1 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:24,160 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. In this episode, 2 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 1: we are going to continue with the Magical Book of 3 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: Dreams and the last part Esther was trying to read 4 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 1: the book by candlelight, but her candle was never big enough. 5 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 1: In this part, she is going to try again and 6 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,840 Speaker 1: see how much she can read before the candle burns out. 7 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: She can't wait to see what new adventures she might 8 00:00:50,159 --> 00:01:04,840 Speaker 1: read about the Magical Book of Dreams. At four, Esther 9 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 1: ate dinner that night, quickly, resulting in her mother's nightly 10 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: scolding to slow down and taste her food. Normally, she 11 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: would listen, especially when it was her mother's delicious meat pie, 12 00:01:20,959 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: but Esther was preoccupied with reading more from her book. 13 00:01:27,319 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 1: She knew tonight had to be the last night she 14 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 1: read from its pages without telling her mother. After dinner, 15 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: she helped her mother clean the table and wash the 16 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: dishes while her little brother went to the bathroom to 17 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: wash up. Heavens Kingdom, child, you are moving fast tonight, 18 00:01:51,960 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: her mother said. I don't mind you cleaning up after 19 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: dinner quickly, but I don't often see you doing these 20 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: chores such speed. I'm just anxious to get reading my homework. Mother, 21 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:12,480 Speaker 1: Esther replied, all right, then, I'll light the candle for 22 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 1: you and your brother. Be sure to help him when 23 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: you are both at the table. Homework and reading time 24 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: seemed to go by incredibly slowly, but finally, after the 25 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 1: candle burned down to the bottom, it was time for 26 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: all to go to bed to rest. Esther's mother gave 27 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: her and her brother a hug and a kiss and 28 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: sent them off to bed. Get some sleep, you two 29 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: and Esther, I don't want to see you up late 30 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: in your room looking at things. It will strain your eyes. 31 00:02:55,800 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 1: Sleep well, mom, they both said, in almost unison. Esther 32 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: waited until the house grew quiet, and then lit another 33 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:12,880 Speaker 1: candle she had brought with her. She grabbed her school bag, 34 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: which contained the leather bound book she was anxiously waiting 35 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: to read. Taking it out, she placed it on the 36 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: floor and turned the pages until she reached where she 37 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: had left off the night before. Examining the page, she 38 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: saw the text, though short, was and yet another hard 39 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: to read scribe, and so she slowly began to read 40 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,119 Speaker 1: the story and hoped she could finish it before her 41 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 1: candle burned out. It read, this is another recollection of 42 00:03:54,920 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: my travels with my travel companion Arava and a new friend, 43 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: a most remarkable person named Selina. Aureva and I had 44 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: traveled together for a time through the mystical forest and 45 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: the meadows beyond. Walking allows you the time to appreciate 46 00:04:18,920 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: all the beauty of the kingdom and the ability to 47 00:04:22,440 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: meet many of the people who live in it. After 48 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: a day's walk through the meadow and the adjoining town, 49 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: we came upon a wood with high white trees that 50 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: seemed to touch the skies. As it was getting dark, 51 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: we picked up the pace until we came upon a 52 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: clearing at the end of the trail where a small 53 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:52,080 Speaker 1: town if you could call six or so buildings a town, appeared, 54 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:58,720 Speaker 1: offering us a chance to rest. There was a small inn, 55 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: where we discovered after speaking to the innkeeper, another traveler 56 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: was staying in the last available room. The innkeeper suggested 57 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 1: that we ask her if she was agreeable to having 58 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: a couple more travelers stay with her, with the benefit 59 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: of a cheaper fee for all. Luckily she agreed, or 60 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: it might have been a night sleeping with the sheep 61 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: in the stable. Beyond the most basic of introductions, all 62 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: we learned about our fellow traveler was that her name 63 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: was Selina. We were all too tired to talk and 64 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: immediately took our sleeping places for the night. I got 65 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: the floor, while they enjoyed the comfort of a mattress. 66 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: We all slept well that night, but upon waking in 67 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:04,279 Speaker 1: the morning, I felt completely out of sorts. My body ached, 68 00:06:04,839 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: and despite the chill of the morning air, I felt hot. 69 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 1: Arava took one look at me and said, you look terrible. 70 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 1: I think it best you stay put today, but we 71 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: must keep going today if we are to make the 72 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: river crossing by noon. I weakly protested, why don't you 73 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: go on ahead? Selina said to Arava, I can stay 74 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 1: here with him a couple days, a bit more rest 75 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 1: won't hurt me, and then if you agree, he and 76 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,440 Speaker 1: I both can meet up with you at the town 77 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:48,279 Speaker 1: of Knots in one week. The trail, I know, is 78 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:51,680 Speaker 1: not as enjoyable as the river crossing, but it is 79 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,280 Speaker 1: faster and will allow him to rest and still meet 80 00:06:55,360 --> 00:07:03,359 Speaker 1: you later. Arava eventually agreed, and her departure allowed me 81 00:07:03,480 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: to get to know the remarkable traveler Selina. Before I 82 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 1: slept again due to the fever. I apologized to them 83 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: both and promptly fell asleep. I awoke much later in 84 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: the day with Selina sitting next to the fireplace in 85 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: our room. Ah, you are awake, gimbal Let me feel 86 00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 1: your forehead much improved. You are resilient for a man 87 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: of your age, she said, my age? Do I look 88 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: aged to you? I said to her, somewhat taken back, No, 89 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: of course not. But most of the wanderers of the 90 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,400 Speaker 1: Kingdom I have met are those much younger than you, 91 00:07:53,280 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: and often are in search of something not found where 92 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: they come from. Yes, that is true of many travelers 93 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 1: in the Kingdom, I replied, how do you feel? I 94 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: feel better and should be able to continue at first light. 95 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:17,560 Speaker 1: Usually I would be starving by night, and my lack 96 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: of hunger tells me I am not myself as of yet, 97 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:28,600 Speaker 1: but tomorrow is a new day. After a short period 98 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 1: of me thanking her for her kindness and some small talk, 99 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: I found myself asleep again. The next morning, I awoke 100 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: with pain in my stomach. The pain of hunger was 101 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: a good sign, and I got up, washed and changed 102 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 1: into some clean clothes. Selina wasn't in the room, but 103 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: I found her down in the kitchen eating and I 104 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 1: quickly joined her. We then settled with the innkeeper, and 105 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: after assuring Selina multiple times that I was fit to 106 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 1: travel and not too old, we set on our way 107 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: toward the town of Knots, where we were to meet Areva. 108 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 1: As we were walking on the trail that led outside 109 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: of this small grouping of buildings in the middle of 110 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 1: the forest, I asked her several questions. Questions do both 111 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,680 Speaker 1: pass the time in travel and also in an effort 112 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: to get to know my new traveling companion, Let me 113 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: tell you about myself in the form of a story. 114 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: This will be a great way to pass the time. 115 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 1: She said, Here is part of the story of Selina. 116 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: Selina was a young, quiet girl when she first met 117 00:09:56,520 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: the people of the Mystical Forest. She had just been 118 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:05,680 Speaker 1: handed an invitation to a birthday party, which she didn't 119 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:09,200 Speaker 1: want to attend because she had such a hard time 120 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 1: around strangers. Her mother didn't quite understand this, and just 121 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,640 Speaker 1: thought that her quietness could be cured by more interaction 122 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: with people and through making more friends. Because of their 123 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,679 Speaker 1: status in the kingdom, it was often expected at parties 124 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 1: that Selena might dance. She hated dancing, not because of 125 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: the music that the old people listened to, but because 126 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: she always feared she would look silly in front of others. 127 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,839 Speaker 1: Her mother again didn't quite understand this either, telling her 128 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,360 Speaker 1: that she simply didn't have to dance if she didn't 129 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: want to. Selena thought of pretending to be sick on 130 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:02,880 Speaker 1: the day of the party, but she could never lie 131 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: to her mother. The next day, she had no school, 132 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:11,520 Speaker 1: so this young girl decided to go for a walk 133 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: in the forest close to her home and think of 134 00:11:15,400 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: a way to avoid going to the party. After she 135 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 1: told her mother where she was going, she set off 136 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: on her walk. While Selina was quiet around people, she 137 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: felt completely at home when walking in the forest and 138 00:11:35,640 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 1: soon relaxed as she walked amongst the trees, flowers, birds, 139 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 1: and bees. She loved the fresh sense and would breathe deeply. 140 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,520 Speaker 1: After about an hour of walking along the winding paths, 141 00:11:54,960 --> 00:11:58,560 Speaker 1: she suddenly heard the sound of music drifting through the air. 142 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:03,839 Speaker 1: Other than the sounds of the wind and birds. It 143 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: was curious to hear music so deep in the forest, 144 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 1: so she walked towards the sounds until she came upon 145 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 1: a clearing where beautiful people were dancing and floating in 146 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:22,080 Speaker 1: the air. They were a group of fairies and they 147 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 1: were having what looked like a party of some sort. 148 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,599 Speaker 1: As she got closer, they noticed her and said, welcome, princess. 149 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: Won't you join us? The girl Selina's normal shyness disappeared 150 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:46,320 Speaker 1: as she went and joined the fairies. She would often 151 00:12:46,440 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: join the fairies in the forest whenever they had a party. 152 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 1: They taught her to accept herself as she is, didn't 153 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: push her to talk, and in fact, many of the 154 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 1: fairies like her were content to just sit and watch 155 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: all the others dance and fly about. But what these 156 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:13,600 Speaker 1: trips to the place where the fairies got together taught 157 00:13:13,679 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: Selena most was that she was most at home when 158 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: she was spending time in nature and not amongst the 159 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:28,000 Speaker 1: noises of the large city. And that is the start 160 00:13:28,040 --> 00:13:32,839 Speaker 1: of the story of Selena. She finished, So you are 161 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 1: a princess. You don't look like any princess I have 162 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: ever seen, I said, in disbelief, how many princesses have 163 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:48,439 Speaker 1: you seen? Thinking for a moment, I replied, you are 164 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,320 Speaker 1: the first, But I guess I had an image in 165 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: my mind as to what a princess would be like. 166 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: We can't always trust our preconceptions, lest they lead astray. 167 00:14:02,559 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 1: A wise princess, you are, I replied, And after relating 168 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:14,280 Speaker 1: that story, it seemed that Selena, Princess Selina, had spoken 169 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:17,280 Speaker 1: all the words that she felt like speaking that day. 170 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: So we walked the rest of the day along the 171 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: trails and through the woods in silence. Having reached the 172 00:14:29,920 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: end of the page, esther soul wanted to read the 173 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:39,440 Speaker 1: words again and again, but unfortunately the candle was about 174 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:45,320 Speaker 1: to burn out. She carefully closed the book and slid 175 00:14:45,360 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 1: it back into her bag and turned out the light 176 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 1: of her candle. She got into bed and tried to 177 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: slow her breathing for sleep, but again her mind was 178 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: filled with the images of the world beyond, of princesses 179 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: and fairies, of hearty travelers, and of adventure. She saw 180 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: images of her father and hoped that the book provided 181 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: answers about his disappearance and the kingdom beyond. Esther eventually 182 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: fell to sleep and didn't notice the sound of her 183 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: mother walking back to her room after realizing that Esther 184 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: was again up late reading. And that is the end 185 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: of this part. Good night, sleep tight.