Bedtime Stories for Kids
Page 7
“Where does the Guardian live, Mama Bear?”
“In the Big Tree.”
“I thought Ol’ Lady Owl lived in the biggest tree. There’s a tree bigger than that.”
“Oh yes. Much bigger. Ol’ Lady Owl lives on top of the second biggest tree in the forest. But the Guardian sleeps inside the Big Tree.”
“How old is the Big Tree, Mama Bear?”
“Oho, good question! Many moons. Many, many moons. All the moons I have seen, all the moons you will see. Add them all together. The Big Tree has seen more moons than that.”
“Wow. So... really old.”
“Oho yes, Silly Child. Really old.”
Mama Bear carried me through the forest. It was strange to go so slow. Especially after flying on the back of Ol’ Lady Owl and seeing the forest from the sky. Or moving like lightning on the back of the Wildebeest and seeing the forest become nothing but a blur of color. This was nice though. The blizzard made everything quiet. No more squirrels in the trees or foxes playing in the snow. The blanket of white had covered everything now. If I wasn’t on Mama Bear’s back, I’d probably be buried beneath it. But she was bigger. Bigger than everything. The snow that would have come up to my neck barely covered her paws.
The swaying and bouncing on Mama Bear’s back was very calming too. It made me think of a boat or riding in the car. Riding in the car always made me very sleepy, and this did too. My eyes started to get heavy, and I let out a big yawn.
“You can rest, Silly Child. The walk to the Big Tree is a long one. You have time to close your eyes. Don’t worry. We’ll get there before the sun starts to set.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Oho, yes. Don’t you worry. Just lay your head down and rest.”
“Okay... I’ll just close my eyes for a little bit...” And that’s what I did. I stretched out on Mama Bear’s big back and closed my eyes. Her fur was so soft. It was like sleeping on a giant golden cloud, floating quietly through the sky.
While I slept, I had a dream. A dream of being back home, but also in the forest. Everyone was there too. Mom and Dad, Auntie and Uncle. My cousins, brothers, and sisters were all playing in the living room, where a giant tree was growing. And the animals were there too! Mister Butterfly and Ol’ Lady Owl were having a conversation about clouds. Wildebeest and Mama Bear were sitting by the fire, laughing about something. And I was there, in the center, singing my song.
“Silly Child. Oho, Silly Child. Come, wake up now. We’re here. The Big Tree.”
Opening my eyes and yawning, I looked around. I expected to see my house for a second, but the cold shook me from that dream. That’s right, I was still in the forest.
“It was just a dream...”
“Or was it? Oho, don’t worry. You’ll be back home soon. And I’ll be back in my cave. And then we can both take a looong nap. So, are you ready?”
“Ready for what, Mama Bear?”
“To go in. Into the Big Tree. It’s time you met the Guardian and went home.”
“Where is the Big Tree, Mama Bear?”
“Right in front of you, Silly Child.”
“What? I don’t see-”
And then I saw it. A pine tree so big that it made Mama Bear look like a mouse. Its trunk was so wide! Wider than three of my houses. And it went so far up that I couldn’t see the top. All I could see was a sea of green that hid the sky. I was pretty sure that it even went past the clouds. My mind tried to imagine what the world looked like from up there, but it just couldn’t.
“Oh. That’s one big tree. I think I see it now, Mama Bear.”
“Oho, I’m sure you do. This is the Big Tree. And the Guardian is inside there.”
She picked me up off her back and placed me down in front of the Big Tree, and a really big hole in the Big Tree. It was a hollow, like what Miss Squirrel might live in. Except this hollow was big enough for three Mama Bears to walk through while standing on top of each other. It was bigger than Mama Bear’s entire cave!
“The Guardian is in there? Why?”
“I never asked them. But when you meet the Guardian, you can ask for yourself. Goodbye now, Silly Child. I hope to see you again one day. Get home safe.”
“Wait, Mama Bear!” But she didn’t wait. Mama Bear had disappeared into the snow almost as fast as the Wildebeest. I was alone in front of the Big Tree. Could I do this alone? I was only there because of everyone’s help. But then I remembered Mister Butterfly’s words. “Why bother wondering when the answers are right in front of me? The only way is forward.”
The moment I stepped into the hollow, a white light flashed. I couldn’t see anything. I was standing somewhere very warm and very quiet. I took a step forward, and the blanket of white moved. It was a fog. Fog so thick that I couldn’t see anything! I kept walking forward and trying to push the fog out of my way. The more I walked, the more the fog cleared.
“Hello?” I called out. “Guardian? Are you here?”
“Hello? Hello? Hello?” My voice echoed back to me.
“Is this another cave?” I asked myself.
“No, no cave.” A shadow stood in front of me. They weren’t an animal, though. They looked human.
“Are you the Guardian?” I asked the shadow, walking closer.
“Are you the Guardian?” They echoed back to me in my voice.
“No, I’m sorry. I came here looking for the Guardian.”
“I came here looking for the Guardian.” The shadow echoed again, still using my voice.
“I don’t understand. Is the Guardian not here?”
The Guardian is here.”
“Then where?”
“Here.” I was finally close enough to see who the shadow was. And when they turned to face me... It was me.
“I don’t understand. Who are you?”
“I’m you.” The copy smiled at me, tilting its head.
“You can’t be me though. I’m me.”
“And so am I.”
“Then where is the Guardian? You said the Guardian was here.”
“The Guardian is here. Inside of you.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I know. But you are the Guardian. We are all the Guardian. The heart of nature, of magic, that lives in us all. The heart of a silly child. That is the Guardian. You love the forest, don’t you?”
“Yes. It’s beautiful.”
“You love the animals?”
“Yes, they are very nice.”
“Then you are the Guardian. We are the Guardian. It’s our job to love the forest. To protect it. And to believe in the magic of the forest. You believe, you love, and that makes you the Guardian.”
“I still don’t get it.”
“That’s okay, Silly Child. You’ll understand one day. Do you want to go home?”
“Yes, please. I just want to go home and spend Christmas with my family.”
“Okay, Guardian. Then close your eyes. It’s just like the snow, the dead log, and the Spring Grove. Think of home, and you will be home.”
“Is it really that easy?”
“For you, Guardian, it is.” And then the fog wrapped around me. The copy disappeared, and I was left standing alone in the warm white clouds. It reminded me of that time I spent a day at the hot springs in the mountain. Warm, foggy, and quiet.
But I still didn’t get it. I was the Guardian? I had to protect the forest? And I had the power to go home? I tried to walk further, to find more answers, but I couldn’t see it. And no more shadows appeared in the fog. Finally, I sat down on the ground, which was wet.
“I’m the Guardian... Think of home... I’m the Guardian. Think of home.” I closed my eyes. It felt like days since I’d been back home, even though it was only a couple of hours. ‘I want to go home. I want to taste my mom’s cookies. I want to play with my cousins. I want to hug my dad. I want to sleep in my bed. I want to watch the fire in the fireplace. I want to go home.’
…
“Cassie? Are you
okay? What are you doing?”
“Are you tired, sweetie?”
“Oh. Papa. Mama. I think I just fell asleep. I’m okay.”
“Cassie, Cassie! Come play with us, Cassie. I wanna try your new binoculars. Here, you can try my action figure!”
“Hey, Scotty. Okay, sure. Here you go.” Yawning, I pulled my binoculars off and handed them to my cousin.
‘Was it just a dream? It all felt so real, though.’
“Cassie, what’s that in your hair?”
“Mama?”
My mom leans down and takes something out of my hair and hands it to me. A pine needle covered with a little bit of snow.
“The forest follows you everywhere, huh?” Papa said to me, smiling.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Come on, Forest Guardian. It’s time for dinner.”
“Okay!” I climbed out of the chair and stretched. The fire burned beside me, crackling.
“Hey, Mama? Hey, Papa?”
“Yes, sweetie?”
“Merry Christmas.”
THE END
Conclusion
Thank you for making it through to the end of Bedtime Stories for Kids: Christmas Edition, I hope you enjoyed the stories and was able to provide you with all the everything you need to give your kids the best Christmas tales. Christmas is a beautiful season and one of the most festive. It's alive with family, magic, and love. I hope that this book has brought some of that magic to you and your family. That the characters feel like a part of your family, and that the magic jumps off the pages to fill your home.
There is never a better time of year to sit down and read a story with your kids. With these stories, you and your children can wander away to a Christmas Wonderland together. And by bringing magic into your life, you keep the Christmas magic alive in your own heart. Never stop dreaming. Never stop believing. And never stop wishing on the Christmas Star. Look at the world through the eyes of your children, and you will be happier for it. And your life will be a lot more fun!
The next step is to sit back and relax. Grab yourself a cup of hot cocoa, maybe some cookies. Remember, this is the time of year where you deserve to be with your family. Don’t hold back. Enjoy it! And love your family as much as they love you. Merry Christmas! And happy holidays!
Thank you
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