Welcome to get sleepy. The podcast where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. My name is Thomas and I'm your host. For anyone who is new to the podcast, let me tell you what you can expect, the way you get sleepy works is very simple. You just pick an episode, press play and get comfortable in bed. I'll guide you through a short relaxation to settle you in comfortably. And then I own one of my friends will read you a bedtime story designed to gently grasp your attention and guide you to sleep, the more you tune in, the more effective the podcast will be at putting you to sleep.

So be sure to follow or subscribe wherever you like to listen to podcast. Tonight, I'll be reading a story about a girl whose daydream leads her on an important quest to a magical place.

If you'd like access to all of our relaxing bedtime stories and meditations, make sure you check out Get Sleepy premium. We're on a mission to help the world get better sleep. And supporting our premium channel does a lot to help make that possible. Not only will you have all our love and gratitude from everyone on the get sleep team, but you'll also get some great benefits to enjoy for yourself, like unlimited access to all of our content and an exclusive episode each Thursday.

Plus, it's all ad free. If you want to find out more, go to our website at Get Sleepy dot com slash support or follow the link in the episode night. We'd really appreciate your support, so let's settle in for our story by just taking a few moments for mindfulness and relaxation. This podcast is here, of course, to help you get to sleep and stay asleep. Listening regularly to our stories will train your body to relax and your mind to turn off any unwanted noise.

And all that is left for you to do is close your eyes, listen and visualize. And gradually drift off to sleep. So rest your head down on your pillow. Releasing your neck muscles from their daily duties. And let your body make any adjustments it needs. To find that optimum comfort. And then breathing deeply. As you exhale, feel yourself letting go of any thoughts, feelings or discomforts you are holding within. And continue to breathe deeply for a little while, clearing out your body and mind.

And as you are gradually relieved. Of all these unnecessary burdens. You can settle into the idyllic state. Of peace. And sleepiness. So now let's turn to our story for this evening. It begins where many of you might be right now. In your apartment, somewhere in a big city. And that's where we find Daria. Sitting by her window on a rainy day. Rainstorms made for long days in the city. It was summer and Daria was out of school.

So she had to find ways of occupying her time. On a normal day, she'd walk to the park across the street. We'll visit her friend and go to the ice cream shop on the corner. But today, the rain beat down on the two brick buildings. And turn the cement sidewalks, an even darker shade of gray. There would be no going outside in weather like this. So instead, she took up her favorite seat by the window and watched the heavy droplets patter on the glass.

By now, Daria was used to living in a city and having the sights and sounds of the busy streets to keep her company from morning until night. In her parents third floor apartment, she would often pull back the gauzy curtains and pair out the large window to the sidewalk below. Even on sunny days, she liked to take a peek every once in a while. She knew all of the regular passers by. There was the woman who always carried a folded newspaper under her arm as she rushed to work.

And the man who walked his white miniature poodle to the park at noon. A little later in the day came the boy with the red hair, who was always laughing with his friends when he passed St.. Every summer day, these people would appear like clockwork. She could mark the passage of time by their footsteps. She enjoyed watching them, too. As the weeks went by, she grew a sort of kinship with them. She liked to imagine them going on adventures or visiting magical places together.

It was fun to think of herself out of the city. Flying high over the walls of a castle on a dragon's back. Or rowing a boat across an endless ocean. She thought of these strangers as her friends. She knew the way they walked, how some stepped over puddles or splashed straight through. She knew the little yapping barks of the poodle if it's spotted a neighborhood cat on one of the park benches. She'd seen the moon laugh or smile or frown slightly if they were lost in thought.

On this particular morning, it was still early, say the woman with the newspaper hadn't arrived yet. Daria had just enough time to fix herself a cup of tea and settle down to watch. She hopped off the seat and walked into the kitchen where her mother was doing a crossword puzzle. Daria pressed the button on the kettle and had the hissing sound as it began to heat the water. She reached up into the cupboard above and pulled down her favorite cup.

It was made of white China and had a little purple flowers that paraded around the edge in a circle. She'd noticed it years ago in the window of a shop and found it wrapped up for her birthday a few months later. She chose a tea bag, lemon and ginger, and hung the tassel over the rim of the cup. The water wasn't finished boiling yet, so she picked up the tea bag by its little paper label and let it swing back and forth like a pendulum.

As it moved through the air, she caught whiffs of the spicy ginger and a sweet, citrusy hint of dried lemon peel. Moments later, the button on the kettle clicked. She placed the tea bag back in the cup and carefully poured the hot water over it. A puff of steam rose from the tee and left a slight dampness on Daria's cheeks. With her drink in hand, Daria left her mother to her puzzle and made her way back to the window seat.

She placed the cup gently on the windowsill and picked up a Sky-Blue cushion resting against the wall. She sat on the wooden seat and scooted back onto it. The little flat pillow was softer to sit on and made her just tall enough to get a clear view down to the street. Using her fingertips, she lifted the curtain and pulled it around the back of her head like a scarf. Inside, it was like her own personal bubble of fabric. The captain sat gently against her hair and ruffled it lightly when she moved.

She liked to feel as though it was just her and the window and her little cup free to dream as they pleased. She broke her nose up almost to the glass. But didn't touch it, she didn't want to leave any smudges that might obscure her view outside. As she breathed, so little clouds of condensation appeared and disappeared on the glass. Like a cloud at the bottom of her vision. The area picked up her teacup and took a sip.

She liked the first touch of the liquid on her tongue. She tasted a burst of lemon. Followed by the warming sensation of ginger on the back of her throat. She took a second sip and then carefully placed it back on the windowsill. Then out of the corner of her eye, she saw her, the woman with the paper tucked under her arm. The first thing she noticed was the tip of her boot as she stepped out from behind the building on the right.

Darrion knew that Bhoot well, it was a deep turquoise with a rounded front. She'd never seen boots like that before and admired them very much. As she did every morning, the woman walked quickly, weaving around the large puddles that had pulled on the curb. Wanting to get a better glimpse of the woman, Daria brought her face even closer to the glass. She breathe them once and then out very slowly as she tried to concentrate. As she let out her breath, the glass began to fog.

It started in the corner just out of her line of sight. The fog grew and grew, sending tendrils up higher and higher on the wind until they snaked across her view. As they spread, the tendrils of condensation widened and blurred together to become a single cloud of rolling fog. Daria watched in awe as the clear window transformed into a pane of frosted glass before her eyes. Of course, this made it hard for her to see the St.. She slowly reached out her hand toward the window to wipe it clear.

When her fingertips touch the glass, she felt a strange sensation of floating. Like her body had become untethered from the cushion beneath her. Through the window pane, she saw a blurry speck of color off in the distance. As she concentrated, the smack grew larger, it was as though she were moving toward it and it came into focus as she neared. Then her vision cleared and she found herself standing on a well-worn path. What had been the familiar park across the street was now a wide expanse of grass.

Behind it, she saw the thick stone walls of a castle jutting up to the sky. A little brown cat flicked its tail at her from a rectangular ledge tucked into the wall. It was the same cat that often napped on the park bench back home. It was no longer raining. But the sky above was overcast and heavy clouds moved off in the distance. The grass around her feet was damp. A last reminder of the passing storm. From behind her, Daria heard the crunch of boots upon the rough dirt path.

She turned and was surprised to find herself staring at her all night. The night wore a silver suit of armor that glistened with raindrops already starting to dry. The nice features were hidden behind a sturdy metal face plate. But what caught Daria's attention were the nice boots, they were metal like the rest of the outfit, but they had been painted a deep turquoise. How strange, Daria thought she had never seen a night with blue boots before. The night reached up and removed the sturdy helmet to reveal a woman's face, long chestnut hair cascaded down her back.

Daria gasped. How could this be? This was the woman who rushed to work every morning with her newspaper. And judging by the look on her face, she was in the middle of something very important. The woman cleared her throat and fixed a steady gaze on Daria. I am Esther. Knight errant of this land, she said, I am on an important quest on behalf of the king. How amazing Daria thought. She'd never met a real knight before.

She beamed up at the woman standing in front of her. Esther pulled a damp looking scroll from under her arm and found it in one swift motion. She leaned down and handed a crinkled brown paper to Daria. Have you seen this dog? She asked. Daria started the paper carefully. On it was a sketch of an animal she knew well. It was a small white poodle with a little blue bow on its head, the very same poodle she saw walking in the park every day at noon.

Daria nodded as she returned the scroll. I do know the dog, but I haven't seen it since yesterday during lunch, she said. The night sighed and shook her head. The dog had managed to escape the king's chambers just after breakfast. Since then, everyone in the castle have been looking for it. The royal cobbler checked his workshop to make sure the poodle wasn't chewing on any shoes. The cooks checked the pantry to make sure it wasn't snacking on the Sunday roast.

Daria giggled, imagining the poodle running through the halls with a shoe and a saucer of gravy in its mouth. The night looked down at the girl and smiled. Her eyes twinkling. Would you like to help me with my quest? She asked Daria. Daria's eyes widened as she nodded. How exciting she thought to join a night on her very first quest. Esther took Daria's small hand in her own, and together they began to walk toward the castle.

As they walked, Daria looked from left to right searching for the miniature poodle. She saw nothing in the green grass near or far. And nothing on the path ahead. This way had been marked by many years of feat, which had slowly worn the ground slightly lower than the grass around it. The earth beneath her shoes had been tarred by countless people coming to the castle. And probably by a few dogs, too, she thought. They walked for several minutes.

The path began to curve slightly down toward the castle walls. As they approached, Daria realized the giant stone wall in front of her was not actually part of the castle itself. But rather surrounded the main buildings. It was tall and formidable. And we definitely keep out all but the most determined or welcome guests. Cut into the stone a little way ahead was a large wooden door with iron beams and a heavy black noka. When they arrived at the door, Daria reached up and took the NOKA in both hands.

She pulled it back and then released it. It made a bang as it hit the wood beneath it. Almost as soon as she heard the sound, a little slot opened just above Daria's head. Who's there called a voice from behind the door? Daria couldn't see who it was, as all she could make out through the slot was a pair of curious eyes. The night straightened up in her armor and called out in a commanding voice. I am night, Esther, she said, motioning to Daria.

I am here with a friend we've come to find the king's dog. Daria had the word begin to creak as the door slowly moved on its hinges. Once it was open wide enough for them to pass through. Daria, on the night I walked into the castle grounds. Once they were inside, the door swung shut behind them. Daria found herself in a place like no other. Between the wall and the castle itself, there was a wide open market square here and there were stools full of fruits and vegetables.

Pots, pans and clothing. People hurried to and fro on errands between different parts of the castle. Daria watched as a man in a blue shirt, carried a load of washing down a flight of stone steps. Nearby, a woman gently herded a flock of geese across the open square. One of the keys looked up at Daria as it waddled past and honked loudly. Daria laughed and waved to the geese, wishing it well wherever it was going out of the corner of her eye, something caught her attention.

It was small and white. She let go of the Knights hand and ran over to investigate. She followed the white blur into a blacksmith's shop. Inside, a man in a dark apron was using a large hammer to flatten some type of metal object. Although one side of the shop was open to the outside, it was warmer here than Daria had expected, the air was steamy and she felt her cheeks begin to flush. She looked to the corner with a little white animal had run.

But all she saw was a cat swishing its tail back and forth. It had come here to nap in the warmth of the shop, something Daria thought she might like to do. She sighed. She hadn't found the king's dog yet and there would be no napping until she did. The blacksmith wished her luck and went back to his work, pounding the metal into shape. Daria walked over to the night. They had to come up with a plan to find the king's dog.

Otherwise, they could end up chasing cats into corners all afternoon. She thought. From under her arm the night Esther pulled a second scroll. She opened it up to reveal a detailed map of the castle grounds. Esther handed it to Daria, who scrutinized it carefully. The best way to find the dog would be to split up and check different parts of the castle, she said. Esta agreed the night, said she would stay in the square and talk to everyone who passed while Daria would go into the castle itself and search room by room.

After all, she was smaller than the night and could fit into all the little hiding places a miniature poodle might go. Daria across the market square and walked over to the castle doors. There was a guard outside like the night he was wearing a full suit of armor. She tapped on his hand and he looked down at her. My name is Daria, she told him, I'm here to find the king's dog. The guard stepped aside and welcome to the castle.

Wishing her luck with her quest. Daria found herself standing at the start of a long hallway. The walls were made of white stone, which came together in a wide arch far above her head. On them wear brightly colored tapestries that hung from horizontal wooden rods affixed to the stone. They depicted famous stories of all the greatest nights doing glorious quests in the name of the kingdom. A yellow tapestry showed a night in a silver suit of armor holding a golden chalice filled with rubies.

A blue one just beside it had a rider on a horse leaping over a river of ice. But the green one on the end was Daria's favorite, it showed HESTA, her friend holding her sword high above her head. She was standing atop a mountain of gold treasure in the middle of a Dragonslayer. HESTA must be a very brave night, Daria thought to herself as she wandered through the hallway. As she passed below the tapestries. She brought with her a slight breeze which rustled the tassels hanging off the bottom edges of the fabric.

She marveled as they moved and caught the light, that golden thread glistening like sparks. At the end of the whole, Daria came to a forked path on one side, there was the entrance to a small room. On the other, there was a doorway which led to another narrow hole leading deeper into the castle. She chose the small room first, she pushed open the heavy wooden door and peered inside. It was a food storage area with sacks of grain and flour stacked against the wall.

She didn't think the dog would be in here. But it couldn't hurt to check. She peeked behind the sacks and inside the large wood, embarrassed, lined up under the window. She was right, the dog wasn't there. Daria closed the door behind her and took the other fork toward the narrow hallway. This one was aligned with Dors. Each led to a different room on this level of the council. Daria figured she should look in each one, just to be sure.

She pushed open the door to the first room. This was where the court, Taylor kept her fabric's. On long shelves, which lined the walls with stacks and stacks of richly colored silks and satins. There were greens and blues and reds of all shades. Grosgrain ribbons were found on one shelf and there were delicate bowls of buttons on another. There were collars and lace. Threads and chords and snaps. But there was no dog. In the next room, she found where the music teacher kept his instruments.

There was a large grand piano polished to a shine. There was a violin, a viola and a cello. And several different woodwinds. There were stacks and stacks of crisp white music sheets covered in delicate black notes. But there was still no dog. The third room she came to was clearly for the children of the castle. There were delicately carved wooden toys and rocking horses in three different sizes. She climbed atop the largest horse and gave it a rock back and forth for good measure.

She giggled as its main made of yarn brushed against her fingertips. She would love to stay and play in this room longer. But she was assisting a night on a very important quest. She'd have to save the nursery for another day. In the fourth room, she found the Carson Library. Books with thick leather bindings stood at attention on dark mahogany shelves. Daria loved the smell of this room. There was the familiar scent of well-worn pages and old books that made her want to curl up on a chair and read all afternoon.

She'd have to remember to come back here once she'd found the dog. Perhaps there was a book of fairy tales or one about a girl on a quest just like her. Now, that would be fun to read, she thought. As she stood in the library thinking about where to look next, she heard the faint sound of splashing, accompanied by the joyful laugh of another child. What could that be? She wondered. She closed the door behind her.

And traced the sums to a little room at the end of the narrow hall. Daria pushed open the door and there, to her surprise, she found someone she recognized. It was the boy with the red hair who passed by her building every afternoon. He had a wide grin on his face and his clothing and arms were covered in SOAPSUDS. His name was Atka, he said. She followed the trail of suds down at his arm to a large porcelain bath.

Inside was a damp but fluffy white poodle with a blue bow on its head. It was the Kings Dog, she realized. We've been looking everywhere for you, Daria said to the poodle. Who wagged its tail happily through the bathwater. Edgar explained that the king had asked him to give the period a wash earlier that week. The king must have forgotten, Daria said. He thought the dog was lost when he couldn't find it after breakfast, but it wasn't missing after all.

It was just having a much needed bath. We must tell the king, she said. As though on command, the poodle hopped out of the bar and waited to be dried off. And took a soft white towel from Iraq behind him and patted the dog down gently. Then Daria picked up the poodle and carried it out into the hallway. Atka led the way through the castle to the large throne room at its center. They're the king sat on the most impressive throne Daria had ever seen.

It was shiny and silver and started with gemstones. To her surprise, the king was the very same man who walked this poodle through the park each day. She never would have imagined he was royalty, but looks can be deceiving, she thought to herself. After all, people might not think someone like Daria would be helping a knight with a quest, but here she was. The king smiled warmly as Daria and Atka entered the room. With outstretched arms, he took the poodle from her and hugged it tightly, being sure to give it a few extra scratches behind its ears.

He thanked Daria and told her she had successfully finished the most important quest the kingdom had ever seen. In spite of her excitement, Daria yawned, it had been a very long day after all. Seeing how tired she was, the king said she was welcome to nap in one of the royal bedrooms until it was time for dinner. It would be a feast in her honor, of course, as the rescue of the royal poodle. He motioned for a woman in a pressed white dress to show Daria to her room.

She was grateful for the offer. She followed the woman to a beautiful bedchamber. There was a large band with rich purple satin sheets. She ran her hand over the sheets and admired how silky they were beneath her fingertips. She hopped onto the bed, which was almost as tall as she was, and slipped down between the covers, she wiggled her toes and found they only reached halfway down the length of the bed. This truly made Daria feel like a princess.

She pulled the sheets up to her chin and snuggled deeper into them. As she lay there, she felt her eyelids begin to grow heavy and let them close. How cozy it was in here in this big bed in the castle. The dog was safe and sound, and she'd helped her real knight, who was now her friend. She had met the boy with the red hair and the man who walked in the park. And the woman with the newspaper whose name was Esther.

They were all so familiar. She had watched them countless times from her perch on the seat by the third story window in her parents apartment. Her mind wandered from happy thought to happy thought. She remembered the smell of the lemon and ginger tea. And the feeling of her fingertips on the foggy glass. She could almost hear her mother. Calling her for supper. As she drifted off to sleep.