'The Peaceful Shirelands' - Fantasy Sleep Saga (Ep 1 & 2)

A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga, where YOU are the main character. Tonight you can enjoy episodes 1 & 2 of your sleep adventure. The entire collection is available on the PLUS section of Insight Timer, where I currently have over 20 episodes, and many more on the way! Throughout this saga, you will visit the land of the Elves, the golden woods of wonder, the deep Dwarven kingdoms, and so much more, all while meeting many companions along the way.

In tonight's two episodes, you will spend your evening exploring and relaxing in your homeland, the peaceful Shirelands, after a busy afternoon picking strawberries in the farmer's field. This is a calming and soothing story, accompanied by soft sleepy music to help you drift off in peace. I hope you like it, and I hope you'll join us for many more adventures!

Music: Liborio Conti

Transcript

A warm welcome to this fantasy sleep saga,

Where you are the main character.

Throughout this bedtime story series,

You will be guided on an epic adventure,

All the while accompanied by soft,

Soothing music,

Helping you to sink into an effortless sleep.

Here,

There is magic,

Wonder and mystery waiting round every corner.

Before we begin,

We will do a short,

Guided breathing pattern called 3-4-5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful,

Peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for three,

Hold for four,

And breathe out for five.

Let all of it go now.

Again,

That's in for three,

Hold for four,

And release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today and tomorrow.

Again,

In for three,

And let it go.

Now,

Continue to breathe in this way in your own time,

And with each breath out,

Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper.

And gradually,

Allow your breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.

And now,

Let us begin your fantasy sleep saga.

You are standing in the middle of a small field filled with fresh strawberries.

Their crops are in long rows at each side of you,

And stretch as far as you can see.

Summer birds glide across the clear blue above you,

And the midday sun beats down on your skin.

In your hand is a small wicker basket lined with a blue and white cloth,

And filled with glowing red strawberries.

As you lift the basket to your nose,

You take a nice,

Deep breath,

And smell this beautifully sweet scent.

You have just finished a morning's work for the local farmer,

And they have allowed you to fill your basket with as many strawberries as you can.

You pick one or two more,

And finish your last bit of foraging.

With the basket filled to the brim,

You begin to stroll down the dirt track between the crops,

And head towards your rowing boat,

Which is tied up by the river at the end of the road.

You fold the remaining blue cloth over the strawberries,

And close the lid,

Giving them a little more protection.

You arrive at the grassy green bank of the river,

And a little way off in the distance,

You can see the rolling hills of home waiting for your return.

You notice that the river runs through the middle of a small forest,

Which is always an enchanting part of your return journey.

You settle in the boat,

And gently row away from the shore.

The water is calm and peaceful,

And you are surrounded by long grass and wildflowers on each side of you.

Soon enough,

You come to the entrance of the forest,

And you begin to row through the tall archway of trees,

Which provides a cooling shade from the hot afternoon sun.

As you gently row down the river,

Back towards your village,

You notice small rabbits in the bushes,

And red squirrels climbing the thin trees.

It's as if they are guiding you back home,

And keeping you safe along the way.

Rays of sunlight beam through the open patches in the leaves above you,

And onto the lake falls a glimmering gold shimmer.

As you row around a corner of trees,

You can see the wooden dock and the first few houses of your homeland.

There are three small cottages with perfectly round doors,

And picket fences of white,

Brown,

And blue.

These are nestled under the shallow green hills on the borders of your village.

One of these houses sits on the bank of the river by the dock,

And a large wooden mill slowly turns in the water,

As a gentle steam rises from the small brick chimney.

As you approach the dock,

You tie up your boat and bid a good afternoon to the halfling dockmaster,

And you begin to head towards the main village down a thin gravel track,

Your basket of strawberries safe in your hand.

Butterflies and bees cross your path excitedly,

As if they have been waiting for your return.

On the borders of the village,

You come across a fresh water spring filled with crystal-clear blue water.

You cup your hands in the cool water and take a refreshing drink.

You wander over a small wooden bridge and through a tall corridor of green,

Until at last,

Your eyes feast upon the magical heart of the shire opening up in front of you.

There is a far green country of shallow hills like waves upon the sea,

And you can see many more houses built inside the hills.

The doors are again perfectly round,

And no two houses share the same color.

At the top of each house sits a tiny chimney shrouded in grass,

Which lets out wisps of gray smoke.

The people here live a simple life,

And a simple life is celebrated.

There is no desire for piles of riches or hoarded treasure.

Jewels and diamonds are almost unheard of.

No,

This is a place of comfort and of peace,

Of family and friendships filled with cheer and song,

Of wonderful food and a warm home.

A land of immortal beauty,

There is no sight more perfect.

One or two halflings sit in their gardens enjoying the sun,

And others busy themselves gathering firewood,

Doing the laundry,

Or cleaning the windows.

They have thick curly hair of brown,

Black,

Or blonde that covers the tops of their heads,

And of course,

The tops of their feet.

Your eyes follow the long dirt road in front of you as it winds between the hills and curves upwards,

Until at the very top you can see a single house under the hill,

Where from the wooden gate there are small stone steps leading up to the round front door of dark green.

This is the home of a very famous halfling.

As you walk between the emerald hills down the gravel track road,

You pass many more of these cozy cottages.

There are washing lines with freshly cleaned laundry,

Shirts,

Trousers,

And dungarees,

And waistcoats of many colors swaying in the breeze.

Outside each house,

There are small wooden postboxes,

Some with many letters stuffed inside,

And others are quite empty.

It is said that you can always tell a halfling's popularity,

Judging by the size of their postbox.

As you walk past one or two halflings,

They greet you with a warm and welcoming smile,

As they speak your name in a hearty voice and bid you a pleasant day.

For you are well known throughout these lands,

And a dear friend of the little folk.

You even have your very own little cottage under your very own little hill.

There are colorful flowerbeds in the gardens,

And perched in front of the round porthole windows,

For all who live here share a love of the natural world,

Of plants,

Trees,

And animals of all kinds.

They all live as one here,

And they are connected.

Down the track,

You see a halfling leading a pony that is pulling a small cart.

And as it gets closer,

The pony seems to recognize you,

And gently strokes its head against your shoulder,

As you pet its furry ears and trace your fingers through its soft mane.

You see that the cart is full of vegetables,

All of which are ripe and fresh.

The halfling is now sat on top of a giant pumpkin in the cart,

And as the cart trundles away down the road,

The halfling tips their straw hat to you,

As they puff on their long wooden pipe,

A mischievous grin across their face.

It has clearly been a great harvest.

In the fields to your left,

There are many goats,

Cows,

And sheep,

And a few more ponies.

They graze away at the healthy grass,

As they roam freely across their shared land.

The warm breeze drifts over to you from the fields beyond,

And the smell of flowers,

Meadows,

And the summer air are a comfort to you,

Reminding you that this is where you belong.

As you arrive at the middle of the village,

You enter through a rickety old gate into a large field,

Where the grass is freshly mown.

It is important to keep this field in the best condition,

For this is the party field,

Where halflings and guests celebrate important birthdays and all sorts of exciting festivals,

For which there are almost too many to count.

In the middle of the field,

Stands an enormous tree,

10 times the size of any other tree across this land,

And it is the centerpiece not only of this field,

But of the entire village.

It is said that the elves of old planted this tree,

And it has stood for over 10,

000 years.

Its trunk is thick and strong,

With bright green leaves that pulse in the sunlight.

Legend has it that the roots reach all the way to the core of the earth,

Giving life to this enchanting world around you.

You sit for a moment with your back against the tree,

And enjoy the wonderful surroundings,

And this fresh,

Pure air.

As you sit,

You feel a warmth radiate from the tree,

And as this warmth runs into your body,

You feel yourself becoming light and free,

As all of your muscles relax.

The tree is absorbing all of your tension,

And you feel any worries and thoughts leave your mind and melt into the tree behind you.

You have found a new sense of peace.

You think this old legend might be true after all.

As the afternoon fades into early evening,

And the sun starts its descent,

You realize that there are still parts of your homeland that you would like to see today.

And with your basket in hand,

You stand up and continue on your journey.

A few of the little folk are setting up decorations,

Stalls and tables across the field.

It seems that one day soon,

There is going to be a big celebration,

Which you will be sure not to miss.

You walk over a small bridge made of gray brick and curved in an arch over the flowing river below.

Next to it is a small house with another mill turning in the water.

You arrive at a small square near the local tavern.

Here,

You find stalls filled with fresh vegetables and fruit from the harvest,

As well as handmade clothing and effects which come from all the different corners of the land.

As you stroll through the marketplace,

You can hear murmurs of conversation.

There appears to be rumors of a wizard spotted on the borders of the land,

Who will be arriving here tomorrow.

A smile creeps across your face as you know this rumor is true.

You know this because the wizard is coming to see you.

You have a very important trip together in the morning.

You wander out of the square and the sounds of the market fade away as you take a turn down a quieter street on your right,

Which runs down a hidden country lane.

With each step you take,

You are becoming more connected to this enchanting land,

As you are surrounded by nature once more.

At the bottom of this lane is a wooden bench sitting on the bank of the river and overlooking the beautiful meadows beyond.

You take a seat and with your basket on your lap,

You open the lid.

A red glow and the sweet smell of strawberries hits you and you cannot resist a mini feast of this delicious summer fruit,

As you relax underneath the sunset and gaze across the golden green horizon.

The smooth texture and the sweet taste are a perfect addition to this warm evening.

The water is calm here and this corner of the land is quiet and peaceful.

You see one or two fish dashing around under the water and the birds above you are diving down into the meadows and rising up again as they search for their dinner.

This enchanting village never fails to surprise you,

As all of a sudden,

You watch a trio of rainbows appear in front of you.

Their colors trace across the sky from right to left,

As if they are being freshly painted.

You think this might be a present from the wizard.

A sign,

Maybe,

To let you know that he is nearby and looking forward to your adventure.

You stare in wonder at the multicolored sky and bathe in the sunset as you feel yourself let go of everything.

You watch in amazement as the rainbows begin to fade out of sight and the sky transforms from a golden red sunset into a deep black night,

As if by magic.

Only a single star is visible at the moment,

But it shines as bright as the moon and seems to have an outline of purple and blue.

You look down at your basket and realize there are only a few strawberries left,

So you decide to save them for the morning and you begin to walk back through the village and towards your very own home under the hill.

The night air is mild and the gentle breeze is refreshing.

The market square is empty now,

Save for one or two halflings packing away their gear,

Ready for another day of trade in the morning.

The local tavern is on your left,

And you notice the soft yellow lights beaming from the windows,

And the lanterns outside have now been lit.

As you watch someone go inside,

You hear a snippet of the songs,

The laughter,

And the feasting going on in the tavern.

It is very tempting to go inside,

But you think that tonight you will head straight home.

You wouldn't want to be late for the wizard tomorrow by enjoying too much of the gaffer's homebrew tonight.

As you head back over the stone bridge,

You look out across the eternal green country,

Parted by the thin river and backed by the silver glitter of the night sky.

Each of the tiny houses has a small lantern hanging outside their front gate,

Which glows against their front doors and lights the way on the track road beside them.

The stars pepper in white dust against the purple and black as the many constellations pulse with a steady light and are the perfect background to your idyllic village.

You take in the night,

The houses,

The river and the rolling hills,

The tavern and the soft lights from the lanterns,

And you cannot believe that this wonderful place is your home.

As you continue down a gentle slope and round a corner,

You see the color of your front door illuminated by the hanging lantern outside,

And a warm,

Comforting feeling rushes through you as you realize that you are finally home.

Your front garden is small and decorated with flower beds in your favorite colors,

With an apple tree resting in the corner.

There is a patch of grass on the left-hand side with a table and chair,

Where you often sit on a morning and enjoy your breakfast as you watch the sun rise.

Perfectly round steps lead to your perfectly round door,

With a brass doorknob in the middle,

And all of this is surrounded by a dark brown picket fence.

And there is your postbox,

Packed full of letters.

You take out your letters,

Open the gate,

And walk up the steps to your front door.

In this beautiful village,

Everyone takes good care of one another,

And as you open your front door,

You are met with a soft yellow light and a wave of heat as you notice that the fire has been newly lit for your return,

And one or two candles are giving the room a cozy atmosphere.

You realize how blessed you are to be a part of all of this.

Your eyes wander round your perfect home,

And you see your wood fire crackling away underneath a sturdy mantelpiece full of books and souvenirs from all of your adventures.

There is a large,

Cozy armchair that sits by the fire,

Your favorite spot in the house.

In the middle of the room is a dark green rug,

Outlined with a red and gold banner,

A white horse across the middle,

A special gift from the horse lords in the east.

The tube-like corridors lead from one room to the next,

With a wood-paneled floor that gives off a gentle heat under your bare feet.

The walls are a soft cream color,

With thick wooden beams that arch from the floor on one side,

All the way over to the other,

Creating a protective shell.

You place the letters by your armchair and wander into the kitchen.

You put the basket of strawberries on the table,

Ready for the morning,

And you open one of the small porthole windows,

Taking a deep breath of this healing night air as it flows into your home.

The pantry is packed full of fresh ingredients,

And you think that one day soon you will host a merry gathering.

You wander over to your armchair and take a seat by the fire,

As you open one or two of the letters next to you.

The first is from the wizard,

Reminding you of your appointment with the elves tomorrow,

And urging you to be ready when he arrives.

The next has a golden wax seal,

And comes from the last homely house of the elves.

It is from their lord,

Who hopes that you are well,

And tells you how much they are looking forward to your visit.

There is an excitement in your stomach as you think of all the wonderful adventures that you have ahead of you.

You look around your cozy cottage,

With the log fire burning and the night air drifting in,

Creating a perfect temperature coupled with this peaceful atmosphere.

Your thoughts drift to the day that you have had,

From the strawberry fields,

To your rowboat journey home through the forest,

The enchanting elven tree,

And your relaxing walk around your wonderful homeland.

There are no worries and no burdens in these parts.

This is a land of peace and a home of comfort.

You know that you belong here.

This is your very own house under the hill.

It will always be here for you,

And you can return to this land whenever you need to.

The fire is fading now,

And your eyes have become heavy as you feel yourself drifting off.

You wander down the round corridor,

Half asleep,

Until you reach your room at last.

There is your four-poster bed,

Freshly made and ready for you.

As you climb into bed,

You wrap yourself in this thick,

Warm duvet,

And you remember that the wizard once placed an enchantment on your pillow,

Making sure that all of your dreams would be kept safe and beautiful.

With your bedroom window slightly open,

You can hear the faint music of the stars,

And their enchanting sound lulls you deeper and deeper.

You lie there,

Sleepy but excited,

For you know that tomorrow,

You will journey with the wizard to visit the hidden valley of the elves.

You have so much ahead of you.

You are safe,

You are warm,

And you are free.

You give any remaining thoughts permission to leave you now,

And you can rest peacefully and dream of beautiful things.

Reviews

I loved this! How peaceful and serene this story is. I’ll look for the next chapter! Thank you❤️
Can you tell me how to get all episodes? It goes from episode 1&2
And then I can’t find next one. Do you have a playlist ? I really loved this. Thank you.