. It will make night 55 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,360 Speaker 1: time come much sooner if you do not stay awake. 56 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: We're not a bit sleepy, cried all the young raccoons together. 57 00:05:00,640 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: That makes no difference at all, said their mother, and 58 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: she spoke quite sternly. Cuddle down for the day. Now, 59 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:11,560 Speaker 1: cover your eyes and stop talking. I'm not saying you 60 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: must sleep, but you must stop talking. They knew that. 61 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: When she spoke in that way and said must, there 62 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: was nothing to do but to listen. So they cuddled down, 63 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,039 Speaker 1: and every one of them was asleep before you could 64 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:37,640 Speaker 1: drop an acorn. Mother raccoon had known it would be, 65 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:46,160 Speaker 1: so when they awakened early the next night, each young 66 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: raccoon had to make himself look as neat as possible. 67 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: There was long fur to be combed, faces and paws 68 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: to be washed, and twenty three burrs to be taken 69 00:06:00,480 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: out of little brother's tail. He began to take them 70 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 1: out himself, but his mother found that whenever he got 71 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: one loose, he stuck it on to one of the 72 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 1: other children, so she made him sit on a branch 73 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: by himself while she worked at the burrs. Sometimes she 74 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 1: couldn't help pulling the fur, and then he tried to 75 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: wiggle away. You've got enough out, he cried, let the 76 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: rest go. You should have thought sooner how it would hurt. 77 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: She said, you have been told again and again to 78 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 1: keep away from the burrs. Then she took out another 79 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: and dropped it to the ground. Oh, he said, let 80 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:50,760 Speaker 1: me go, not until I am done. She answered, no 81 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: child of mine shall ever go to a party looking 82 00:06:54,440 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 1: as you do. After that, little brother tried to hold still, 83 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: and he had time to think how glad he was 84 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: that he didn't have any more birds than he did. 85 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 1: If he had gotten more onto himself, he would have 86 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: had to wait while they were pulled off again, and 87 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: then they might have been late for the party. If 88 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: he had been very good, he would have been glad 89 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 1: they didn't have to hurt as he was. But he 90 00:07:30,800 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 1: was not very good, and he never thought of that. 91 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 1: When he was ready at last, Mother Raccoon made her 92 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:43,600 Speaker 1: four children sit in a row while she talked to them. 93 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: Remember to walk on your toes, she said, although you 94 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: may stand flat footed if you wish, don't act greedy 95 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 1: if you can help it. Go into the water as 96 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,480 Speaker 1: much as you choose, But don't try to dive, even 97 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: if they dare you to. Raccoons can never learn to dive, 98 00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,920 Speaker 1: no matter how well they swim. And be sure to 99 00:08:10,240 --> 00:08:17,960 Speaker 1: wash your food before you eat it. All the raccoons said, yes, mom, 100 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:24,480 Speaker 1: and thought they would remember every word. The first moonbeam 101 00:08:24,560 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: shone on the top of the oak tree, and Missus 102 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:31,680 Speaker 1: Raccoon said, now you may go, be good children, and 103 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 1: remember what I told you. Don't stay too long. Start 104 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:41,959 Speaker 1: home when you see the first light in the east. Yes, mom, 105 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 1: said the young raccoons as they walked off very properly 106 00:08:46,520 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: toward the pond. After they were well away from the 107 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:55,199 Speaker 1: oak tree, they heard their mother calling to them, remember 108 00:08:55,360 --> 00:09:03,840 Speaker 1: to walk on your toes. Raccoons cannot go very fast, 109 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,080 Speaker 1: and the moon was shining brightly when they reached the 110 00:09:07,120 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: pond and met their six friends. Such frolics as they 111 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: had in the shallow water, swimming, twisting, turning scooping up 112 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: food with their busy fore paws, going up and down 113 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 1: the beach, and rolling on the sand. They never once 114 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,160 Speaker 1: remembered what their mother had told them, and they acted 115 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 1: exactly as they had been in the habit of doing 116 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:44,559 Speaker 1: every day. Big brother looked admiringly at his own tail 117 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,280 Speaker 1: every chance he got, although he had been told particularly 118 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: not to act as if he thought himself fine looking. 119 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: Little Brother rolled into a lot of sandburds and got 120 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 1: his so matted that he looked worse than ever. Big 121 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: sister snatched food from other raccoons, and no one of 122 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: them remembered about walking on tiptoe. Little sister ate half 123 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:23,080 Speaker 1: the time without washing her food. Of course, that didn't 124 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 1: matter when the food was taken from the pond, but 125 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: when they found some of it on the beach and 126 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:35,560 Speaker 1: ate it without washing, h that was dreadful. No raccoon, 127 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: who is anybody at all will do that. The mother 128 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: of the family of six looked on from a tree nearby. 129 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:54,760 Speaker 1: The children did not know that she was there. What manners, 130 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,560 Speaker 1: she said, I don't think I will invite them here again. 131 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,280 Speaker 1: Just then she saw one of her own sons eat 132 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: without washing his food, and she groaned out loud. Oh, 133 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: my children are forgetting too, She said. I have told 134 00:11:12,679 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: him hundreds of times that if he did that way 135 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: every day, he would do so at a party. But 136 00:11:19,040 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: he has always said that he would remember. The mother 137 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,319 Speaker 1: of the four young raccoons was out hunting and found 138 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: herself near the pond. How noisy those children are, she 139 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 1: said to herself. Night people should be quiet. She tiptoed 140 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,840 Speaker 1: along to a pile of rocks and peeped between them 141 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: to see what was going on. She saw her children's 142 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:53,760 Speaker 1: footprints on the sand. Ah, she said, so they did 143 00:11:53,840 --> 00:12:01,080 Speaker 1: walk flat footed after all. She heard some body scrambling 144 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: down a tree nearby. Good evening, said a pleasant raccoon 145 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: voice near her. It was the mother of six. Are 146 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,720 Speaker 1: you watching the children's party? Asked the newcomer. I hope 147 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: you did not notice how badly my son is behaving. 148 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,960 Speaker 1: I have tried to teach my children good manners, but 149 00:12:23,040 --> 00:12:25,959 Speaker 1: they will be careless when I am not looking, and 150 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: then of course they forget in company. That made the 151 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 1: mother of the four feel more comfortable. I know just 152 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,839 Speaker 1: how that is, she said. Mine mean to be good, 153 00:12:41,320 --> 00:12:47,960 Speaker 1: but they are so careless it is very discouraging. The 154 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: two mothers talked for a long time in whispers, and 155 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:59,680 Speaker 1: then each went to her hole. When the four young 156 00:12:59,760 --> 00:13:03,440 Speaker 1: rats racoons came home, it was beginning to grow light, 157 00:13:04,280 --> 00:13:07,720 Speaker 1: and they kept close together because they were somewhat afraid. 158 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: Their mother was waiting to see them settled for the day. 159 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: She asked if they had had a good time, and 160 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:23,120 Speaker 1: she said she was glad they got home promptly they 161 00:13:23,160 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: had been afraid. She would ask if they had washed 162 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:29,800 Speaker 1: their food and walked on their toes. She even seemed 163 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: not to notice little brother's matted coat. When they awakened 164 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: the next night, the mother hurried them off with her 165 00:13:42,120 --> 00:13:45,000 Speaker 1: to the same pond where they had been to the party. 166 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: I am going to visit with the mother of your friends, 167 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: she said, and you may play around and amuse yourselves. 168 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:01,920 Speaker 1: The young raccoons had another fine time, although little brother 169 00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:07,959 Speaker 1: found it very uncomfortable. To wear so many birds. They 170 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:13,440 Speaker 1: played tag in the trees, and ate and swam and 171 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:19,080 Speaker 1: lay on the beach. While they were lying there, the 172 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: four from the oak tree noticed that their mother was 173 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,880 Speaker 1: walking flat footed. There was bright moonlight, and anybody might 174 00:14:27,960 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: see her. They felt dreadful about it. Then they saw 175 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 1: her begin to eat food which she had not washed. 176 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,560 Speaker 1: They were so ashamed that they didn't want to look 177 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:45,000 Speaker 1: their friends in the eye. They didn't know their friends 178 00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:48,120 Speaker 1: were feeling in the same way, because they had seen 179 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 1: their mother doing the same things. After they reached home, 180 00:14:55,880 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: big brother said very quietly to his mother, you know 181 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: you ate some food without washing it. Oh? Yes, she answered, 182 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 1: It is a bother sometimes to dip it in the water. 183 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: And you walked flat footed, said little brother. Well why 184 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:20,320 Speaker 1: shouldn't I if I want to? She said. The children 185 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:24,400 Speaker 1: began to cry. People will think you don't know any better, 186 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:31,280 Speaker 1: they said, Oh, said their mother. Oh, oh, so you 187 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: think that my manners are not so good as yours? 188 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,920 Speaker 1: Is that it? The young raccoons looked at each other 189 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:45,040 Speaker 1: in a very uncomfortable way. Why I suppose we don't 190 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: always do things right ourselves, they answered, But you are 191 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: the grown up. Yes, replied their mother, and you will 192 00:15:53,320 --> 00:16:02,600 Speaker 1: be one day soon. For a long time, nobody spoke, 193 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: and little sister cried quietly. Then missus Raccoon spoke more gently. 194 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:13,520 Speaker 1: Sun is rising, she said. We will go to sleep now, 195 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: and when we awaken tomorrow night, we will try to 196 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: have better manners so that we need not be ashamed 197 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 1: of each other at parties or at home. Long after 198 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:32,480 Speaker 1: the rest were dreaming, big sister nudged big brother and 199 00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: woke him. I understand it now, she said, she did 200 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 1: it on purpose. Who did what? He asked, why are mother? 201 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: She was rude on purpose to let us see how 202 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: it looked. Big brother thought for a minute. Of course, 203 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: he said, of course she did. Well. She won't ever 204 00:16:56,400 --> 00:17:00,200 Speaker 1: have to do it for me again, nor for me, 205 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 1: said Vic's sister. The seas, and then they went to sleep, 206 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:18,879 Speaker 1: and lad fell good night, sleep tight, not afraid to fall. 207 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:24,919 Speaker 1: If this is something, we are not afraid to find. 208 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: No way whenever would refill my role, Don could only 209 00:17:33,840 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 1: make their sclow this fire stone looking party to the 210 00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: fl