Magical Animals at Bedtime

by Lou Keunzler

“Goodness!” gasped Marina. “I’m surprised you had any luck left over for me.”

  “You didn’t need it,” smiled Spike. “You have a beautiful voice and you work really hard. That’s what made the difference … not having me here as a lucky mascot.”

  “Thank you,” said Marina, flinging her arms round him. “I know one thing … I’m lucky to have a friend like you!”

  Inspiring Insights

  • Luck doesn’t really help us to face a challenge – hard work and practice is the best preparation.

  • Sometimes it’s not possible for people you love to come to an important event. Don’t be cross or sad if this happens. Knowing that they love you and are thinking of you will give you confidence to do your best.

  • Even if you are in a hurry, take care and pay attention to your surroundings.

  The Silver Hare

  Relax, be very still and imagine a palace surrounded by beautiful gardens. This is a story about a servant girl called Holly, a queen and a silver hare. A hare looks like a big rabbit, only its ears are longer than a rabbit’s and it has stronger legs and larger feet to help it run really fast. Let’s listen to their story.

  “Her Majesty Queen Rosa wishes to walk in the gardens,” announced the Head Footman. “She’ll need a maid to go with her and lift her cloak so it doesn’t drag in the snow.”

  “I’ll help,” blushed Holly. She’d only been working in the palace for a week and the Head Footman, with his gruff voice and long, curly moustache, frightened her.

  “I love gardens,” she explained.

  “Queen Rosa is waiting in the hall,” said the Footman. “But remember, don’t speak until she speaks to you.”

  “And don’t let her cloak drag on the ground, young lady,” warned Cook.

  “And don’t ever mention poor King Alban!” said the Footman seriously.

  “Gracious no!” gasped Cook. “Ever since King Alban died ten years ago, no-one has talked of him. Queen Rosa loved her husband dearly and must not be reminded of her sadness now.”

  Holly thought it strange not to speak about someone you love, but before she could ask any questions the Footman clapped his hands.

  “Hurry along! Don’t keep Her Majesty waiting.”

  The old queen walked quietly through the gardens. Holly followed three steps behind, taking care not to let Queen Rosa’s blue velvet cloak drag on the ground.

  “Such a beautiful afternoon,” smiled Queen Rosa.

  Holly nodded but she didn’t answer. She wasn’t sure if it would be right to speak. Was Queen Rosa talking to her? Or was she just thinking aloud?

  It felt strange not to talk, though. Holly would have liked to point to the icy lily pond and say how pretty it was.

  “How these have grown.” said Queen Rosa. She stopped in a circle of trees around a fountain. “They’re …”

  “Holly trees …” interrupted Holly before she could stop herself. She hadn’t meant to speak.

  “I’m sorry,” her hands flew to her mouth. “It’s just, that’s my name you see … Holly.”

  “A very pretty name it is, too,” smiled Queen Rosa.

  “Oh dear!” Holly looked at her feet. In her embarrassment she’d dropped the edge of the cloak. It was dragging along the ground.

  “Don’t worry,” urged Queen Rosa. “Come, take my arm.”

  Holly smiled. Queen Rosa was so kind and friendly – not stern like she’d expected.

  “My husband planted these trees,” Queen Rosa explained.

  “King Alban?” said Holly. Then she gasped again. How stupid! How could she have mentioned his name?

  But Queen Rosa nodded. “They were a gift the first Christmas we were married.”

  “How lovely!” said Holly.

  “You’ll never guess what he used to do,” chuckled Queen Rosa. “His favourite trick was to put a sprig of holly on my chair before I sat down for Christmas dinner.”

  “Ouch!” Holly giggled. “The prickles must have hurt a bit.”

  “They did!” Queen Rosa’s face was alight with laughter now and though her skin was wrinkled and her hair was grey, her blue eyes sparkled like sapphires.

  “He loved playing tricks,” said Queen Rosa. “Silly thing!”

  Holly smiled. She knew Queen Rosa was joking … in fact, talking about King Alban didn’t seem to make her sad at all.

  “He was a great leader too, of course,” said Queen Rosa. “He stopped the wars in the northern lands and gave the poor farmers money for seeds. But do you know what I remember him for?”

  Holly shook her head.

  “I remember how he used to put his bedroom slippers on the wrong feet!” Queen Rosa roared with laughter. “He’d stand there, rubbing his eyes. Then he’d lift each foot and stare at it, as if he couldn’t quite work out what was wrong!”

  Queen Rosa and Holly reached the bottom of the path. As they turned back toward the holly trees they were quiet for a moment. Suddenly, Holly squeezed Queen Rosa’s arm.

  “Look, Your Majesty,” she whispered.

  Standing beside the fountain was a silver hare with long, silky ears and twitching whiskers.

  “Isn’t he magnificent?” whispered Queen Rosa.

  The hare stood on his hind legs and stared at them. Then he did the strangest thing. He rubbed his eyes and lifted each foot to look at it, as if something wasn’t quite right …

  “It’s as if he’s put his slippers on wrong!” gasped Holly.

  Tears rolled down Queen Rosa’s cheeks.

  “Take care,” she called as the hare bounded away.

  “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. You’re sad now,” said Holly. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have spoken about King Alban.”

  “No. I’m crying because I’m happy,” said Queen Rosa. “I have fond memories. No one ever mentions Alban and I wish they would. I miss him so much. But I don’t want to forget him. I want to remember him just as he was.”

  “You can talk to me about King Alban whenever you like,” said Holly, boldly.

  “Good!” said Queen Rosa, wiping her eyes. “Let’s meet here again tomorrow, then. I’d like to look for that hare. He was so like Alban, it was almost as if it was a sign.”

  “To show he remembers you, too?” asked Holly.

  “Exactly!” smiled Queen Rosa.

  Inspiring Insights

  • It’s always sad when a loved one dies – but it doesn’t mean we should never talk about that person. Happy memories are a wonderful thing.

  • Grown-ups sometimes need to cry or to laugh, just like children do. Having feelings is part of being able to love others.

  • If you feel sad, it helps to talk to someone. Always let a person you trust know if you have a problem or feel unhappy.

  Tortoise’s Birthday Trip

  Relax, be very still and imagine a small garden with a great apple tree. At the far end of the garden lies a large green field that leads to the hills. This is a story about two tortoises that live in that garden and their friend Daisy, a cheerful brown horse. Let’s listen to their story.

  The tortoises living in the garden were gentle creatures that couldn’t go very far or move very quickly. Cecil was 50 years old, which is very young by tortoise standards. He had a crinkly little head that poked out of his large shell. The other tortoise was so old that he had forgotten his name. So he called himself Tortoise, because he knew that this was a name he would never forget. Tortoise had even forgotten how old he was.

  Every year on his birthday, Cecil would ask him, “How old are you, Tortoise?”

  And Tortoise would reply with a smile, “A year older than the last time you asked.”

  Cecil loved looking after Tortoise. He collected soft leaves for his bed. He made sure that the branches above his head covered him when it rained. And he always rolled a juicy apple up the garden for Tortoise’s breakfast.

  Every day, Cecil would watch Tortoise move slowly to a little hole in the fence. Sometimes he would talk to Daisy, as
she chewed grass in the field. Sometimes he would sit in silence for hours, peering through his spectacles.

  “Why do you sit here all the time?” asked Cecil.

  “I like looking at that hill over there,” replied Tortoise.

  “But why?” asked Cecil. “It’s only a hill, isn’t it?”

  “It may be just a hill, but I like imagining what lies beyond it,” replied Tortoise. “I’ve lived in this garden all my life and I’ve been very happy here, but sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go out and explore the world. Just for one day.”

  Cecil thought about what Tortoise had said. It would be exciting to go and see the world beyond the garden, but how could they ever manage it?

  “We’ll need help,” thought Cecil. “I know just who to ask.”

  On the morning of Tortoise’s birthday Cecil woke up extra early. He found the biggest, reddest apple beneath the apple tree and rolled it slowly up the garden.

  “Happy birthday, Tortoise!” he cried.

  “Thank you,” said Tortoise. “Is that enormous red apple for me?”

  “Well,” said Cecil. “It is and it isn’t. You’re going to have to share it with somebody today.”

  A loud neigh came from the other side of the fence.

  “Yes,” said Daisy, “with me!”

  “I didn’t know it was your birthday, too,” said Tortoise.

  “It isn’t,” explained Daisy, “but if you two want me to take you to the top of the hill, I’m going to need something more for my breakfast than the hay the farmer gives me.”

  “We’re going to the top of the hill?” enquired Tortoise, sounding astonished. “But how will you get us there?”

  “I’ll carry you on my back, of course,” replied Daisy. “Now eat up your half of the apple!”

  Tortoise hardly ate any of the apple because he was too excited. When Daisy had finished munching, she lowered her head to the hole in the fence.

  “Climb onto my nose,” she instructed Tortoise and Cecil, “and I’ll place you on my back.”

  When the two tortoises were sitting comfortably, Daisy whinnied, “Hold on tight!” And she started trotting gently up the hill.

  “I haven’t had so much fun for about a hundred years!” laughed Tortoise.

  “It’ll be even better when we get to the top!” smiled Daisy.

  “Are we nearly there?” asked Cecil.

  “Not far now,” replied Daisy. “We just have to go through that gate ahead.”

  Cecil could see a wooden fence with a gate near the top of the hill.

  “Oh, no!” cried Daisy. “The gate is closed.”

  “Does that mean we can’t go to the top of the hill?” asked Tortoise in a disappointed voice.

  “Not if I can help it,” said Daisy. “Hold on tight!”

  Daisy gave a determined swish of her tail and started to go faster and faster until she was speeding along at a full gallop … and then she jumped! For one wonderful moment Cecil and Tortoise felt as if they were hanging in the air. Then, bump! Daisy landed on the other side of the fence with the two friends still clinging onto her back.

  “We were flying!”cried Cecil.

  “Like birds!” shouted Tortoise. “We’re nearly there!”

  The words had hardly left his mouth when the smell of crisp salt air wafted over the top of the hill and they saw the most amazing sight ever!

  “Oh, my goodness!” exclaimed Tortoise. “I’ve never seen so much water in my life!”

  “It’s the sea,” said Daisy.

  They stood in silence and watched the waves crashing upon the shore as the water sparkled in the sunlight.

  “Oh! Thank you! This is wonderful!” Tortoise almost jumped for joy. “I feel a hundred years younger!”

  “And that would make you how old?” asked Cecil.

  “A year older than the last time you asked,” chuckled Tortoise in reply.

  “Happy birthday to you!” sang Cecil and Daisy.

  “It’s the best birthday I’ve ever had!” beamed Tortoise. And it was. It was the day that Tortoise left the garden and saw the world.

  Inspiring Insights

  • Taking care of those who are older – and perhaps more fragile – than us is a good and kind thing to do. Cecil takes very good care of his older friend Tortoise by bringing him an apple for breakfast every morning.

  • The best presents are often ones that come from the heart. Thoughtfulness and care in choosing or making a gift make it extra special.

  • Saying “thank you” is one of the best ways to show how grateful you are.

  The Noisy Bird

  Relax, close your eyes and imagine a town in a distant time and place. Bandits roam the streets, stealing things from people’s houses and robbing anyone unlucky enough to come across them. This is a story about a clever bird that saved a sleepy town. Let’s listen to his story.

  Long ago, many towns had strong walls to protect the inhabitants from enemies and it was the job of the night watchman to guard the gateway after dark.

  The trouble with the watchman in this story – whose name was Mr Peerless – was that he liked to have a nice meat pie for his supper and a snooze at 11 o’clock.

  “Nothing ever happens, anyway,” he reassured Mrs Peerless, his wife. “It’s the middle of the night. Everybody knows that the gate to the town is locked.”

  “But what if bandits creep over the walls to steal our riches?” asked Mrs Peerless, clutching a silver brooch her mother had given to her.

  “Bandits won’t come!” scoffed Mr Peerless.

  Night after night he dozed undisturbed. Then one spring evening a scruffy looking bird with long, brown feathers came to roost on the town gatepost.

  “What a plain looking thing you are!” laughed Mr Peerless and he closed his eyes.

  In the middle of the night, the bird began to squawk.

  “Hush!” groaned Mr Peerless, opening one eye. “Be quiet or I’ll bake you in a pie!”

  But the bird squawked again.

  Mr Peerless threw a stone. “Go to sleep, silly bird!”

  But the bird flapped and squawked even louder.

  “Ark!” it cried in its shrill voice. “ARK! ARK!”

  “Tomorrow morning, I’ll buy a bow and arrow and shoot you,” hissed Mr Peerless, sleepily. He closed his eyes and pulled his hat down low on his head.

  But the bird kept squawking and it wasn’t long before the whole town was awake.

  The Mayor looked out of his bedroom window.

  A gang of bandits was climbing over the town gate.

  “Guards, seize them!” shouted the Mayor.

  Even Mr Peerless heard the commotion now.

  “I must have dozed off!” he gasped.

  “You didn’t even see us coming!” sneered the bandits, as they were led away to prison. “If it wasn’t for that noisy bird, we’d have crept into town and stolen all your jewels.”

  In the morning, the Mayor announced that the bird should have a reward. He opened the town treasure chest and scooped out a handful of precious gems.

  But jewels were of no use to the bird. He scratched at them in the dust and tried to eat them … but then a very strange thing happened. His long tail feathers began shimmering with turquoise and ruby and gold.

  Mr Peerless dropped his pie. “You’re beautiful!” he cried.

  “Ark!” The bird spread his feathers proudly like a fan.

  … And perhaps that is how the peacock got his magnificent tail.

  Inspiring Insights

  • If you take pride in your work, you’ll enjoy it more – the plain bird did a good deed and got bright feathers as his reward.

  • Always try your best to take your responsibilities seriously – Mr Peerless can’t be bothered to do a good job and lets everyone down.

  • If you have something important to say, don’t let others put you off – just like the bird didn’t let Mr Peerless bully him and kept squawking his warning.

&n
bsp; WORKING WITH VISUALIZATION

  Taking the Stories Further

  Visualization is conjuring up pictures in your mind at will. Meditation means learning to still your mind so that you become calm and gain greater focus. Learning to visualize and meditate will help your child gain self-confidence and empathy, as well as improving his concentration and creativity. The visualization and meditations that follow use the stories within this collection as a starting point for your child to immerse himself in the natural world and take himself off on imaginative adventures with delightful animal guides.

  Over time, these visualizations will help your child to use the same techniques to face any challenging situation that calls for courage and serenity. For example, visualizing himself doing well in an exam or playing brilliantly at a music recital will improve his performance. Many top athletes also use visualization in this way to improve their performances and your child will enjoy hearing success stories based on a practice he can do daily.

  Like all skills, visualization is easier and more effective the more we practise it. Many children enjoy visualization games. Try showing your child an unusual object and then asking him to close his eyes and describe it in as much detail as possible. Or you could ask him to describe an imaginary journey taken along a river down to the sea.

  Remember that visualization doesn’t just have to be about seeing: you can ask your child to imagine smells, sounds, feelings and tastes, too. This will all help bring the stories alive for him. However, the illustrations that accompany each story are a good place to start.

  Encouraging your child’s ability to use imaginative thinking is a gift that he will cherish throughout his life. It is also good to note that daydreaming is not wasting time but is, in fact, a vital tool at our disposal for gaining greater insight into our hopes and dreams. Psychologists have also found that habitual daydreamers have better working memories, so there is a good cognitive reason for giving your child’s imagination free rein.

  Make it a bedtime ritual to do a relaxing visualization or meditation and you’ll soon both benefit from the calming effect of a little journey into the more creative regions of the mind each night.

  Meeting an Animal Guide

  Sit with your child cross-legged on the floor, bodies relaxed, and spend a few minutes breathing deeply together. Ask your child to close her eyes and then read the following guided visualization to her.