1 00:00:09,039 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 1: Hello friends, and welcome to sleep Tight Stories. A short 2 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 1: message for grown ups. If you get value from our stories, 3 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:27,920 Speaker 1: please consider subscribing to sleep Tight Premium. It's a bit 4 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: like having a library full of bedtime stories at your 5 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: finger tips. Along with sleep sounds, guided meditations and music 6 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: for sleep, we help you make sleep time easier and 7 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:49,080 Speaker 1: hopefully bring joy and calm to your children. Visit sleep 8 00:00:49,159 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 1: Typepremium dot com to subscribe. A link can also be 9 00:00:54,520 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 1: found in our show notes. Thank you. The Bashful Octopus. 10 00:01:16,319 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: It was a lovely day, and the sea was bright 11 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:26,800 Speaker 1: blue under the rays of the sun. Over the flower 12 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,560 Speaker 1: beds and through the gardens they swam, emerging into the 13 00:01:31,600 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: open sea in a direction opposite that taken by the 14 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: visitors the day before. The party consisted of but four 15 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:54,080 Speaker 1: queen Aquamarine, Princess Celia, trot and cap and Bill. People 16 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: who live upon the land know only those sea creatures 17 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: which they are able to catch in nets or upon hooks, 18 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: or those which become disabled and are washed ashore, remarked 19 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:13,280 Speaker 1: the queen, as they swam swiftly through the clear water, 20 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: And those who sail in ships see only the creatures 21 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,760 Speaker 1: who chance to come to the surface. But in the 22 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:28,359 Speaker 1: deep ocean caverns are strange beings that no mortal has 23 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: ever heard of or beheld, and some of these we 24 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 1: are to visit. We shall also see some sea shrubs 25 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 1: and flowering weeds, which are sure to delight you with 26 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:51,079 Speaker 1: their beauty. The sights really began before they got very 27 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 1: far from the palace, as a school of butterfly fish, 28 00:02:55,960 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: having gorgeous colors splattered over their broad winds, was first 29 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: to delight the strangers. They swam just as butterflies fly, 30 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 1: with a darting, jerking motion, and called a mary good 31 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: morning to the mermaids as they passed. These butterfly fish 32 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:27,240 Speaker 1: are remarkably active, said the princess, and their quick motions 33 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: protect them from their enemies. We like to meet them. 34 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 1: They are always so happy and good natured. Why so am, 35 00:03:36,160 --> 00:03:40,720 Speaker 1: I cried a sharp voice just beside them, and they 36 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: all paused to discover what creature had spoken to them. 37 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: Take care, said Celia in a low voice. It's an octopus. 38 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: Trot looked eagerly around. A long brown arm stretched her 39 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: crossed their way in front, and another just behind them, 40 00:04:05,800 --> 00:04:10,920 Speaker 1: But that did not worry her. The octopus himself came 41 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,840 Speaker 1: slowly sliding up to them, and proved to be well 42 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: worth looking at. He wore a red coat with brass buttons, 43 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 1: and a silk hat was tipped over one ear. His 44 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: eyes were somewhat dull and watery, and he had a 45 00:04:30,240 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: mustache of long hair like feelers that curled stiffly at 46 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 1: the ends. When he tried to smile at them, he 47 00:04:40,440 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: showed two rows of sharp white teeth. In spite of 48 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:50,279 Speaker 1: his red coat and yellow vest, his standing collar and 49 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: carefully tied cravat. The legs of the octopus were bare, 50 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,440 Speaker 1: and Trot noticed he used some of his legs for arms, 51 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: as in one of them was held a slender cane 52 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: and in another a handkerchief. Well, well, said the octopus. 53 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: What's wrong with you? Don't you know enough to be 54 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,479 Speaker 1: civil when you meet a neighbor. We know how to 55 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: be civil to our friends, replied Trot, who did not 56 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: like the way he spoke. Well are we not friends, 57 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: then said the octopus, in an airy tone of voice. 58 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: I think not, said the little girl. Octopuses are horrible creatures. OCTOPI, 59 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: if you please, OCTOPI, said the monster, with a laugh. 60 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,840 Speaker 1: I don't see any pie that pleases me, replied Trot, 61 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:53,400 Speaker 1: beginning to get angry. Octopus means one of us, two 62 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: or more are called Octopi, remarked the creature, as if 63 00:05:58,400 --> 00:06:02,320 Speaker 1: correcting her speech. I suppose a lot of you would 64 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:07,520 Speaker 1: be a whole bakery, she said scornfully. Our name is Latin. 65 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 1: It was given to us by learned scientists years ago, 66 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,919 Speaker 1: said the octopus. That's true enough, agreed cap'n bill. The 67 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: learned scientists named every single thing they came across, and 68 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: generally they picked out names as nobody could understand or pronounce. 69 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: That isn't our fault, sir, said the octopus. Indeed, it's 70 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: pretty hard for us to go through life with such 71 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 1: terrible names. Think of the poor little seahorse. He used 72 00:06:38,240 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: to be a merry and cheerful fellow, but since they 73 00:06:41,600 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 1: named him hippocampus, he hasn't smiled once. Let's go, said Trot. 74 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: I don't like to associate with octopuses, Octopi, said the creature, again, 75 00:06:55,440 --> 00:06:59,239 Speaker 1: correcting her. You're just as horrible whether you're a pusses 76 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: or a pa she declared. Horrible, cried the monster in 77 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 1: a shocked tone of voice. Not only horrible, but horrid, 78 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: persisted the girl. May I ask him what way? He inquired, 79 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: and it was easy to see he was offended. Why 80 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: everyone knows that octopuses are just wicked and deceitful, she said. 81 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: Upon the earth where I live, we call the oil 82 00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 1: company an octopus and the trust company an octopus. And stop, stop, 83 00:07:31,200 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 1: cried the monster in a pleading voice. Do you mean 84 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: to tell me that the earth people, whom I've always respected, 85 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: compare me to the oil company, Yes, said Trot positively. 86 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 1: Oh what a disgrace, What a cruel, dreadful disgrace, moaned 87 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 1: the octopus, dropping his head in shame, and Trot could 88 00:07:56,760 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 1: see great tears falling down his cheeks. This comes from 89 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:06,240 Speaker 1: having a bad name, said the queen gently, for she 90 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:11,040 Speaker 1: was moved by the monster's grief. It is unjust, It 91 00:08:11,120 --> 00:08:15,600 Speaker 1: is cruel and unjust, sobbed the creature mournfully. 92 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:20,440 Speaker 2: Just because we have several long arms and take whatever 93 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:24,920 Speaker 2: we can reach, they accuse us of being like like, Oh, 94 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 2: I cannot say it. It is too shameful, too humiliating. 95 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,280 Speaker 1: Come let's go, said Trot again. So they left the 96 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: poor octopus weeping and wiping his watery eyes with his 97 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:44,400 Speaker 1: handkerchief and swam on their way. I'm not a bit 98 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: sorry for him, remarked the child, for his legs remind 99 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:52,200 Speaker 1: me of snakes, so they do me, agreed cap'n Bill. 100 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:56,199 Speaker 1: But the octopi are not very bad, said the princess, 101 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: And we get along with them much better than we 102 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 1: do their cousins, the sea devils. Oh, are the sea 103 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: devils their cousins? Yes, and they are the only creatures 104 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 1: of the ocean which we greatly fear, replied Aquamarine. I 105 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: hope we shall meet none today, for we are going 106 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: near to the caves where they live. What are the 107 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:26,439 Speaker 1: sea devils like, ma'am, inquired Captain Bill. A little uneasy, 108 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: Something like the octopus you just saw, only much larger 109 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: and of a bright scarlet color striped with black, answered 110 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: the Queen. They are fierce creatures, and nearly as much 111 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: dreaded by the inhabitants of the ocean as is Zog, 112 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 1: and nearly as powerful as King Anko himself zog is Zog, 113 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:56,480 Speaker 1: questioned the girl. I haven't heard of him before. We 114 00:09:56,600 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 1: do not like to mention Zog's name, responded the Queen 115 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,840 Speaker 1: in a low voice. He is the wicked genius of 116 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 1: the sea and a magician of great power. What's he like? Oh, 117 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,640 Speaker 1: he is an awful creature, part fish, part man, part beast, 118 00:10:14,920 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 1: and part snake. Centuries ago they cast him off the 119 00:10:19,840 --> 00:10:23,679 Speaker 1: earth into the sea, where he has caused much trouble. 120 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: Once he waged a terrible war against King Anko. But 121 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: the sea serpent finally conquered Zog and drove the magician 122 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:40,000 Speaker 1: into his castle, where he now stays. Or if Anko 123 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:44,320 Speaker 1: catches the monster outside of his enchanted castle, he will 124 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 1: be in trouble, and Zog knows that very well. Seems 125 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: like you have your troubles down here in the sea, 126 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: just as we do on top of the ground, remarked 127 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: Captain Bill. But I'm glad Old Zog is shut up 128 00:11:00,440 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: in his castle, added Trot. Is it a sea castle 129 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 1: like your own palace? I cannot say, my dear, Or 130 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,600 Speaker 1: the enchantment makes it invisible to all eyes but those 131 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:17,200 Speaker 1: of its inhabitants. No one sees Zog now, and we 132 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:21,120 Speaker 1: scarcely ever hear of him, But all the sea people 133 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:26,679 Speaker 1: know he is there someplace, and fear his power. Even 134 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:31,200 Speaker 1: in the old days, before Anko conquered him, Zog was 135 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 1: the enemy of the mermaids, and he was of all 136 00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:39,079 Speaker 1: the good and respectable sea folk. But do not worry 137 00:11:39,080 --> 00:11:41,559 Speaker 1: about the magician. I beg of you, for he has 138 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 1: not dared to do any evil deed in many many years. Oh, 139 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: I'm not afraid, asserted Trot. I'm glad of that said 140 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: the queen. Keep together, friends, and be careful not to separate, 141 00:11:55,360 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: for here comes an army of sawfishes. Even as Awkwarmarines spoke, 142 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: they saw a swirl and commotion in the water ahead 143 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:12,320 Speaker 1: of them, while a sound like a muffled roar fell 144 00:12:12,400 --> 00:12:17,280 Speaker 1: upon their ears. Then swiftly there dashed upon them a 145 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: group of great fishes, with long saws sticking out in 146 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: front of their noses, armed with teeth all set in 147 00:12:25,679 --> 00:12:30,520 Speaker 1: a row. They were larger than the swordfishes and seemed 148 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:35,000 Speaker 1: more fierce and bold. But the mermaids and Trot and 149 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:39,559 Speaker 1: cap'n Bill quietly awaited their attack, and instead of touching 150 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:42,200 Speaker 1: them with their saws that they had expected to do, 151 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 1: the fish were unable to touch them at all. They 152 00:12:46,720 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 1: tried every possible way to get at the mermaids, but 153 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:54,920 Speaker 1: the magic circle was all powerful and turned aside the 154 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,959 Speaker 1: ugly saws so our friends were not disturbed at all. 155 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 1: Seeing this, The sawfish soon abandoned the attempt, and, with 156 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: growls and roars of disappointment, swam away and were quickly 157 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:16,439 Speaker 1: out of sight. Trot had been a wee bit frightened 158 00:13:16,520 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: during the attack, but now she laughed gleefully and told 159 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 1: the queen that it seemed very nice to be protected 160 00:13:23,679 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: by fairy powers. The water grew a deeper blue as 161 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,960 Speaker 1: they descended into its depths, farther and farther away from 162 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,480 Speaker 1: the rays of the sun. Trot was surprised to find 163 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: she could see so plainly through the high wall of 164 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 1: water above her. But the sun was able to shoot 165 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:50,080 Speaker 1: its beams straight down through the transparent sea, and they 166 00:13:50,120 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 1: seemed to penetrate to every nook and crevice on the 167 00:13:53,360 --> 00:14:02,440 Speaker 1: rocky bottom. In this deeper part of the ocean, some 168 00:14:02,640 --> 00:14:05,559 Speaker 1: of the fish had a special light of their own, 169 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 1: and these could be seen far ahead, as if they 170 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: were lanterns. The explorers met a school of argonauts going 171 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: up to the surface for a sail, and the child 172 00:14:19,480 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 1: watched these strange creatures with much curiosity. The argonauts lived 173 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 1: in shells in which they were able to hide in 174 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: case of danger from prowling wolffishes. But otherwise they crawl 175 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:39,320 Speaker 1: out and carry their shells like humps upon their backs. 176 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 1: Then they spread their skinny sails above them and sail 177 00:14:44,920 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 1: away under water till they come to the surface, where 178 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 1: they float and let the currents of air carry them along, 179 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: the same as the currents of water had done before. 180 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:01,480 Speaker 1: Trot thought the argonauts comical little creet with their big 181 00:15:01,520 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 1: eyes and sharp noses, and to her they looked like 182 00:15:06,680 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 1: a fleet of tiny ships. It is said that men 183 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 1: got their first idea of boats and of how to 184 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: sail them, from watching these little argonauts.