1 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. A short 2 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: message for grown ups. If you get value from our stories, 3 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:30,880 Speaker 1: please consider subscribing to sleep tighte Premium. It's a bit 4 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,639 Speaker 1: like having a library full of bedtime stories at your 5 00:00:34,640 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: finger tips. Along with sleep sounds, guided meditations and music 6 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: for sleep, we help you make sleep time easier and 7 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 1: hopefully bring joy and calm to your children. Visit sleep 8 00:00:52,120 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: typepremium dot com to subscribe. A link can also be 9 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:05,120 Speaker 1: found in our show notes. Thank you to day. We 10 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: are going to listen to a story about a little 11 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: girl who is very excited about going to school. She 12 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:21,680 Speaker 1: has waited and waited for this special day. She has 13 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,839 Speaker 1: some problems to overcome in our story, and we're going 14 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: to see how the kids work together to make this 15 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: happen for her. Jesscott goes to school. Jescott woke up 16 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: early that morning. It was a very special day and 17 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: she was too excited to sleep. She eagerly looked out 18 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: of the room through the window next to her bed. 19 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: It was springtime and the apricot trees were in full bloom. 20 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,959 Speaker 1: Two magpies had already begun their day and were busy 21 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: looking for insects to eat. Her Amalae was awake too. 22 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:25,480 Speaker 1: She could hear her in the kitchen making GurGur tea. 23 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:32,800 Speaker 1: Chiscott had been awake for the last hour. This was 24 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: a day she was going to remember for a long time. 25 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: Can you guess why? No? It was not Losar, the 26 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:52,520 Speaker 1: New Year festival that was many months away, nor was 27 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: it any special day in her village like the Goonpa 28 00:02:56,639 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: festival or a wedding day. Today was going to be 29 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:10,600 Speaker 1: Chuscott's first day at school at nine years old. She 30 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: had waited a long long time for this. The school 31 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: was not very far from her home. To get there, 32 00:03:24,480 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: you had to walk up the main road just before 33 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: the prayer wheel. You took the path to the left 34 00:03:33,520 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: of the road that ran along a narrow stream near 35 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 1: the poplar trees. You crossed the stream by jumping over 36 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 1: the big rocks. Once you got to the other side, 37 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,640 Speaker 1: a short walk up slope took you to the school. 38 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: All the children of skipoo Yule, Chusct's village walked to 39 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: school every day and with ease, but not little Chuscott. 40 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: She had a disability and could not walk. Chiscott was 41 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 1: born with legs that did not work. Like everyone else's. 42 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: Her father had taken her to the village Amchi and 43 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: then to the doctors in Live, but no amount of 44 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: medicine had helped her walk. At first, Chiscutt did not 45 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 1: realize that she was in any way different from Stobdan, 46 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: her younger brother, or her cousins. But soon there were 47 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 1: many things she could not do as easily as them. 48 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: That does not matter. Her Abelae would tell her whenever 49 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:05,280 Speaker 1: she felt sad, you can stitch better than any of them, 50 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: and you draw very well. Abalat often brought her some 51 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: color pencils from look. Chiscott would sit at the kitchen 52 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:23,640 Speaker 1: window every day and draw what she saw while her 53 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:29,599 Speaker 1: alma let cooked. She could see her family's animals being 54 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 1: taken to Graye every morning. She could see the blue 55 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: waters of the stream that flowed nearby, and she would 56 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: be the first one to announce the arrival of a 57 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 1: visitor to their house. Chiscott used a chair fitted with 58 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:57,479 Speaker 1: wheels to move around. Elders called it a wheelchair. You 59 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 1: could move it in any direction forward, left, right, and 60 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 1: even backward by moving the wheels with your hands. You 61 00:06:11,279 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 1: only needed to have really strong arms to push the 62 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:24,120 Speaker 1: weight of your body and the chair. When Abialley first 63 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: brought the wheelchair home, everyone in her family was very excited. 64 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:37,159 Speaker 1: Now I won't have to carry Chuscut everywhere. I can 65 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: wheel her around, said Amilay, with tears of happiness in 66 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:46,240 Speaker 1: her eyes. And I will be able to go wherever 67 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: I want, said Chuscut excitedly. Please please, could I ride 68 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: on your wheelchair once in a while? Begged stubb Dan. 69 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:02,240 Speaker 1: He wanted to wheel it around too. It looked like fun. Billa, 70 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: the big black cat, jumped onto the wheelchair and stretched 71 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: across the seat. Yes, this is far more comfortable than 72 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: the sackcloth I sleep on, she purred slowly. Just get 73 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,440 Speaker 1: learnt to use her wheelchair. She would ask her mother 74 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 1: to seat her in the wheelchair outside her home every evening. 75 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: From here she would watch children returning from school, chattering 76 00:07:39,480 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: and laughing merrily in groups. In a while, the evening 77 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: bus would return from the city, bringing people back from 78 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:54,520 Speaker 1: work in the marketplace. How much more exciting the world 79 00:07:54,720 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: was from here than from the kitchen window. One evening, 80 00:08:04,480 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: when Chiscott was sitting outside the house with her grandfather, 81 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:13,800 Speaker 1: a young boy came up to her. He carried a letter, 82 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:18,520 Speaker 1: which he handed over to her grandfather. Jully the bus 83 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,800 Speaker 1: driver asked me to give this to you, he said. 84 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,960 Speaker 1: My name is Abdul, he said, turning to Chiscott. I 85 00:08:27,120 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: study in class six at the government school. I have 86 00:08:30,920 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: often wondered why you don't come to school, Julli, Abdul 87 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: said Chiscott, I have never been to school. The past 88 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: to the school is too uneven and pebbly, and my 89 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 1: wheelchair will get stuck. Besides, I cannot cross the little 90 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: stream in front of the school. It would be very 91 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: difficult for my parents to carry me to school and 92 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: back every day. But would you like to come to school, 93 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: asked Abdul. Of course, replied Chiscott. I hear my younger 94 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,440 Speaker 1: brother talk of all that he does at school. I 95 00:09:15,600 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 1: want to study like all of you, make friends, play games, 96 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:28,200 Speaker 1: wear a uniform, and even write exams. Sometimes my brother 97 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:31,280 Speaker 1: teaches me songs that he has learnt at school, and 98 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: I love it. You may not believe this, but I 99 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: sometimes dream of carrying a school bag, even eating a 100 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:49,000 Speaker 1: packed lunch. Enough enough, interrupted her grandfather. Stop dreaming, Chiscott. 101 00:09:49,480 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: You know you cannot go to school. I have told 102 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:57,240 Speaker 1: you this many times. Learn as much as you can 103 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: at home. Mama Ley, please, pleaded Chuscutt softly, with tears 104 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: in her eyes, as her grandfather walked away angrily. Mamma 105 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: Ley does not understand how I feel, said chuscut I 106 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: remember the day my brother recited his tables with such pride, 107 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:28,400 Speaker 1: even the time he learned to read. My parents were 108 00:10:28,559 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: very happy as they have never been to school. I 109 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:36,959 Speaker 1: too want to learn to read and do math. Do 110 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:43,400 Speaker 1: you understand I do, said Abdul Chuscott. I will see 111 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: you again. I must go now. My mother will be 112 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: waiting for me Julie. The next day, Abdul went straight 113 00:10:55,559 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: to the headmaster's room after assembly. Master. He said, I 114 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:04,280 Speaker 1: want to talk to you about a girl from our 115 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: village who does not go to school. Her name is Chiscutt. 116 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: She is Stubdan's sister. Oh yes, replied the headmaster. I 117 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: know her. She is disabled, isn't she? Yes. She uses 118 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:28,280 Speaker 1: a wheelchair to move around, but cannot reach school as 119 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 1: the path from her house is too rough and uneven. 120 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: I was wondering if we could do anything to help her. Headmaster. 121 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:43,800 Speaker 1: We could all get together and level the path and 122 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:49,920 Speaker 1: also build a small bridge across the stream. That's very 123 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: thoughtful of you, Abdul, said the head master as he 124 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 1: patted him on the back. What made you think of 125 00:11:57,800 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: Chiscutt and her problems? Headmaster? Last week we read about 126 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:10,520 Speaker 1: the fundamental rights of citizens in our class. All children 127 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: have a right to education that includes Chuskett as well, 128 00:12:15,440 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: does it not. Yes, you are right, Abdul. Let me 129 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: discuss this with the other teachers, replied the headmaster. The 130 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 1: next day, the head master called all the teachers to 131 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: a meeting. He shared Abdul's ideas with the group and 132 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:48,520 Speaker 1: asked the teachers what they felt impossible, said one of them. 133 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 1: How can we have a disabled child in our school? 134 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,160 Speaker 1: How will she be able to write, play or go 135 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: to the toilet like the other children do. That's exactly 136 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: what we have to work out, said the headmaster. I 137 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:08,199 Speaker 1: hear that in the village of mentalk Yule the village 138 00:13:08,320 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 1: education committee has helped build a special toilet for one 139 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:15,679 Speaker 1: of their disabled children. We could ask them what they 140 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:19,640 Speaker 1: have done, but first we will have to get chuscut 141 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: to school. Then we will think of ways of helping 142 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:31,120 Speaker 1: her do the things in school. Two weeks later, there 143 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:37,080 Speaker 1: was great excitement at the government school. All the children 144 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: had gathered outside in the playground. They had come to 145 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: school without their school bags. There were going to be 146 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:57,080 Speaker 1: no classes today. The teachers divided the children into groups. 147 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:03,320 Speaker 1: One group worked in front of Chuscott's house and another 148 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 1: on the path along the stream. A third group, with 149 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:12,839 Speaker 1: some of the older children, worked hard to help some 150 00:14:12,920 --> 00:14:21,440 Speaker 1: of their teachers build a strong wooden bridge across the stream. 151 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:27,560 Speaker 1: The children laughed and sang as they removed stones and rocks, 152 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: leveled paths, and carried wooden planks to the stream. The 153 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: headmaster went from one group to another, making sure that 154 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: all went according to plan. Chuskatt's parents provided everyone with 155 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:55,360 Speaker 1: hot tea and biscuits. Chuscott's grandfather sat under a willow 156 00:14:55,440 --> 00:15:01,520 Speaker 1: tree by the stream, watching the busy school children. I 157 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 1: never dreamed I'd see a day like this, he thought 158 00:15:07,280 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 1: to himself, as he wiped a tear that rolled down 159 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: his cheek. At the end of the day, it was 160 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: a tired but happy group of children that returned to 161 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: their homes. The path from Chuscott's home to the school 162 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 1: was now ready. Chuscott was going to school for the 163 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:42,280 Speaker 1: first time in her life, and that's why she was 164 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: so excited.