Hi, it's Tom, I want to introduce you to one of my bedtime storytelling friends there, a from the Sleep with Me podcast. Sleep with me is kind of like the goofy cousin of Get Sleepy, the one who tells surreal, meandering stories that you can't help but fall asleep to, and better yet, it's encouraged. Sleep with me, add some extra variety to your sleep, listening to keep you company during the week, so go and check it out.

You or someone you know will probably like this show head off to Dreamland with the Sleep with Me podcast by listening on a smart speaker or whatever podcast app you're using right now. Welcome to get sleepy. The podcast where we listen, we relax and we get sleepy. I'm your host, Thomas. Thanks for tuning in. Tonight, Abby will be reading the winner of our most recent social media poll, and you can find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter if you'd like to have your say on our future stories as well.

Tomorrow is Thursday, and that means a new exclusive episode on our supporters feed get sleep premium. Elizabeth will be reading a travel story about two friends who take their dream vacation to a Mediterranean island. And of course, this is in addition to all of the other benefits of get sleep premium, like access to our entire back catalogue all at free. And just before I sat down to record this intro, I made note of a few of you that have just signed up within the past day.

So a big thanks to Christine with a C, Kristen with a K, K. Alexander, Khari Allen, Tara, Amy and Jacob. We really appreciate you and everybody else who subscribe to this week to.

If you are interested in signing up, we offer a free seven day trial so you can try it out first, just go to get sleepy dot com slash support or simply use the link in the show notes to find out more.

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Wants you to start living a happier life today. Service it better h e help dot com slash, get sleepy and join over one million people taking charge of their mental health with the help of an experienced professional. And remember, right now, all get sleepy listeners will receive 10 percent of your first month. So, guys, please do look after yourselves and remember that help is available, you're never alone. Now for tonight's short relaxation, I thought I would talk you through a visualization that we've had loads of positive comments on from you, wonderful listeners in the past, that is the light switch technique.

So as you just slow your breathing down now and send your attention into your body. You can just bring your awareness down to your toes. And imagine that there is a light switch for yachties. Right now, it's switched on, as it has been all day. You're ready to rest now, though, so turn that light switch off. Noticing how that causes your toes to relax. Move your attention to your feet. And turn the switch for your feet off as well.

Now turn off the switch for your lower legs. Your thighs. And your hips. Allowing everything below your waist to switch off. To release any active energy. And to relax. Focus now on your abdomen. And turn off the light, switch their. And then your chest. You're back. Your shoulders. Your arms. Your hands and fingers. Your neck. And last of all. Turn out that final light switch for your head. Now it's time for tonight's story.

It begins a long ago atop a grand mountain high amongst the clouds. Here, it's quiet and peaceful, life seems to be in a certain harmony. Everywhere you look. And the gentle buzz fills the air. There was once a beehive on the hills of Mount Amatus in ancient Greece. Nestled in Pine covid Mountains, not far from Athens, the bees produced some of the finest honey in the empire. The hive was mounted in the branches of a cypress tree near the peak of the mountain.

On a clear day, the bees could see past the rolling hills in the temple of zoos all the way to the white marble Parthenon in Athens. The queen bee was very proud of the honey they made. Her worker bees were known for finding and collecting the best nectar on the mountain. These workers love their jobs, but there was nothing more delightful than going out for a long harvesting session on a fresh spring day. On one such day, the queen bee woke early, she flew out in the dawn light, watching its rosy fingers illuminate the flowers on the mountain, the scent of fresh nectar lingered in the air, resting in the midst of the morning fog.

Perhaps today was a good day to sample some of the sweet nectar. Her work has collected so diligently. There was nothing like Nektar straight from the flower hive, especially light making honey from time flowers. So after flying around, enjoying the cool morning breeze, rushing through her microscopic hairs, she began to look for the purple parts of the time plant. The beautiful petals blossomed on top of green stems and let off a sweet scent as the queen bee drew near.

But she landed on the delicate flower. She took a moment to look around the world was starting to come to light. Villagers were walking groggily out of their homes, stretching their hands above their heads, ready for their daily harvest. But twitted above, flapping their wings in the morning light. A little fox walked by the flower where the bee was sitting and peered at her curiously before trotting away. The queen loved mornings. With one final look around, she sank her tongue into the flour, tasting it sweet and fruity nectar.

She tasted some of it and then took flight. As she passed through the air, she took the time to hover over daisies and Calama Flower, enjoying the different smells they gave off. Some were sweet and others slightly bitter. And then she came to rest on her next puch. Sitting in the center of the flower, she could hear a river trickling nearby. She delighted in the sound of its water splashing over small rocks. Again, she sampled the nectar, thinking of how the whole hive worked together to turn these little bits of liquid into the best honey across the land.

Taking a flight again, the queen bee flew over a small sanctuary to zoos where some of the villagers left offerings to the gods. The white columns shone in the bright sun, reflecting onto the plants and trees around them. The queen watch the people going in and out of the temple dreaming of the inaugural. The nice thing about being a baby was that if she wanted to present a gift to the gods, she could simply fly to Mount Olympus and hand it to them.

She thought about this, but she rested on the flower, enjoying the morning sunshine. After a while, she rolled onto her back, looking up at the blue sky in the floating white cloud. She loved springtime best. Watching the flowers blooming back to life was always an exciting treat. After the cooler winter months, the pollen was thick in the air and floral sense enticed her to her next destination. And she took the nectar from this little, but she looked up at the mountain, she called her greens and browns blended into each other against the blue backdrop of the sky.

It truly was one of the most beautiful places in all of Greece. Nearby, a butterfly flaps his wing. To the queen bee, it sounded like a slow, heavy version of the rhythm of her high. She turned to watch the delicate creature its orange and brown wings contained intricate patterns that reminded the queen of a wildflower. As morning came into full bloom, the queen began to hear the gentle buzzing of the worker bees exploring the mountain fields. Each time they landed on a flower, they suck the liquid into their bellies, storing it for the journey home.

Delighted by her morning flight, the queen bee decided to return to the hive and check on the honey production. She fluttered back to Mounty matters, thinking of the soft honeycomb waiting within. Landing in the nest, she was grateful for the shade it provided as the midday sun was now growing hotter. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness. But as they did, a delightful site was revealed, the process of bees were busy at work.

They transferred the nectar from Bee to be each one, helping to turn the watery substance into sticky, sweet honey. Finally, once the consistency was perfect, it was deposited into the honeycomb and left to settle. The queen was very proud of the honey they produced, but there was one problem sometimes bad or nosey humans came and took the honey away without asking the queen wish there was something she could do to protect the hard work of her hive. Many of the holes in the honeycomb were already full.

Soon they would have a beautiful gift for the gods. This could be the answer to her, which she thought. That night and many of the bees went to sleep, the queen decided she would bring the honey to Mount Olympus the next day. In exchange for her gift, she would request protection for the hive. She dozed off to the sound of humming and buzzing the some of the bees were still hard at work.

Her dreams were full of gods and goddesses and the beautiful peaks of Olympus. The next morning, there was a flurry of excitement in the hive. The queen bee had asked some of the workers to help her fill a pot of honey. They drip the honey into the ceramic dish until it was full and packed a few stacks of honeycomb on top. There was enough to share with all the immortals of Olympus. Though the queen cared most about winning the favor of the king of the Gods.

Like all the girls, he was known by many different names in many different land, and the queen knew each of them. But she met him first as Jupiter, and it was to him she would appeal. The queen and three worker bees picked up the pot of honey, flew out of the hive and made for the mountain of the Immortal's. It was a long journey, but the bees knew that the gods would honor them for such a precious gift.

They flew over rocky shrub, covid mountains and fields blooming with flowers. They fluttered over the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea. At night, they rested and the star filled skies and in the peachy light of morning, they flew on. Below them, they took in the wonders of the ancient world, they hovered over Mount Parnassus, admiring the magnificent temple of Apollo with tall white columns overlooking the valley. Nearby, they saw a pilgrim hiking up a rocky hill to visit the oracle of Delphi.

Well, they left their home on Mounty Matters. It was a pleasure to take a longer flight dipping in and out of the clouds. The bees enjoyed watching the bustle of the world below them. The sounds of rushing wind and crashing waves filled them in the sense of adventure. Going on an expedition was a satisfying endeavor, indeed, they inhaled the earthy mineral scent of so far from the hot spring and the tangy air of the sea. And still, they flew over the fortress of Laryssa, continuing farther and farther north.

Until finally, they reached Olympus. The bees buzzed above the clouds, leaving the world of mortals behind and entering the realm of the gods. The palace here was a grand marble and gold building. The worker bees who were visiting Olympus for the first time thought it was unlike anything they had ever seen before. The palace was built into the mountain and was bigger than any building in the realm of the mortal's, even the Parthenon. Behind two immense golden gates, long marble columns marked the entryway to the palace, three stories of gold and white majesty charted in and out of the rocks.

They could hear the gentle rapping of woodpeckers and smell the aroma of strawberry trees and blue. All around the palace, wildflowers covered the mountainous riches of the rocky peaks. When the bees reach the golden gates, the queen told the guards they had come with a special nectar for the gods. Slowly, it gets opened and the bees flew toward the palace. The queen knew she first wanted to visit Jupiter and the Greeks could use he was the king of the gods.

Jupiter sat upon his throne as the breeze carried the pot of honey toward him. The queen placed it on the ground at his feet and invited the God to try the nectar. She was so proud of. Dupatta picked up the pot and drizzled some of the honey atop an apple. When he took a bite, a grin broke out on his face. This is wonderful, honey, wonderful indeed, he boomed. His voice echoed across the mountaintop like Rolling Thunder.

I would like to repay you for this spectacular gift to me. What is it that your heart most desires? The queen bee replied, I have so many beautiful things, she said, a wonderful and hardworking hive, a home in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. And this sweet honey, however, there is one thing I desire. I would like to be able to protect my hive from humans and other animals who come to take our honey away.

Jupiter look to be thoughtfully. I understand he said, I can help with that, I should give you a stinger. But it will come with a price, you must consider this carefully before you ever use my gift to you. The queen bee nodded solemnly. Due to continued, I do hope you remember the joy you found in giving this honey as a gift and in sharing the sweetness you've created. If you only think of the honey as yours, the God said you might become obsessed with hoarding it and forget how much you enjoy sharing this wonderful gift.

Queen Bee had never thought about it in this light before and remained silent before the king of the gods. I will give you what you ask for told the first, why don't you spend the night here at Olympus and think about what I said? The BEA certainly wanted to spend the night on the mountain off the court, so the queen graciously accepted. That evening, the bees were treated as honored guests, they dined and drank with the gods, enjoying all the wonders of the realm of Immortal's.

However, the queen bee couldn't stop thinking of Jupitus words, she did find joy in sharing her honey and the hive certainly never ran short of it. After all, didn't the flowers freely give their nectar? Didn't the worker bees freely give that time? Didn't the tree allow them to build their home in its branches? Perhaps she should be more generous with her creation to. The next morning, the bees woke up refreshed, but sad to leave Olympus.

So they were quite surprised when their queen told them they'd be staying a little bit longer. She told them to gather the rest of the honeycomb they had brought and break it into smaller pieces. That way there would be enough to share with all the gods. First, they brought the honey to Asclepius, who lived in the highest turret of the palace. He was a healer from his window. The bees could see the tops of the fluffy clouds and the Rocky Mountain tops breaking through.

He thanked the bees kindly for their gift and showed them how he could use the money to help heal wounds or ease a cold. The queen didn't know her honey could be used for anything other than enjoying the taste. And she felt a burst of joy knowing that her creation could help those in need. Next, they brought the gift of honey to Aphrodite, who was reclining on an ottoman, her wavy red hair spread across the cushions. She loved sweet things and delighted in the honey.

The bees had brought honey with sweet light love. In thanks, she gifted the bees with a beautiful ceramic vase and invited them to come back and visit with more any time. Then the beast brought some of their honey to Diana, goddess of the hunt. She understood the need for protection just as much as the bees did, but when they told her about their request, she said she preferred something to share rather than something to stand guard over. She tasted a piece of the honeycomb and then wrapped the rest in wax paper.

She secured it next to her silver bows and then mounted her horse and galloped down the mountain. Finally, the bees left a small honeycomb under the pomegranate tree near the palace gates. It was a special gift for pacifically who would soon return from the underworld. She'd always been a friend to bees. They were grateful for her gift of helping the flowers bloom, those precious birds so necessary for the creation of their honey.

After they had delivered all their gifts, the queen bee went to visit Jupiter once more. How was your stay at Olympus, the king of the gods asked her. She thanked him for his kind hospitality and told him how much the bees had enjoyed exploring the palace and meeting some of the other immortals. Then she told you how she had shared the honey with all of the gods. When we made this trip, I only intended to share my honey with you, the queen said, but you were right.

We all felt much better sharing our bounty with others rather than holding it for ourselves. I thank you for the gift of protection that you gave us. But truly, the gift of giving is the most wonderful of them all. Dupatta smiled warmly at the bay. He was proud of what she had learned and glad that she had shared her money with the other gods of Olympus. He thanked each of them for visiting and wish them well on their journey home.

And so it was time for the bees to leave without any honey, Sicari, they were able to travel much faster than before. Together, the bees raked in zagged, making circles and doing flips and twists in the warm spring and. They passed over the familiar scenery below, taking in the aroma of the salty sea and of the hot spring. They felt the fresh air of the mountains and then finally, so my time at their home in the distance.

As they flew toward the familiar knots, they could see the rest of the hive waiting to greet them. Once she had landed, the queen told them all about the journey to Olympus and said everything that Jupiter had said. The high buzzed in excitement. But the queen and her envoy retired from the long journey. The queen excused herself to her quarters for the night, resting on the soft honeycomb. And listening to the gentle buzzing with the high, she and.

She remembered how full of wool she had felt as she shared her care with the goddess. Oh, the queen was tired, she knew then her work was not quite done that day. Not only would she share her honey with gods, but with mortals as well. The queen took the beautiful clay part Aphrodite had given her and filled it with more honey. Under the stars, she flew out on her own, delivering bits of honeycomb to the doorsteps of the villages and the nests of birds.

She left some of the tons of the bars. And place them near the small holes in the ground where she knew the foxes and hedgehogs would sniff out their treats in the morning. Now, everyone who helped make the mountain a special place would have a little sweetness to wake up to. Flying back to her hive, she was grateful to Jupiter for giving her a stinger. But even more grateful for the lesson in generosity he had shared. As much as she appreciated the protection she now had.

She knew that she would never use it. The greatest means of defense for her, her life was not a stinger, but love and appreciation. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought about the warm smiles that would appear as the foxes, hedgehogs, but bears and villagers found her honey the next morning. They all called the mountain home just like her. She thought of all the gifts she had received, the nectar from flowers. The beautiful views from her home, a sturdy branch to build her high.

And an invitation to return to the magical palace of Olympus at any time. Yes, it certainly was a pleasure to share her gift, the queen bee thought. As she drifted off to sleep.